Arrived at the yard mid-morning to take Rocky for a walk/graze in-hand (had been hoping to ride but not enough time as family coming over), before returning him to open his xmas stocking which we had brought with us.
I decided, since it was xmas, that he should wear his reindeer antlers on his headcollar (I normally ride him in them) and for me to wear my Santa hat on top of my riding helmet and therefore I decided to take some photos of him looking over his stable door at his stocking looking very festive.
When I then proceeded to walk him off the yard towards the fields, we had some strange looks (and snorts) from some of the more bemused horses who were wondering why my riding hat was red, white and with a bell on it! However, they soon all settled and began to become jealous when they saw that Rocky was able to stretch his legs and have a graze.
Upon retuning to his stable we helped Rocky open his stocking and he
received a couple of carrots, an apple and a turnip which he proceeded to
enjoy. We left him in a very happy mood and pleased with his Xmas day!
Today Rocky made me a very happy mum! He behaved impeccably throughout the showing competition and was the only horse there who didn't play up (ie, shy, rear, buck etc) in any shape or form. Rocky's behaviour was shown by his success at this small competition and I am now hopeful that in a few years time he will be able to repeat such success at larger local shows.
Arrived at about 12pm at the yard and began scrubbing some stable stains off his legs. Then after getting his tail to look fantastic, I set about plaiting his mane and forelock (I'm not very good at plaits!). After about 30mins he was looking pretty much spotless, so whilst mum went to register me, I fetched Rocky's bridle and began tacking him up. After about 15minutes he was fully tacked up and I hopped aboard ready to warm him up in the smaller outdoor school.
I then spent about 10minutes warming him up (would have preferred longer to work on his canter) before we entered out first class: -
"CLASS 4 Style and Performance exceeding 14.2hh"
Judged 40% turn out and 60% show
For about 5minutes we were all (3 of us!) allowed to walk our horses round to get them use to the indoor school and, as expected, Rocky settled very quickly, despite the huge "family-gathering", which was supporting this girl on a 14.3hh horse, who were crowded in the viewing gallery making lots of noise with several video cameras!
Then the judge called us into a line and told us that, one at a time, we were to stand in front of her so she could mark us on our turnout before proceeding to show a short routine that had to include a 3-loop serpentine in trot, extended trot across the diagonal, canter figure of 8, extended canter down a long side and finally a halt.
Luckily, I had already prepared such a routine in my head that included the same movements, so I remained calm whilst the first rider went. Her horse had a lovely flowing trot but when it came to the canter it napped and tried to buck on her 2nd canter transition. I knew this would be in Rocky's favour as although his performance might lack "style", it would be consistent without any bad behaviour.
I left to start my routine and half-way through my trot serpentine, I suddenly remembered that I was supposed to stand in front of the judge first! Opps! Anyways, Rocky did me proud and did every transition at the right place and at the right time and, fair enough, his canter was unbalanced and his circles were not of a perfect shape but he behaved. After I had done my extended canter, I brought him back to a walk and made him stand quietly in front of the judge, for my turnout inspection. Rocky stood perfectly still (and I think almost square) whilst he was rubbed and felt over by the judge! I couldn't help smiling!
The final girl to go (the one on the 14.3hh horse) had quite a few problems getting the horse to stand still for the judge and it kept spinning round and misbehaving but eventually her turnout was marked before she proceeded to do her show. Her show was pretty good, and her horse didn't go in an outline either, but her horse looked a bit strong and when she cantered past the judge, she and her writer moved back out of the way!
We were asked to walk quietly round, whilst the scores were added up and then we were called into line. Then they began calling numbers out and amazingly Rocky and I got pulled up 2nd! He stood impeccably still whilst I received our 2nd place rosette and then the judge told me we had qualified for the Supreme Championships later! I was so happy when we went for our lap of honour and couldn't believe that we were technically "Reserve Style and Performance Champions"!!!
I had been planning to jump off now, let Rocky have a nibble on some hay, whilst I quickly had my lunch before we entered out next class...: -
"CLASS 6 Ridden Hunter exceeding 15hh"
...but unfortunately only one person entered the show hunter class (the girl on the 14.3hh) so I stayed on board and saw a lady arrive on a beautiful dapple grey hunter and we began talking. Soon we were called in and after about 10minutes walking (the dapple grey took a huge dislike to the arena and began rearing so the lady jumped off and walked it round before getting back on) we were asked to walk, trot and canter (including extended - more like gallop with Rocky!) round the arena as a group before we were called in.
The judge (who use to work at Moulton) asked if she could ride our horses in turn and Rocky was the 2nd horse she rode and he went very well for her.
Next, was the bit I was dreading - the conformation inspection and the in-hand work! Mum took off Rocky's saddle and I quickly rubbed his back over whilst the first horse was being inspected. Then it was Rocky's turn...He stood perfectly whilst the judge felt all his front legs (obviously for splints - unfortunately he had them!) and his back legs before looking at his overall conformation. Then I was asked to lead him in walk down to the bottom of the indoor and trot him back up past the judge. Rocky walked fine but I was certain he wouldn't trot when we turned around. However, Rocky did me proud and flew into a magnificent trot (he'd obviously been watching the other horse and had decided he could do better!) and quite quickly the judge said that was fine.
Then I put Rocky's saddle back on and mounted up, before standing quietly whilst we waited for the judge's result. The rider who had won our last class, also won the working hunter, although the judge commented that the horse was a little strong. Next she walked over to us and we'd come 2nd again - so we were also "Reserve Ridden Hunter Champions", qualifying for the 2nd time for the Supreme Championship! The judge then spoke briefly to me saying that Rocky's back really did not feel right and that when she last rode him (she'd exercised him a couple of times when she worked at Moulton) he was a lot straighter and more flexible. So we're going to get the chiropractor and saddler out very soon (You'll be pleased to hear that since the show, we've had the saddler out and Rocky now has a wider saddle!)
I stayed in the arena after this class for the Supreme Championships. It turned out that only 3 had qualified for the championships and the other 2 were who I'd been competing against in the Style and Performance Class! We walked/trot/cantered round before being called in line. Eventually the girl on 14.3hh pony was crowned Supreme Champion. Rocky and I finished "Joint Reserve Supreme Champions!" Something, which I am hugely proud of!
Arrived at the yard around 10am and began by tacking up Rocky, before brushing him down quickly (he was v.clean as his legs had been washed and having been clipped yesterday he had worn his lovely big stable rug last night). At about 10:20, I decided I had enough time left to plait his mane and tail before I began to warm him up at about 10:50.
Rocky warmed up well and his
canter pleased me, - not too rushed - and soon he was striking off lovely
and using his hindquarters. I concentrated mainly on his trot and canter
rather than his walk, (I feel that he has a lovely walk and the judge later
agreed) and did half-20m circles where we picked up canter as we left the
track and trotted as soon as we reached the track.
The competition was running a bit late so I actually had about 15-20mins to
warm Rocky up instead of the 10minutes I'd planned for, so I began to work
on trotting up the centre line without rushing. Then suddenly remembering
I'd forgotten to put my spurs on, I jumped off Rocky and did my spurs,
before jumping back on and being told it was my turn.
We entered the indoor school and I walked and trotted Rocky around before
the judge told me I could start and then Rocky gave me the best test (Prelim
7) he's ever done. His transitions were in exactly the right places, he did
them when I asked him for them, he didn't break his canter or do any abrupt
trot-walk transitions and he didn't rush around the arena in trot. Ok, so he
did rush up the centre lines both times and his canter was a little rushed
but he did everything I asked, when I asked him! I was beaming by the end of
the test and was so sure that we would easily have improved on our previous
dressage scores of 53%, 54% (which got us 5th) and 55%. As I left the arena
I told my mum how good he had been and she saw from my smile that I was
proud of him. Here are the photos below that mum took (she knows the zoom
button now!) of us throughout the test, in the order that the movements
occurred: -
After the test we returned a few minutes later to discuss our performance
with the judge (that's why it's called a training show) and she asked me
whether Rocky was my first horse and how old he was. Then, she proceeded to
tell me that although he'd done every transition where they were supposed to
be done and he'd done them as soon as I asked we were not going to score
very highly as he was too on his forehand and hollow through his back (which
is obvious from the photos and especially when we're walking from E-B across
the school). She informed me that he needed to round his general shape and
that although he'd find working in an outline hard because of his short
compact size he already had sufficient topline muscle to cope with it. I
then asked her if he had potential and she told me that once he works in a
more rounded outline he'd score much higher marks. Having thanked her for
her discussion I left the arena even happier knowing that yet another
dressage judge thought Rocky had potential!
Then I untacked Rocky, removed his plaits and took him for a quick graze
near the outdoor schools, where several other riders were now warming up.
When I'd finally finished grooming him, left him with a small haynet and a
turnip mum had bought him as a pressie, I headed up to the Coffee Shop to be
able to look at my test sheet.
The two students "guarding" the test sheets recognised me and handed me mine
to look at. When I saw the final mark I was gutted. 100 out of 200 - 50%.
Did she really think that we were that bad? I briefly looked at the marks -
all of them apart from four, were 5s, suggesting that our performances of
the individual movements were "sufficient". Our other marks were two 4s (one
for his working canter - "Against the hand and loosing balance - and the
other for the collective marks for Impulsion) and two 6s (one for his medium
walk and for his final trot down centre line). A quick look at the comments
revealed that she thought Rocky was on his forehand - fair enough I suppose.
In the past we had always received 5s/6s for most of our moves and
occasionally 7s, which I think reflect our performance better. Ok, fair
enough Rocky didn't work in a rounded shape and an outline but as she said,
he did all the movements exactly when I asked him and everyone of them was
in the right place. Surely that's better than a "sufficient" mark! I thought
at preliminary it was not required that you're horse was in an outline!
Anyways, I suppose I'd better stop moaning now. At least Rocky behaved
impeccably and didn't misbehave in the warm-up arena or the indoor school
(not that I thought he would!) and personally I feel that that was his best
test to date. Better start preparing for the next dressage competition (not
a training show this time) in January and start practising for our winter
showing show in 2wks time!
Here's a copy of the judge's final comment:-
"A rather hurried test, horse not accepting the bit or yet able to show
suppleness throughout his body"
Never mind, I know (from what she said in the discussion afterwards) that he
has the potential, it's just a matter of getting him to carry himself in a
more rounded outline. Hard work will soon prevail :-)
