Monday, February 14, 2011

Pony Club

So yesterday I had my first day back at PC for 2011.

I have just joined a new club and it was great! One of the biggest clubs in ACT I think. We had about 50 ridden attendees yesterday, with many more people attending on foot!

Initially, I was meant to be unmounted instructing XC. However I decided during the week that I would like to take Paris along and instruct mounted.
luckily I took her, as due to weather and the large amount of young/new members that attended yesterday, we didnt venture out on course.

Luckily for me, the morning now invloved SJ. I was very excited to put everything from the clinic together and see how Paris went, And what more can I say, she was amazing!!

We completed our first B grade course since before she broke her knee!! And with no rails down :) Which is unusual for her! Normally she forgets early in the course that she actually has to pick her feet up and will generally run straight through one jump.. But we managed to clear them all in style!

I really got to feel the thrust come through her wither as she jumped higher over some of the 'spooky' jumps!

Very impressed indeed!!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Barry Roycroft clinic 2011

Paris and I attended the Barry Roycorft Clinic last weekend and WOW! I am so proud of this mare.
She remained cool, calm and level headed about the job at hand at all times! A big ask for a horse that has had little to no work in the last 18 months.

We didnt learn a lot in the dressage as I was grouped with some very green youngsters due to her level of fitness. This didnt bother me as she was able to 'show off'. We managed to get some good extended trot happening and some fluent leg yeilding and shoulder in!

Our showjumping was going to be a real test as this is generally her weakest point. I was placed in a higher level group as our experience suited this better. We were eventually faced with a 6 bar grid, which consisted of 4 verticals and two 90cm oxers with no ground poles! This was a little daunting for both of us as we are both 'out of practice'.
Anywho, she took to the grid better than ever before and Barry was very impressed. We managed to concour our superman style and maintain a quiet seat and a steady pace over and over again!

Sunday saw us out on XC. You can tell that this is her favourite bit! As soon as we headed out on the paddock, she was very keen to halt-gallop! We were both rearing to go! (Pardon the pun!!)
We were faced with the usual fences at varying heights. I managed to jump two 'rider' fences which I was very proud of! One being a PC B grade (Grade 2) log oxer with no ground poles- just two random rocks placed strategically underneath.
We also provided some confidence support for some of the younger, less-experienced horses which made us both feel good!
We also jumped the B grade drop, which was very exhilarating and we had to fight the urge not to push it and try the A grade drop! All very exciting!

Our first Event for the year will be Intro at Albury ODE, so I will update my blog again once we get home from there!