So it has just occured to me that I am going to compete abroad. There has been no letter, no phone call to say that they have made a mistake that actually I'm not on the squad, nope not at all so we are venturing to France tomorrow at 9am.
The journey should take us 2 hours from here to Dover then we board the boat at midday, hopefully the crossing to will take 1hr Calais, then from Calais to Haras Du Pin should take us about 4hrs. So realistically we should arrive at our destination at about 5pm with the stops taken into account.
My Nanny has paid a visit today which is always a good thing because she is always bearing gifts and the best kind of gifts FOOD GIFTS!!!! She has brought lemon drizzle cake, sausage rolls and cheese straws. So we are all stocked up for the week!!
We have the music sorted, the living is sorted and it is very homely might I add!!
I think we might be ready!!!!!
Sunday, 14 August 2011
Friday, 12 August 2011
Training sessions for France on Estella
Tina Cook lesson, Monday.
Recently Stella has been returning to her old habit of going really slowly and making me work extra hard. So this is what we solved: Tina had me doing medium trot and medium canter, just making her go really forwards and responding to my leg but not letting it all go out the front and holding it together which gave me such a good outcome. We worked on getting some spark into her, Tina said we both looked really pretty but a bit flat.We also did some awesome jumping, Tina told me to push myself slightly out of my confort zone and push her on a little more which made the jump so much better and it meant Estella would then have enough power just to take the longer strides to the jump, this will help massively with France because apparently the French have longer distances and we will need to jump on a more open stride,so this will help us to make up the distances in the combinations.
During this lesson Mum managed to fall backwards off of a jumping block, squash Tina's puppy with a show jump and lose the puppy she was supposed to be looking after! Not embarrassing at all!
Ken Spencer lesson this evening to practice THE TEST!!
It went exceptionally well, I have learnt how to do sitting trot with my light seat which means I do not block Stella and she is a lot more supple and forward. I just have to remember my corners and in canter to stay STRAIGHT and not to let her hollow on the right canter! AND REMEMBER THE TEST!!!!!!! Apart from that it should be good!! Good old Uncle Ken he always gives me the confidence before an event!
Mum had a lesson with Ken too - how to quarter mark, so we should look very posh going into the ring, if Mum practices enough!
Recently Stella has been returning to her old habit of going really slowly and making me work extra hard. So this is what we solved: Tina had me doing medium trot and medium canter, just making her go really forwards and responding to my leg but not letting it all go out the front and holding it together which gave me such a good outcome. We worked on getting some spark into her, Tina said we both looked really pretty but a bit flat.We also did some awesome jumping, Tina told me to push myself slightly out of my confort zone and push her on a little more which made the jump so much better and it meant Estella would then have enough power just to take the longer strides to the jump, this will help massively with France because apparently the French have longer distances and we will need to jump on a more open stride,so this will help us to make up the distances in the combinations.
During this lesson Mum managed to fall backwards off of a jumping block, squash Tina's puppy with a show jump and lose the puppy she was supposed to be looking after! Not embarrassing at all!
Ken Spencer lesson this evening to practice THE TEST!!
It went exceptionally well, I have learnt how to do sitting trot with my light seat which means I do not block Stella and she is a lot more supple and forward. I just have to remember my corners and in canter to stay STRAIGHT and not to let her hollow on the right canter! AND REMEMBER THE TEST!!!!!!! Apart from that it should be good!! Good old Uncle Ken he always gives me the confidence before an event!
Mum had a lesson with Ken too - how to quarter mark, so we should look very posh going into the ring, if Mum practices enough!
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
Countdown to Haras Du Pin - I am so excited!
I 
ENGLISH
HOT NEWS 2011
266 horses, 14 countries, and some champions..!
The Haras du Pin national stud-farm, in Normandy, France, welcomes from 17 to 21 August the ultimate FEI Eventing World Cup leg. The show establishes a new record with 266 horses participating, and some of the best riders in the world. The two co-leaders of the provisional FEI Eventing World Cup rankings, Clarke Johnstone (NZL) and Chris Burton (AUS) will start with respectively 1 and 2 horses. The winner of the « Grand Complet » 2010, Emily Balwin (GBR), is back with her brave Drivetime, maybe for a second victory in a row. The living legend Mark Todd (NZL) comes back to Le Pin and will try to qualify another of his horses for the OG 2012, after an incredible victory at Badminton Horse Trials. The Australian duo Clayton and his wife Lucinda Fredericks stick to the « Grand Complet » for another year. They will cope with 16 French riders in the World Cup class.
In summary:
- 3 international eventing classes: a CIC 1 star, a CIC 2 stars, and a CIC 3 stars, last leg of the 2011 FEI Eventing World Cup.
- 47 horses in the CIC3*-W, 98 in the CIC2*, and 121 in the CIC1*, for a total of 266 horses.
- 14 nations participating: Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, France, Great-Britain, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Republic of South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, USA.
Le Grand Complet~ Since 1995 ~
Le Grand Complet started in 1995 on the lands of the Le Goupil family farm in Martinvast (Manche, Normandy). Being the founders of the event, they gathered a massive group of volunteers from the riding centre settled on the farm and the adventure was on! Pierre Le Goupil, a former professionnal rider who competed Burghley and Badminton, managed to lead a strongly motivated and inspired team to turn a regional event into an international one up to 3 * level. In 2002, it became the 1st FEI World Cup qualifier to support the concept.
In 2010, due to the farm and riding centre developing policy, the event was relocated on the lands of the outstanding and impressive Haras du Pin (Orne, Normandy). The place once hosted the Eventing European Championship a few decades ago. The facilities offered on site were praised and the 1st edition considered as a success. L
e Grand Complet is renowned for its conviviality, with live bands music in the evenings and a warm atmosphere. It is the only event in France to welcome so many foreigners. Right from the beginning, nationalities such as Belgian and British, have largely contributed to the growing success and they quickly spread words on the quality of the event. They still match the high reputation of the competition, entering large squads every year.. Some faithful riders have never missed an edition. 
e Grand Complet is renowned for its conviviality, with live bands music in the evenings and a warm atmosphere. It is the only event in France to welcome so many foreigners. Right from the beginning, nationalities such as Belgian and British, have largely contributed to the growing success and they quickly spread words on the quality of the event. They still match the high reputation of the competition, entering large squads every year.. Some faithful riders have never missed an edition. Le Haras du Pin will host the 2014 WEG XCountry test and the organising team USTICA is ready this year to improve the access for crowds of visitors and welcome riders and horses at its best as it has always been its priority.
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
Hickstead Schools SJ
With the rain pouring down, off we went at 9am picking Beanie up on the way. Just before we left we had a phone call to say 14 teams had dropped out, so we hot footed it over there but when we got there it was a it was only 4 teams that had dropped out!
We turned up to do the course walk for 10.30, to see some poor person being stretchered off, which didn't bode well and still the rain poured.
We waited and we waited and waited! And it rained and rained and rained. Finally at 3 we went to warm up and do a clear round, but there was still a wait so our team went for a hack instead. Then it was the turn of our team, our first team member went, was eliminated and so all the team was eliminated and we never got to jump at all! I didn't mind actually, we have all been there before and I was worried about the ground and putting Beanie at Risk.
So I went back into the sand warm up arena and jumped her 1.30 metres - very happy with that. Even if I didn't jump in a class and we did get terribly wet.
Then we went home and that was our day!
We turned up to do the course walk for 10.30, to see some poor person being stretchered off, which didn't bode well and still the rain poured.
We waited and we waited and waited! And it rained and rained and rained. Finally at 3 we went to warm up and do a clear round, but there was still a wait so our team went for a hack instead. Then it was the turn of our team, our first team member went, was eliminated and so all the team was eliminated and we never got to jump at all! I didn't mind actually, we have all been there before and I was worried about the ground and putting Beanie at Risk.
So I went back into the sand warm up arena and jumped her 1.30 metres - very happy with that. Even if I didn't jump in a class and we did get terribly wet.
Then we went home and that was our day!
Open Area Eventing on Estella
Back out again on Tuesday for area eventing (open class)!!
Oh dear, I had a shocking dressage! Estella was really flat, she gave me nothing which was such a shame because it was a 34.6, if she had done her normal standard then it would have been amazing score! But then again if she always did the same good dressage, it would be boring and they not machines after all!
The Show jumping really flowed however she was a little lazy with her hind leg and did take one rail, but the SJ was caused chaos so I was happy.
She flew round XC and I have really started now to come on a more open stride to single fences and stop taking a pull when I dont need to, to save time, which should help me a lot more and stop her from chipping in little strides!!
I ended up coming 4th, so not too bad.
Oh dear, I had a shocking dressage! Estella was really flat, she gave me nothing which was such a shame because it was a 34.6, if she had done her normal standard then it would have been amazing score! But then again if she always did the same good dressage, it would be boring and they not machines after all!
The Show jumping really flowed however she was a little lazy with her hind leg and did take one rail, but the SJ was caused chaos so I was happy.
She flew round XC and I have really started now to come on a more open stride to single fences and stop taking a pull when I dont need to, to save time, which should help me a lot more and stop her from chipping in little strides!!
I ended up coming 4th, so not too bad.
Sunday, 7 August 2011
Smiths Lawn with Beanie
So back from Area dressage it was time to get ready for Smiths Lawn the next day!
I took Beanie (Tinkers Whiz Kid) into our first BE one day event as a combination - Pre Novice.
Beanie is owned by Gail Stephens. She is a 16.2 chesnut mare 16 yrs old, a sometimes tricky but she is lovely!
In her dressage she got a 34.5 which wasn't terrible, she has to be kept constantly busy so in a simple dressage test she tends to get quite hot and lose concentration, my feeling is that she will be lot better at a Novice test that has some more complicated movements and she could most definitly do the height!
Show Jumping: It was the best show jumping I think I have ever ridden in my life but unfortunately she had a rail with her hind leg which was a shame. She spooked at the filler under the rail . She will never stop but when she is unsure she puts her head through her front legs looks at the filler and forgets about her hind legs.
XC: She was jumping super - flying everything we were taking out strides and collecting when we needed to, it was just so together but then we came to the first water! It looked like we were going into a massive lake and they had railings to show the direction, it was a small gap to get into the water and the poor mare freaked and completely froze which is unlike her, she has never done that with me before, I even jumped her over the rolltop into the water at Coombelands and she didnt think twice about it and just listened to me! So she froze at the Smiths Lawn lake and she didn't techniquely step back but the fence judge was very quick to give us a stop which was a real shame because she then went and jumped beautifully after that.
If we hadn't had the stop on the XC course we would have come 2nd but even with the stop we came 12th.
There is so much to work with and she is such an enjoyable to ride that I would love to carry on eventing her and get her up to Novice! So we will see. I am hoping Gail will get a taste for being an owner!
I took Beanie (Tinkers Whiz Kid) into our first BE one day event as a combination - Pre Novice.
Beanie is owned by Gail Stephens. She is a 16.2 chesnut mare 16 yrs old, a sometimes tricky but she is lovely!
In her dressage she got a 34.5 which wasn't terrible, she has to be kept constantly busy so in a simple dressage test she tends to get quite hot and lose concentration, my feeling is that she will be lot better at a Novice test that has some more complicated movements and she could most definitly do the height!
Show Jumping: It was the best show jumping I think I have ever ridden in my life but unfortunately she had a rail with her hind leg which was a shame. She spooked at the filler under the rail . She will never stop but when she is unsure she puts her head through her front legs looks at the filler and forgets about her hind legs.
XC: She was jumping super - flying everything we were taking out strides and collecting when we needed to, it was just so together but then we came to the first water! It looked like we were going into a massive lake and they had railings to show the direction, it was a small gap to get into the water and the poor mare freaked and completely froze which is unlike her, she has never done that with me before, I even jumped her over the rolltop into the water at Coombelands and she didnt think twice about it and just listened to me! So she froze at the Smiths Lawn lake and she didn't techniquely step back but the fence judge was very quick to give us a stop which was a real shame because she then went and jumped beautifully after that.
If we hadn't had the stop on the XC course we would have come 2nd but even with the stop we came 12th.
There is so much to work with and she is such an enjoyable to ride that I would love to carry on eventing her and get her up to Novice! So we will see. I am hoping Gail will get a taste for being an owner!
Thursday, 4 August 2011
The busiest week I think I have ever had!
The is so much to update on so I am going to do it gradually over a few days.
So this busy week started with area dressage in Sevenoaks. But the day started with a very broken satnav so we had to go back to old fashioned google maps and me having to read out the instruction to mother who was in the drivers seat, however this was a bad idea because I missed out a key bit of instruction which made us go terribly wrong and putting another 1hr onto our journey 'NIGHTMARE' this resulted us getting there way later then planned and only having 5 minutes to warm up. The test, it wasn't to terrible I got 69.82% and came 5th it could have gone better had I warmed up for longer and got her in front of my leg more but for a 5 min warm up it wasn't to shabby.
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