Chattahochee Hills is an amazing facilty as it is but its not finished, so when complete by next years AECs it will be an incredible venue. One which I plan on going back to and already planning out in my head next years event schedule for me and Toby. I'm thinking we might go there for there CIC** in May. One thing..it's well spaced out...so plenty of walking and if you come get a golf cat you will need it big time.
I recaped our XC ride but didn't mention Dressage. Our warm up went well, Toby was relaxed and straight into work. Mary Darcy work with us to get the best out of us and when we rode off into the impressive top Grand Prix arena i was looking forward to a good test. Just as we got to ours the middle arnea a big gust of wind flapped the 3 large flags and Toby spooked and then got tense.
I rode on and top at the each of the two judges to do the normal greetings..Toby seemed to mellow out a bit..but as we passed that end of the arena again tension came back in and he start just slightly grinding his teeth..as soon as he does that his neck and back get tense and the swing and lenght of stride shortens..But i rode the best test i could out of him and kept his slight nerves under control. i wanted to finish below 40 and we did with a 39.2, scoring 9 for our finally movement. With so many people in the divison scores were going to be close..from me in 35th place to 1st place was only 12 pionts!!
Show jumping was in the same arena and there was plenty to of activity around the arena. I had watched the advanced top riders school in the morning which was interesting to watch. You don't think of them having lessons like us lesser mortals, so it was good to see what problems and training solutions they have to go through too.
The course for them was different that our OI course but we still had last line of fences as them a triple which was oxer, upright then oxer and then 5 stride to another upright, all of course maxed out.
They had had a triple bar as the jump before this line, this same fence got reversed became our first jump!!! lowerd a hole and not quite as wide but still an impressive first fence esp. as it was facing the main covered seating area which was busy!
Only got to walk the course once as I was first in. So listen well to what Mike had to say about each fence and line..ran through it couple of times doing the "finger jumping"and then hopped on Toby who was a bit wound up..But settle down once we warmed up and jumped well and was listening. Mike tried to find out when I was going and so we chilled and just walked around. Then boom I needed to be in NOW...Mike was not happy and managed to get us some more time as he argued we where not ready...we jumped a couple a LARGE oxers and one upright and off we went...all way to hurried. Soon as I was in whistle went and we were off...
As i made our approach to the first fence"triple bar" I could feel Toby suck back a bit, I'm sure in his end he was think "what! what? we don't jump this first..its a triple bar!!!" about 4 strides out he switched on it was our fence and boom we took off and jumped the crap out of it. The first part of the course was a bit of a blur and I can wait to get my video just so i know what happened. I know i got in his face too much on 3 fences and heard rails..by the time we made the turn to the second to last line we were more in sink. and the last line was brilliant..and then we were done.
Finished and completed something I didn't get to do with Jeri at this level at the championships as she was not her normally self that day and I pulled up.
Toby however was still full of beans and I'm sure would have run around the XC course again if I asked him.
When we got back to the barn which was already half empty and it was time to pack up quickly ourselfs and hit the road.
So we didn't finish quiet were I wanted but that was more my fault than my horse's, but we did finishe and we had a great time. Plus learnt so much more from the experiance, I know now my horse is a bit of a XC machine and I need to let him do his job and I need to bloody well concernrate on mine. That dressage is always going to depend on the day, but still work hard at improving both of us. And Show Jumping will maybe always be NOT Clear...but we can sure work at getting our act together.
If you get the chance to quailify this next year, try and make it to the AECs it is so worth it for so many reasons and well done to all those Area V rideres that went and completed, and a few that came home with ribbons and prizes..hopefully we will bo one of those next year! Cheers
No comments:
Post a Comment