Show Training

[Sarah]

hello!

We took Tango and Doodle to a small locallish show on Saturday in devon.  we were basically going to see how Doodle coped with being at a show as she hasn't been to one before so we just entered the ridden tack and turnout class.

In the warm up ring, I rode round on Doodle following Stewart on Tango.  Whenever another horse came near us, Doodle leapt forwards and smacked into Tango (who luckily also found this amusing, as did Stewart). We then went into the class and I saw at once that we weren't going to be the worst behaved there (which is always good to see) as there was a horse standing in the middle on his back legs for most of the class!  We 'rode' round, i say 'rode' as Tango was walking very clamly with Stewart but Doodle just simply couldn't walk - she had to rodeo her way round behind Tango, every so often going splat into Tango.  i was nearly crying with laughter at her, it wasn't scary, it was just really funny.

The judge then said trot on (and I didn't swear out loud which was good!) and Doodle pulled inot the middle to really show me what bucks really were.  Luckily I stayed on, as falling off in tack and turnout would have to be the most embarrassing thing ever, though i have to confess I was hugging her round the neck at one point (still laughing though!) then she calmed down and we went out to jog with the others.

She was very well behaved for the judging, she stood perfectly still for ages, then after that when we were sent out again she was totally calm so I was really really pleased - mission accomplished, we did a ridden class, i remained on Doodle and was alive at the end!  Funnily enough we weren't placed though (maybe i should have cleaned the tack...).

Next outing is in a fortnight, hopefully we might actually manage to do the class properly this time!

Tango was a total star, being totally calm while her best chum was having a laugh and the we did the WHP class and she did really well.  Extra treats all round!

bye!

[Mossy]

Just what part of a ridden show is buck? Moss reckons they should be incorporated into dressage tests! Seriously though - Well done.  

[Rachel]

Well done - at least you saw the funny side! I can remeber Jazz bolting with me in the ring at a show once, but that was NOTHING compared to the glares all the six and seven year olds were giving me!

[nix]

Sarah, that is just such a funny story ... and well done to you and Doodle for surviving your first show together.    

[Sarah]

Well, we have just survived (only just that is!) our second show now!  We took both horses to Somerton on Saturday.

We entered the grass roots ridden showing and again i was on Doodle and Stewart was on Tango.  We entered the ring and Tango went first and we rodeoed our way in after her.  After about 10m Doodle settled, but was still up Tango's backside so i overtook and both horses were a lot happier.  When the judge said trot on, I took was expecting a bit of 'excitement', but no, Doodle was fine and trotted very sensibly.  At one point I wanted to circle her to give us a bit more space and she didn't like that at all, but soon settled (but at least i know she can do canter pirouettes now.  It was then that the judge decided to split the class into ponies and horses so all the horses had to leave so we went and stood under a tree to shelter for a while at it was tipping it down with rain.  I was quite glad that we'd had a 'warm up' in the ring as it meant that we would then be able to do the proper show a bit more sensibly (or so I thought).

An hour later, we went back into the ring.  Doodle was being perfectly behaved and Tango was looking fantastic.  The walk and trot went so well, till the judge said 'canter on'.  I did swear out loud at that point, unlike at the last show!  I just don't actually know what happened, but I was suddenly galloping into the centre of the ring away from Tango where Doodle then just stood and rodeoed.  i have never come so close to being thrown and still managed to stay on.  My saddle had totally slipped to one side, but Doodle was thrashing about too much for me to even be able to think about how to get off!  Luckily the judge and stewarts saw i was in a bit of a pickle (understatement!) and got everyone to walk, in the nano second that all Doods' feet were on the ground I got off, apologised and left!  I then had to hold a shouting a rearing horse outside the ring so i am slightly deaf and my right arms is 1ft longer than my left now.
 
Anyway, Stewart then carried on without us and I was thrilled to see Stewart pulled in 3rd, he said he nearly didn't go in as he was sure they weren't pointing at him!  Anyway, I think his individual show was great.  his flying change after the first canter was superb (not requested though), it was a real shame he didn't realise what had happened and carry on on the other rein as it was after he persuaded her back into trot that she got a bit willful and the next canter was a bit gallopy really!

The best bit was the fact that the judge clearly thought Tango was fantastic (if she hadn't got a bit keen in canter).  Stewart was the only rider she spoke to and all she did was shower praise on Tango so I like that judge!  She was interested in her breeding and was shocked to hear that she has no papers as she said she was a perfect specimen of a Section D!  have made a note of her name and will enter any classes i see her judging in the future!  Anyway, they all went large again then were pulled in and Stewart was 5th (there were 10 in the horses section of the class and they were very nice looking horses too).   This was his second ever ridden show and the first where he had to do an individual show so he did brilliantly.  Shame the rosette was pink though...

Anyway, i wa actually very pleased with Doodle - we were able to get through the trot bit ok and she was actually very calm (till I tried to circle her).  I hadn't realised (doh!) that the whole class was going to have to canter together adn she has hardly done any canter adn none with other horses so it was no surprise at all that she lost it a bit.  Poor Doodle.  We'll do a bit more practice of cantering with others and see how she gets on.

bye!
 

[Miriam]

Well done on both attempts Sarah and well done Stewart and Tango for coming third.  At least you did not at the end of the day have to go running round the field to catch your horse and have an eight-ten year old catch her for you    

[nix]

Congrats to Tango and Stewart on their placing! And to you too ... sounds like Doodle got rather excited

[Sarah]

Here's a piccy of Stewart and Tango in the rain and mud sporting their lovely pink rosette!

[Sarah B]

Great Picture of Tango, Sarah


......but tell Stewart to smile next time!!


Sarah  

[Sarah]

Yes, he does look upset in that picture!  The proper photo looks a lot more sensible.

bye!

[Heather]

Well congrats to you both!! And I have to say, I wouldn't have recognised Stewart from that pic!!! he does look a bit po faced!!!

It reminds me of my horse Benji, who was a top county standard small riding horse. I used to pray that he wouldn't stick in one of his whoppas ( he coudl even buck with his head up!!) when we did the simple change in teh show- he would have like to do a flying change and got mad with me because I didn't let him, which would result in a coreker of a buck or two! he also lost no opportunity to show you up in front of teh judge, yet butter wouldn't melt in his mouth once the judge got on, even if they were crap riders. His tally was out of 35 major shows, 32 1sts or 2nds, and several championships, but always with heart in mouth and superglue at the ready!!

Heather

[cathy reynolds]

Feel a lot better after chuckling my way through this. Do you think they'd let me go in with Hannah and Ben the brat at her first show. She 'sort of' fancies a best turned out at the beginning of the day. Ben's bucked both g/children off last week and he's not done a show yet - do I trust him? - Like HELL I don't.

[Sarah]

Cathy,

i'd say so long as you aren't taking things seriously, just go along and have a laugh, you can't do any worse than i have been doing!

Hmm, so are you  meant to do a simple change in the individual  show?  Tango always tries a flying cahnge when a bit excited and it is much easier to let her do that then get a balanced canter after than wrestle back to a rushed trot then get a rushed gallop after it.  Can we get away with a flying change at the low level of showing we are doing or is it naughty?

bye!

[Pete]

You've got the prospect of me taking Beato to a show sometime - I have to get him used to the ring - which should be ABUNDANT fun - come and bring the videos..!

 :blink:  

[nix]

lol ... perhaps we could make his first show the first "EE group meeting" Pete!!!!