Jane and I go to a show at a nearby riding club, aiming to do the 2ft 3ins and 2ft 6ins show jumping classes. That might sound titchy to all you affiliated bods, but it’s big enough for us!
Loading, fine. Arrive in plenty of time. Stayed calm during the warm-up. Just one fence down in the first class – hooray!
Last time Harry and I jumped here he behaved like a loony - piaffing in the warm-up, alternately trotting or galloping in the ring - so this is a great improvement.
Jane and Red do a lovely clear, with a couple of cheeky bucks, but there are so many kids with fantastic jumping ponies in the class that she's not placed.
The bigger class actually looks pretty daunting to me: not only are the fences higher, they're wider, too! But we have a go, and have two jumps down. I'm pleased, as Harry stays calm and rhythmical all the way around, and seems to enjoy himself. We just need more practice. Jane and Red do another lovely clear again, but again are unplaced.
So, yes. We've beaten by nine-year-olds again!
Showing posts with label riding club. Show all posts
Showing posts with label riding club. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Harry has found his calling - Musical poles
I have to miss the Riding Club gymkhana – it’s my hubby’s birthday, and I suppose he has to be the priority sometimes! Last year Harry and I went to the gymkhana, with Jane and Red. Our fortunes were mixed.
Because we do lots of different things with our horses, we thought that gymkhana games would be a cinch. Faced with the club’s ‘A Day at the Seaside’ gymkhana theme, Harry and Red disagreed.
In one race, you had to pull plastic balls out of a paddling pool full of water with a fishing net on a long pole. I couldn’t even get hold of it without Harry throwing a wobbly, cantering sideways and leaping forwards with melodramatic snorts. Hanging wooden fish on a frame for another game gave him palpitations, too. There I was, leaning forward to hang the fish up, and there was Harry backing away from it in horror!
He was unperturbed by the dressing up game, standing patiently as I struggled to pull a pair of rather small beach shorts on over my breeches. We might have done better if I hadn’t been rendered helpless with laughter at the sight of the one male member of our Riding Club thundering down the field wearing a pretty flowery dress over his riding gear, plus snorkle and googles crammed over his moustache.
Harry excelled at one game, musical poles. You ride a circuit around a cluster of poles, and when the music stops, you turn in, make for a pole, grab it and hang on. One pole is removed after each go, and whoever is left holding the last pole is the winner.
Well, as a bit of a barger, Harry was a natural at this. When our opponents saw him making purposefully for our chosen pole, feathers flailing , a determined glint in his eye, they kept clear – there’s no riding Harry off.
One poor little girl fell off when her pony shied at the sight of Harry ‘on a mission.’ We were on a roll, and only beaten by an amazingly nippy pony who snatched victory from under our noses.
Never mind, it was a blue ribbon and my first gymkhana rosette for 40 years!
Because we do lots of different things with our horses, we thought that gymkhana games would be a cinch. Faced with the club’s ‘A Day at the Seaside’ gymkhana theme, Harry and Red disagreed.
In one race, you had to pull plastic balls out of a paddling pool full of water with a fishing net on a long pole. I couldn’t even get hold of it without Harry throwing a wobbly, cantering sideways and leaping forwards with melodramatic snorts. Hanging wooden fish on a frame for another game gave him palpitations, too. There I was, leaning forward to hang the fish up, and there was Harry backing away from it in horror!
He was unperturbed by the dressing up game, standing patiently as I struggled to pull a pair of rather small beach shorts on over my breeches. We might have done better if I hadn’t been rendered helpless with laughter at the sight of the one male member of our Riding Club thundering down the field wearing a pretty flowery dress over his riding gear, plus snorkle and googles crammed over his moustache.
Harry excelled at one game, musical poles. You ride a circuit around a cluster of poles, and when the music stops, you turn in, make for a pole, grab it and hang on. One pole is removed after each go, and whoever is left holding the last pole is the winner.
Well, as a bit of a barger, Harry was a natural at this. When our opponents saw him making purposefully for our chosen pole, feathers flailing , a determined glint in his eye, they kept clear – there’s no riding Harry off.
One poor little girl fell off when her pony shied at the sight of Harry ‘on a mission.’ We were on a roll, and only beaten by an amazingly nippy pony who snatched victory from under our noses.
Never mind, it was a blue ribbon and my first gymkhana rosette for 40 years!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Angelic Harry Story Number 2
To the Riding Club for a Mini-Prix – a course that combines show jumps and cross country. I’m quite nervous. This time last year we were eliminated – twice!
The weather is perfect: warm and still. Both Harry and Red load reasonably well, with a bit of token protest from each. We’ve left the time a bit tight, so mount quickly and warm up, and I try to work out the course – I haven’t had time to walk it! It looks good, solid and inviting and just a bit challenging.
I go fairly quickly, before I can get us both into a state. Harry is a star, staying calm and focused so that I relax quite soon and ride with commitment ie without clutching at the reins, and actually breathing occasionally, which is handy on a longish 19-jump course. We clear everything including a tiger trap over a ditch (from trot, Harry wanted a good look!), a treble with the course bogey – plastic bags laid out on the ground between poles – and a wall that last year Harry refused, pushed over and then jumped. All too soon our round is over and we’ve had just one show jump down – hurrah!
Jane does a lovely clear, even though Red was quite lively, so we’re both delighted. Even more so when Jane gets equal second in the class, and first Riding Club member – and I get a pink rosette as sixth-placed Riding Club member. Harry doesn’t seem to object as he poses for a photo in his girly ribbon, and we head for home. What a great confidence boost – I love jumping again, roll on the sponsored ride!
The weather is perfect: warm and still. Both Harry and Red load reasonably well, with a bit of token protest from each. We’ve left the time a bit tight, so mount quickly and warm up, and I try to work out the course – I haven’t had time to walk it! It looks good, solid and inviting and just a bit challenging.
I go fairly quickly, before I can get us both into a state. Harry is a star, staying calm and focused so that I relax quite soon and ride with commitment ie without clutching at the reins, and actually breathing occasionally, which is handy on a longish 19-jump course. We clear everything including a tiger trap over a ditch (from trot, Harry wanted a good look!), a treble with the course bogey – plastic bags laid out on the ground between poles – and a wall that last year Harry refused, pushed over and then jumped. All too soon our round is over and we’ve had just one show jump down – hurrah!
Jane does a lovely clear, even though Red was quite lively, so we’re both delighted. Even more so when Jane gets equal second in the class, and first Riding Club member – and I get a pink rosette as sixth-placed Riding Club member. Harry doesn’t seem to object as he poses for a photo in his girly ribbon, and we head for home. What a great confidence boost – I love jumping again, roll on the sponsored ride!
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