Redemption at Fair Hill
Last year at Fair Hill, Leo had a horrible dressage test, 4 rails down in stadium and dragged me dangerously around xc. Afterwards, he was treated for ulcers and we went through some bit changes. One year later, things couldn't be more different!
Following MCTA, Leo had a full week off so that the sore on the corner of his mouth could heal. The vet injected it with something to breakdown the scar tissue and it took a good week before it healed up well enough to put a bit in his mouth without breaking open again. We're still not sure what it was. The vet thought it was from the bit, but none of his bits have changed since last September. Becca said she saw 2 puncture holes and we tend to think there was something in the hay that did it.
In the week leading up to Fair Hill, I took two jump lessons with Becca. They consisted of more big fences and related lines so I could practice maintaining my canter. On Friday, we warmed up by cantering a circle over a vertical. Becca kept raising the vertical until it was 4 ft. It was the tallest fence I have ever jumped. Amazingly, I only missed one distance and the result was merely a knock down. Becca said she could have kept raising the vertical, Leo wasn't struggling at all and I wasn't losing my position. He was so good in both lessons, that by Friday Becca and I couldn't help but start talking about going Intermediate! Which we laughed about since I'm not even going prelim yet. Everything is just syncing up so well right now, it's like Leo and I could do anything!
We hit a crazy amount of traffic on the way to Fair Hill which we didn't plan for. Route 476 outside of Philly was at a standstill so we had to turn around and go another way. By the time we got to the venue, my dressage time was dangerously close. We threw the tack on Leo and I got to the warm-up with 7 minutes before my ride time. I knew the woman riding after me because she takes lessons with Sally and she agreed to ride in my time slot so I gained a couple of minutes. Leo put in a pretty good test considering the lack of warm-up and scored a 38.6.
I couldn't have been more pleased with our stadium round. At MCTA, we went clear but my hands were high; I missed a couple of distances; I held too much into some of the fences. It wasn't to standard that's for sure. My Fair Hill round, on the other hand, was good! I hit all my distances; got all my striding right; kept Leo's canter forward and powerful through my turns. We had 2 rails. Leo hit them both behind. Becca is going through the same thing with Spy and Sally said it's a back strength issue. I'm going to add a strengthening day to our weekly routine: raised trot poles on a circle, canter poles, big square oxers.
Cross country was 450 mpm again. I did my minute markers using that CourseWalk iPhone app. Very handy I must say! Speed faults were at 4:26 which was 520 mpm. I came in at 4:36 and I was slowing down on the second half of the course. I'm feeling really good and way more comfortable at prelim speed. Leo was fantastic xc! There were 3 big, technical combinations and the rest were nice-size galloping fences.
Following MCTA, Leo had a full week off so that the sore on the corner of his mouth could heal. The vet injected it with something to breakdown the scar tissue and it took a good week before it healed up well enough to put a bit in his mouth without breaking open again. We're still not sure what it was. The vet thought it was from the bit, but none of his bits have changed since last September. Becca said she saw 2 puncture holes and we tend to think there was something in the hay that did it.
In the week leading up to Fair Hill, I took two jump lessons with Becca. They consisted of more big fences and related lines so I could practice maintaining my canter. On Friday, we warmed up by cantering a circle over a vertical. Becca kept raising the vertical until it was 4 ft. It was the tallest fence I have ever jumped. Amazingly, I only missed one distance and the result was merely a knock down. Becca said she could have kept raising the vertical, Leo wasn't struggling at all and I wasn't losing my position. He was so good in both lessons, that by Friday Becca and I couldn't help but start talking about going Intermediate! Which we laughed about since I'm not even going prelim yet. Everything is just syncing up so well right now, it's like Leo and I could do anything!
We hit a crazy amount of traffic on the way to Fair Hill which we didn't plan for. Route 476 outside of Philly was at a standstill so we had to turn around and go another way. By the time we got to the venue, my dressage time was dangerously close. We threw the tack on Leo and I got to the warm-up with 7 minutes before my ride time. I knew the woman riding after me because she takes lessons with Sally and she agreed to ride in my time slot so I gained a couple of minutes. Leo put in a pretty good test considering the lack of warm-up and scored a 38.6.
I couldn't have been more pleased with our stadium round. At MCTA, we went clear but my hands were high; I missed a couple of distances; I held too much into some of the fences. It wasn't to standard that's for sure. My Fair Hill round, on the other hand, was good! I hit all my distances; got all my striding right; kept Leo's canter forward and powerful through my turns. We had 2 rails. Leo hit them both behind. Becca is going through the same thing with Spy and Sally said it's a back strength issue. I'm going to add a strengthening day to our weekly routine: raised trot poles on a circle, canter poles, big square oxers.
Cross country was 450 mpm again. I did my minute markers using that CourseWalk iPhone app. Very handy I must say! Speed faults were at 4:26 which was 520 mpm. I came in at 4:36 and I was slowing down on the second half of the course. I'm feeling really good and way more comfortable at prelim speed. Leo was fantastic xc! There were 3 big, technical combinations and the rest were nice-size galloping fences.
- The first combination was the water: house, 2 strides, down a big bank into the water, 5 forward strides over a log out. Leo was freaking awesome here! I made sure I kept my hands low and just kept my leg on and trusted him to make the right decision: like jump into the water. He did without hesitation!
- There was a cool bank complex: bank, 1 stride uphill to a log with a downhill landing, 3 bending strides to a roll top. I missed the distance to the bank and we didn't get a powerful jump up but Leo made up for my mistake. He made a big effort to make the 1-stride and jump the log, but didn't land as far down the hill as I expected so we got 4 strides.
- On the later half of the course, there was a decent size corner, followed by a left turn and a downhill approach to the coffin. The distance was 2 and 2, but Leo did it in 2 and 1.
We left the show before the scores were out for my division and when I checked online later I learned we came in 5th place! Wow! Becca asked me where I would have placed without the 8 faults in stadium. Surprisingly, Leo would have won the division had we ended on our dressage score. I typically laugh at people when I hear them talk about how they would have won "if...." and I know that is an unrealistic way to look at the scores. It was more the realization that Leo and I are finally becoming competitive that was so enlightening to me. For years, we've been at the bottom of the pack, and then we eventually migrated to the middle, and now it's not unlikely for us to be in the ribbons. That's pretty cool!
15 days until my first prelim at Plantation!!
15 days until my first prelim at Plantation!!
Great job! Sounds like you're all set :)
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