Goring Heath Report

Well yet again I can report a good weekend, that's two in a row and I am really feeling like my mojo is back.

The 3.30am start wasn't too bad in the end, well not for me. I wasn't driving and I slept all the way there and all the way back, Mum might tell a different story! We still weren't the earliest there, 3 others got there before us. Sat Nav took us straight through the centre of Reading, Mum said thank goodness it was 5.30 in the morning and it wasn't during the day, she would have hated driving the lorry through the centre of Reading. At least we knew which way NOT to go home.......oh but wait guess what on the way home we missed the turning and ended up going back through ...... the centre of Reading in the middle of the afternoon. Few cars and pedestrians wiped out but we came out relatively unscathed!

Anyway on to the report. When we arrived we got straight on to walking the cross country. Its always quite big at Goring but usually rides well. Then as we were there early I got to walk the show jumping, which was well dressed and up to height.

Michael Rogers from http://www.mdr-photo.co.uk/ met us there at 8am and took some fantastic photos all day. David and Will also met us there. We have such a slick operation now. David sorts the horses out with Mum, Will makes the coffee and tidies up after us, (he is great at packing the lorry back up too). Michael holds the horses, I could go on but you get the idea. In between rides we sit around and eat, drink, laugh. I just feel so lucky to have such wonderful support and they help to make the day so enjoyable. Funniest thing that happened that day was when Mum tried to pass the lunch out of the lorry window and it all fell on top of Micheal's head, it literally rained olives, bread rolls, ham and pasties!! That had us chuckling for ages.

My first ride was on Beanie. She was fresh and not helped by the fact the we were right next to the show jumping. I would say she wasn't always attentive. But Beanie has such lovely paces and through the tense moments there were also some lovely moments and we ended up on a respectable 35.

On to the show jumping and Beanie was such a good girl. This was probably one of the biggest and most technical courses she has done in a while, but she stepped up to the plate and was amazing. We went straight on to the cross country, a slight sticky moment on the jump coming out of the woods where Beanie forgot she needed to pick up both front legs but other than that, this was a course made for her with lots of galloping and we made perfect time.

Beanie's showjumping video
http://youtu.be/nWa23hUASpE

I have only ridden her twice in recent months but we do just click and I find her so easy to ride. She is also one of the best mannered horses I think I have ever come across so easy to do in every respect.
Final result: 35 + double clear = 10th place

Next came Yara

We thought the dressage was really good, she was really attentive and is really developing her core strength but the dressage judge just didn't like her. She gave me an 8 for my riding and overall we got a 34.5. She is a correct mover but not flashy and I think we will always have this problem.

Next came the showjumping, could I make this two clears today and three in succession. She warmed up well, we went into the ring. You really had to ride for every stride of the show jumping but I just knew she was going to clear. Again we were able to go straight on to the cross country and again she was awesome, she wasn't green in the slightest, took me to every jump and we made the time for the first time too. I think riding Beanie first really helped me get the time on Yara as I got a feel for the speed.
Final result 34.5 + double clear = 6th Place

Yara's showjumping video
http://youtu.be/o61BgMMRLx4

After both rides we finished an hour early, such was the efficiency of the stewards. Sadly not so when it came to prize giving and at 3pm we were told it would be another hour. Mum thought she might fall asleep if we waited any longer so we left and sent out apologies for not attending. The lovely Katie Waples picked up my rosettes for me the next day.

Not sure how I managed it but I still managed to go out that evening to a Young Farmers do and dance all night! Sunday has been a quiet day.........

Brain training and jump training finally comes together at Firle!

This summer has not been without its challenges, the experience with Mulligan made me doubt myself and that unfortunately started to manifest in my head, show jumping Yara had become an issue. Pony Club Areas and Borde Hill unaffiliated saw 12 penalties on each SJ round. This was, I convinced myself all my fault. On the other hand my dressage was just going from strength to strength. Time to tell Fiona Bigwood that I was going to become a dressage rider full time!

Mum was at her wits end, her normal motivational speeches were falling on deaf ears and I was not in a happy place. Time to bring in the big guns!

First up Tina Cook a long heart to heart with Tina made me realise that this happens at every level, I am not alone and that I can do this. She promised to help me every step of the way and that gave me the confidence to start believing in myself again.

Then came Jon Pitts, Jon is a Performance Coach at the highest level across a lot of disciplines in sport, I didn't do a lot of riding that evening but after 45 minute talking with him, Yara and I went and did a foot perfect SJ round then another half hour talk and we did another foot perfect SJ round. He showed me that I can do it, but when it goes wrong is when I over analyse and think too much about the round.

Then came Michael Rogers my amazingly supportive sponsor, Mum showed me an email he wrote to her which made me realise how lucky I am to have a sponsor that even when everything is going wrong is there for me and supports me.

Then David, Yara's owner who told me I had transformed his horse and that the blip was only a blip and that he believed in me and Jill Chator Estella's owner who gave me a kick up the backside and told me she wanted to see the old Harriet back.

Finally Emma Harrision SJ coach. We were introduced to Emma by Sarah Millard (Hector's owner)  who thought she and I would work well together. Building on the confidence and support that I had got from my whole team, she knew the buttons to press, she has a fantastic eye, after 2 sessions my confidence soared and Yara was not touching a thing. She also made me see that although obviously I do make mistakes, most of them this time were actually Yara and her 6 year old issues!

Looking back this blog might make me seem high maintenance, but this has never happened to me before. I have always had ultimate belief in what I wanted to do and, well my Mum and Dad particularly taught me that you can achieve anything you set your mind too. But you cannot do this on your own and it does take a whole team and everyone has such an important part. No one in my team puts any pressure on me, I put plenty enough on myself!

The result at Firle was a reflection of this incredible team, Yara and I got a double clear and ended up coming 2nd in what was a very challenging SJ and XC where clear rounds in both proved to be very elusive. Funny but when I went into that show jumping, I knew it would be clear and in addition we have dealt with the cross country water issues. I am realistic, we could go backwards again, Yara is only 6 after all but I am confident that she will get there.

Thank you team!!!

This is me going over the last show jumping fence at Firle, I think you can see how happy I am!

Chuffed at Chilham

OK for those of you that follow my blog you will know how challenged Mum and I are when it comes to directions. This time not only did we have a 7.5 tonne, 8 metre lorry but we had Jill Chator following us in the car and trailer. Yes we got lost, in the country lanes of Kent, actually so lost we had to phone Ross at home to navigate us to our destination. This is not the first time he has had to do this!

On the shopping list this week, a sat nav!

Arabella

A 3 hour journey that should have been 1.45 hours is not ideal with two baby horses not used to travelling, neither is turning up with 15 minutes to go before the 4 year old dressage test. However Arabella showed everyone that she has a cool head and did a very relaxed dressage test and ended up with the 2nd best dressage in the section.

Also not ideal because of our original late arrival was the very short space of time I had to run round the XC course, which resulted in me being late for my time on show jumping and as I was one of the last to go there was no leeway. So popped a couple of fences in the warm up, then watched the horse before me go round (I did not know my course) and off we went. No time to take in the flags flapping around the arena, she did however notice the very silly boy who decided to roll under the fence as we were going past, good job otherwise she would have stepped on him! Anyway she had a beautiful, rhythmical round, just clipped the last fence as it was downhill and she lost a bit of concentration with the loud speaker beside it. We were so so pleased though.

Straight on to the cross country, now we expected some issues on this very demanding course as she is so inexperienced. When Ken took her to Tweseldown she went into reverse at the water but as she had not presented at the fence there were no penalties. Anyway this time there was a jump before the water, a tough question for a 4 year old, however she jumped it and before she knew it she was in the water, then she realised and froze! It didn't matter even though we got penalties, she still came 7th and the feeling she gave me across the rest of the course was just awesome. Jill was so so pleased.

I cannot put into words how much I love this horse, she has taken the very best of Estella's qualities. I adore riding her, yes she can be challenging, I have ridden her since the moment she was first backed and she has bucked and bronked and reared with me, but I don't mind we have such a special bond. I have handed her back to Ken to take to Firle and I will continue her dressage and jumping until I am lucky enough to event her again hopefully next year.

Glimpse

First ever event for little Glimpse, our little retrained racehorse and she was much admired too. She did a good dressage test, I didn't put any pressure on her and let her go round in a very relaxed manner. She didn't think the white boards were jumps this time and remained focused for the test. There was room to make the test more flamboyant but Saturday and her first event was not the day to do that.

This time we went straight to the SJ and asked to go early. Oh my goodness that pony was amazing, she has such a jump. With all the flags around the arena, not a flicker. She has hardly ever jumped on grass before either and we got a clear!! Then came the cross country, she just took it on, beautiful rhythm. Such a little step back at the water - honestly who made that rule! Gained us 20 penalities which felt unfair to her for what was a stunning round. She stood so quietly on the lorry all day and was an absolute super star, I think she might have a bit of a future ahead.

High points of Somerley - dressage and cream cakes!

Early start to Somerley. I fell asleep on the journey there, Mum navigated most of the way herself. I woke up  in time to spot Macdonalds, we took a quick detour and got breakfast, I took over navigating, that was my first mistake, its not that easy to turn an 8 metre, 7.5 tonne lorry around TWICE! Thankfully when we eventually got there David and Will were already there and had gone to the Secretary and to get my numbers.

Yara had a 33 dressage, harshly marked for what we all thought was her best test! We got 4 in the showjumping with masses of time penalties. It was a huge arena and we have been practicing this really slow canter to get her to lift, which she did when she didn't lose concentration with the crowd. Then cross country,  she was a bit sticky round it but managed to get over everything, then she caught a leg and stumbled on to one knee, we nearly parted company but not quite, got back into our stride again and then had a refusal at the second to last jump, it was the jump before the water AGAIN! Knickers!!

Mull had a 28.5 dressage in the Novice, with a stunning medium trot that nobody thought him capable of. The organiser got out of her car and thanked me for coming to the event and told Mum and David that it was such a pleasure to watch a horse being ridden so well and use itself properly. Which made all that work so worth while(But that was just a brief moment)! Because then came the SJ. Warm up went well. We went into the ring, reared, backed off of the first jump but got him over, he really did not want to jump, a few jumps later, I ended up on the jump looking up at Mull and then was dragged round the ring for a bit! We retired. I took him out to the warm up and jumped him again, he jumped brilliantly and then he bolted off through the carpark, when I finally managed to stop him he reared up again a few times. What a monkey!

So after finishing the horses the only thing to do was to sit down with David, Will and Mum, have a cup of tea and a big cream cake! Mum made me watch the video, last week even though he was naughty I knew I hadn't ridden him as well as could but this week I was really happy with my riding and after Mum and Will showed me the evidence I felt that I had ridden him to the best of my ability. So after much deliberating Mum rang Alice, we think he is has become such a big and powerful horse and I am quite small on him that he is taking advantage but of course it could be something else. We asked her to take him back and see if she could ride him for a couple of weeks and maybe take him to Aston next week. Alice was so supportive and said that she would do whatever we wanted. So Mull has gone home for now...... Its hard not to feel like I have failed him but he goes back with brilliant flat work, he now does ditches and water, if Alice can sort the show jumping he will be unbeatable.

Meanwhile Yara has been doing a lot of water jumps this week and I have strict instructions from my Osteopath to stop falling off and undoing all her good work.

Fairy tales and nightmares at Iping

Saturday was Hectors first BE Event and for those of you that are following Hectors progress, Saturday was a fairy tale with a happy ending. He was simply fantastic. So chilled, he just looked like he enjoyed every moment. That little horse put in a 29 dressage, which was just fantastic, there were some tense moments still but he gave me so much more than I ever dreamed he would at this stage. In the show jumping, he jumped in a perfect, calm rhythm all the way round. He did have a pole but it was a momentary lapse in concentration and who can blame him with so many people around. Then the XC he did not look at a thing, really good rhythm, controlled all the way round. We went quite slowly because this is about training him and getting it right. We incurred time penalties but still came 2^nd. It was a dream come true. So excited for his future.

Sunday, well we went from fairytale to nightmare!

I’ll start with Yara. 33 dressage which we were quite pleased with, I have been working on slowing her down which then meant that although we had impulsion it was perhaps a little too slow, but we can gradually increase and lengthen. I was just pleased she did not rush it. The she had a clear show jumping – this is a phase was have been really working and she struggled with before she came to us, so I am very pleased. The unfortunately she incurred 20 penalties at the first water in the XC. Later we discovered she lost a shoe, but she can be sticky at water so not sure what it was or maybe it was the combination of the two things.

Then came the mull man.

Well we certainly did some fancy footwork in the warm up of the dressage, all looked good, we had to wait a while to go in to the test so Mull was a little past his best but still did a decent test we ended up on a 31 even with a buck in the middle of it! He was certainly full of himself, rearing 4 times on the way back from dressage. Then the show jumping. Oh God – what happened. Jumped superbly in the warm up and then when he went into the ring, he became so strong, I struggled to hold him together, he spooked at everything, then because I couldn’t getting him sitting back, he got too long, flattened  most things in his path and then did a last minute slam of the brakes on. That was when I ended up on the floor. No harm done, little bump to the head. Pride dented. Back to the drawing board. I felt even though he was being naughty, I could have ridden it better and was a bit cross with myself but Alice and Sarah both said was a difficult horse to jump, they have been very supportive, given me some excellent advice and I am determined not to let it get the better of me. Since last weekend we have been out twice show jumping. He has had a bit change and some other tack tweaks and we are back on form – fingers crossed! 

Rocklodge Nasdaq - The first 6 weeks

It has been 6 weeks since Hector (owned by Sarah Millard) came to Upper Barn and what a difference a few weeks can make. If Hector can consistently get his brain in the right place he might just be one of the most talented horses I have had the pleasure to ride.

Hector's past is unknown, he came over from Ireland a year ago, he oozes star quality but look carefully and you will see he some tiny scars around his face and some marks on his body, and boy do you have to work to earn his trust. What luck that Sarah Millard happened to be over in Ireland visiting friends and spotted him over a stable door.

We have taken everything really slowly, he is sensitive and is a horse you cannot rush, one wrong move and we go two steps backwards. He loves to be loved and when he trusts you he is a very affectionate horse. When I first got him I had a lesson with Tina Cook, she asked what he was like when I take my feet out of the stirrups, well he leapt across the school and then galloped off, (I stayed on) but again another example of a confidence issue. I am pleased to say that I can now take my feet in and out of the stirrups, when I am in the school, when I am out hacking and he in absolutely fine.

To begin with we have worked on relaxation, he can get quite stressed particularly in dressage, so for the few weeks I just worked him long and low, gradually he stretched his neck lower and lower and started to really stretch over his back. To compliment this Mum gradually introduced him to a Pessoa, he has been lunged in this once a week, he wasn't sure at first but now he goes beautifully. Currently we are working on engagement of the hind quarters, oh my goodness this horse can really move. As he is getting stronger he is getting this more and more consistently. He certainly can have the wow factor when he gets it right.

Show jumping was also little bit of an issue, he tended to rush at the jumps and become very strong, with him it was definitely confidence again, when he rushed, he didn't listen to me and crash went the jumps, which of course then frightened him and then he rushed off. After a couple of weeks of this, even at cross pole stage Mum decided to loose jump him. Well he was foot perfect, with perfect rhythm and cleared each jump. So after giving it some thought  I decided to try and emulate that when riding him. I let him have his head, gave him a loose rein and did not fight him. What a difference, he slowed right down, got a perfect rhythm and the jump came very easily to him, he didn't rush off afterwards either. So this is what we did for 2 weeks. Canter pole either side of a cross pole, I let him take me to the jump and I just sat in the centre of balance and had reins like washing lines. Gradually his confidence built up and he let me take more and more of a contact and started to listen to me, He has the most incredible jump, he almost suspends in the air and clears everything by a mile. We decided to put a martingale on him so that should he decide to put his head up and rush I would have more control. This also had to be done slowly, I put a breastplate on him without the attachment and schooled and hacked him in that, then we started lunging him in one with the attachment, then I schooled him in it very loosely, then I jumped him, then each time I rode him I tightened it up a hole and now it is completely normal to him. He still has his moments but each time he jumps he gets better and better.


My first time with Hector XC was caught on camera by my sponsor Micheal Rogers of MDR Photo. We went over to Littleton Manor and took it quietly. He was fantastic, jumped everything. I kept it all pretty small and low key. With the bad weather we haven't been able to get out until this week. This time I took him to Coombelands. It feels like we have the perfect partnership, he just floats round the xc in perfect rhythm. We did all the pre-novice jumps. He was so bold, I had to check I was riding Hector and not an impostor!


http://www.harrietupton.com/xc-schooling---25th-june-2012.html

No one can believe the difference in this horse, Tina was amazed, Mel Breen (dressage instructor) who saw him when he first came to England was amazed and most of all Mum and I are amazed. I cannot really put into words how much I have grown to love this horse. He tries so hard and has been so rewarding. Tomorrow is our first competition, it may all go backwards and I wouldn't blame him if it did, the important thing is that we know he can do it, Sarah Millard believes in him, we believe in him, we just need him to believe in himself.

Bigwood Bootcamp!!!!

Wow wow wow, last week Fiona very kindly offered to have Mulligan and I over to help with his medium trot, something he finds difficult. Well I can tell you I have never ached so much in my whole entire life!

In my first lesson on Tuesday Fiona had me really collecting him and asking for the hind leg to come through, we did this for a few steps and then let him trot forwards without letting the frame lengthen. Then she asked me to show her our medium trot and she saw that the problem was he wasn't powering from behind and he was running on the forehand. So she taught me to really prepare him before the medium trot, collect him and show the difference, whilst riding the back end and keeping a rhythm.We then ran through the dressage test that I will be doing in a few weeks time and she (really) drummed into me about my bad habit of not going in to the corners (this isn't new to me and something that has been mentioned before but I always seem to concentrate on my riding and not on my ring craft, hopefully I have learnt to do both now)! She got me to be really accurate to gain as many marks as possible. 
After riding Mulligan I got to ride Lionel for the first time who I was competing on Thursday, he was lovely, he was really easy to ride. We got on well, he had lovely movement and Fiona felt confident for us to go ahead and compete that week.

Then Mulligan got to stay on a sleep over in 5* accommodation, frankly I think he was disappointed to come home after being there (although he did give me the death stare as I left him)!


I went back on Wednesday morning. Fiona rode Mulligan to start with, she said it was the first time she had ridden an event horse! It was amazing to see her ride him, how she stayed so soft, yet he moved so beautifully, it just seemed effortless. It was really good to watch her because it meant that when I rode Mulligan I could visualise Fiona riding him. When I got back on him he was like a different horse, he was really light.  We didn't spend as long on the collecting because we had it sussed and we just ran straight through the test. The medium trot was the best I have ever had it and the best Fiona had seen it. I really started to use the arena and the test ran through smoothly. Proof will in the pudding in a few weeks!!!! I hope I do Fiona proud.


I had another ride on Lionel to familiarise myself with him again ready for the following day, although we never got to practice the test.


Thursday's dressage at Henfield

Lisa who grooms for Fiona brought Lionel and we met her there, I was a bit busy as I was also riding Pearl in two tests as well as Lionel, but I loved it! Lionel was the star though, he has never been to a competition before yet he was so calm, he never spooked and he pulled a win out of the bag in his first ever novice test and first ever competition. What a lovely sweet horse.

Next update: Jon Pitts  - Fit to Ride