We made it to our first competition of 2013, finally! Amazingly even the sun came out as we made our way to Summerhouse to brush off the cobwebs and remember how to ride a course - and hopefully a jump off. Everything still fitted thankfully as my show jacket and boots have not seen daylight since about October last year, Ranger the dog came along for support and we arrived with plenty of time to leisurely get ready and walk the course. I decided to enter the Katherine James Scope qualifier and had the aim of a double clear for the day, we were quite far down the list so watched a few rounds before going to get Picnic. The course seemed to be testing quite a few riders and I hardly saw anyone jumping clear, it was table A7 so had a separate jump off, the top 6 qualify for Scope but you have to jump clear in the first round.
I went to get Picnic who was looking very excited about the occasion and completely embarrassed me near the warm up area when she wouldn't stand at the mounting block for me to get on!!! After a kind offer of help from a spectator to hold my wild horse while I mounted, a quick check of how many to go before us we went off to warm up. Picnic was so pleased to be back out and rather excited so took a little while to gain her concentration but overall she felt good. On entry to the arena I felt like I was on a green 4 year old as she wobbled around the edge of the arena spooking left and right at everything, flowers, numbers, advertising boards, people! I kicked on and got the best canter I could and headed to number one, thankfully on landing she switched into competition mode, realised where she was and was off pulling my arms out to get to the next fence, all the combinations rode well and as we made our way round the course it felt like we had never been away, had a brief moment as she tapped the last fence when we got a bit quick on a long run to the last but thankfully it stayed up and we were clear and waiting for the jump off, good pony! The jump off had a very tight turn back to number two - we hadn't practised any of these so I was a little worried if we'd make the turn. I warmed her up again as the last few were jumping and she felt a little overconfident not really listening and thinking she knew best, I managed to settle her then it was our turn, I couldn't get Picnic to focus and perhaps because we were a little out of practise we knocked fence number one, arrgghhh, so with that down we just pushed on making every turn inside we could and I was pleased with Picnic even though she got a little over exhubruent over the last taking a stride out! We ended up 7th bringing home some prize money but unfortunately missed out on qualifying by a place, but for our first time out and both a little rusty we decided to end on a good note and make our way home get the diary out and plan the next trip.
I went to get Picnic who was looking very excited about the occasion and completely embarrassed me near the warm up area when she wouldn't stand at the mounting block for me to get on!!! After a kind offer of help from a spectator to hold my wild horse while I mounted, a quick check of how many to go before us we went off to warm up. Picnic was so pleased to be back out and rather excited so took a little while to gain her concentration but overall she felt good. On entry to the arena I felt like I was on a green 4 year old as she wobbled around the edge of the arena spooking left and right at everything, flowers, numbers, advertising boards, people! I kicked on and got the best canter I could and headed to number one, thankfully on landing she switched into competition mode, realised where she was and was off pulling my arms out to get to the next fence, all the combinations rode well and as we made our way round the course it felt like we had never been away, had a brief moment as she tapped the last fence when we got a bit quick on a long run to the last but thankfully it stayed up and we were clear and waiting for the jump off, good pony! The jump off had a very tight turn back to number two - we hadn't practised any of these so I was a little worried if we'd make the turn. I warmed her up again as the last few were jumping and she felt a little overconfident not really listening and thinking she knew best, I managed to settle her then it was our turn, I couldn't get Picnic to focus and perhaps because we were a little out of practise we knocked fence number one, arrgghhh, so with that down we just pushed on making every turn inside we could and I was pleased with Picnic even though she got a little over exhubruent over the last taking a stride out! We ended up 7th bringing home some prize money but unfortunately missed out on qualifying by a place, but for our first time out and both a little rusty we decided to end on a good note and make our way home get the diary out and plan the next trip.
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