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Welcome to Amateur Equestrian Antics

I set up this blog up back in 2014 to share stories of my equestrian trials and tribulations. I had just started to event for the first time ever after a 10 year break from horses and wanted to document my journey for friends and family. 

​In that time I have achieved so much but still have so much further to go. 

I have been supported and sponsored by some fantastic friends, trainers and businesses in this time and I have a new dedicated section of the site to tell you more about them all. 

Find out more

Our 'home' event

22/4/2015

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This weekend saw Central Scotland horse Trials come to Dalkeith, our closest BE and also our first ever BE last year. What a treat it was so have an event so close to home – especially when setting my alarm! I was competing in the BE90 on the Saturday and volunteered to jump judge on the Sunday.

Last year there were some challenges for the organisers in the XC phase as they were limited to only one field – this year it was all change! I had seen a course map on their FB which looked quite different - the new course was through three fields and when I arrived to walk the course on Friday evening I was not disappointed. It looked great with quite a few new challenges including a newly build water complex. It was definitely much longer and harder than the 90 I had ridden a few weeks ago at Eden Valley. The fences were larger, and there were a few tricky lines to consider. The 90 course had two elements at the water which involved snaking through in and out, over two jumps in a three loop serpentine – more complicated than our 90 level dressage! It seemed straight forwarded enough but I decided to come back to walk it again on the Saturday in-between my dressage and show jumping just to be sure! There were also two brush fences which I would call rider frighteners on the course – a ditch brush at 5 and another brush at 15. The top of the brush at 15 came up to my boobs which is way too high in my book! See photos below!!


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Overall I through the course looked great – but I was concerned about the level of accuracy required at the water – and the boob high brush!

Onto the day – all was going to plan, got on for my dressage warm-up giving myself 30 mins as at Eden and used the same tactics – lots of canter, transitions, leg-yield and varying the speed of the trot. He took longer to relax as there is a lot going on in the warm up at Dalkeith. I think I was more nervous as we had such a horrific test there last year (48.5) and I felt pressure to ride well after our 33 the other week at Eden. In the end he warmed up really well, accepting the contact and working forward…….till we entered the arena. He tensed up, taking everything new in. I think I was too soft and just let it happen. Rather than being strict, having a mini fight and making him accept the contact I just sat there and rode scared. Backin to my old habits and therefore got all our old comments – “needs to accept contact, needs to work forward, lacks more impulsion”. Very frustrating that I was not brave enough to have the fight as soon as he started to play up. In future I will not be a passenger and will make him work properly. Lesson learned.

So putting the dressage to the back of my mind I headed for my second XC walk – Bella came with me and when I showed her the ‘boob brush’ she just said – “oh, you have jumped much higher schooling, just looks bigger from the ground so don’t be sliiy“ so that was that. She has made me feel more confident so I stopped stressing (as much as I could!). We also walked the water again to make sure I had the line straight in my mind.  

Show jumping was next, they were running a little behind time so there was no course walk before my round but it looked straight forward enough, I watched lots of rounds and knew where I was going. There were two little uprights which we always have issues with but I had been working on them with Aimee in the week – lots on canter, jump and then halt so he listened to me and didn’t tank me to every jump, especially the little uprights which he usually flies through! I did the same in my warm up and he seemed to be listening!! Fences 1, 2 (little upright), 3, 4 (little upright on dog’s leg – even worse!) and 5 – all clear!! Then….rider error - 5 to 6 was another dog’s leg and I was on the wrong canter lead. Released too late to correct it, the canter wasn’t balances enough and off went 6….and then 7 too! 7 was the first of a double but clever Corky got us back on track, popped the second part clear. 8 and 9 were two red uprights on 5 strides. I managed to correct the wrong canter lead this time – almost holding onto the speed and ‘deep breath’ over them clear.  Picking up the 8 faults for my wrong canter lead was frustrating but I know what I need to practice. I have some lovely photos of the show jumping from Action Replay Photography LTD and a video Bella took below.  
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Quick change and off we went to the XC – quick warm up and straight onto the course. What amazing round! The course rode beautifully and the rider frightening jumps, even the boob brush, rode great. I let the hand break off a bit too much coming into the second field and almost missed jump 7 but he came back nicely after that.  I’m glad I walked the water twice as it was a bit tricky getting our speed back to make sure we didn’t miss anything out. Rather than fighting to get him back for every jump, I just used my weight and seat to steady and balance him – good tip from my friend Sarah. It made the round much smoother and we came in right on the optimum time which was great.

End result was still way off where I would like to be but getting better (I think).

I then spent the Sunday jump judging which really opened my eyes up to how much organisation goes into running an event, and how much time people give up to let us run. We were really well looked after all day - lovely breakfast, packed lunch and Louisa's Dad was on the bun run so kept us
fuelled up with coffee and cakes all day.
It’s something I think all competitors should do if they can, and something I’ll definitely set the time aside to do again.
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Our first shot at BE90

8/4/2015

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After 5 BE80T and lots of 90cm HTs last year I decided it was time to move up to BE90 this season.

Our first BE of the year was at Eden Valley on Sunday – we were very fortunately as they had to abandon the Saturday due to heavy rain during the week but they managed to run the Sunday sections.

We got all or our prep done on the Saturday – Corks has is first bath of the year and his rubbed mane had grown enough to manage to get some decent looking plaits in thankfully and even my old lorry got a clean out!

My super groom Bella was back too after spending the winter renovating her new house so we were all set!

My times were good – DR12.15, SJ 2.30 and XC 3.08.

It meant we didn’t need to leave the yard till 8 which was great. It also meant I could walk the XC after the DR as we had time to kill.

We arrived and the ground looked good (little deep in the DR warm up but not too bad). I felt very focused for the DR, probably as I hadn’t even seen the SJ or XC yet. We had a great warm-up following the plan we had agreed with Aimee. Lots of canter to loosen him off, trot leg yield circles, changes of speed in the trot and transitions. We had spent lots of time in the week running through the test which I think made a big difference. In we went to the arena – Corky was fabulous (for our standards). He listened to me, did what he was asked and there was no BIF (blaze in face). Our canter transitions were still poor but better than they have been. Belle videoed it http://youtu.be/8DiZgRvUSfM

We ended up with a 33 – I was over the moon! We even got our first 8 (centre line walk and halt). The canter was a consistent 6, and trot and walk were 7s. All going in the right direction and the first test I’ve ridden with no 5s. It left us sitting 13th in the class.

Corky then went for a snooze in the lorry and we walked the SJ and XC. The SJ at Eden is on a surface. The course looked simple enough – there were two little uprights which I knew would cause us problems as C don’t really respect them but nothing else to worry about. The XC looked great too – there was a new corner added which seemed to be causing problems but after practicing them with Diana on Thursday I chose my line so knew how I wanted to approach it (positively between hand and leg).

We then went and warmed up for the SJ – I always find this hard as Corky gets more forward and strong the more jumps we do. I popped each of the warm up jumps and as usual the one he knocked was the upright. This was going to be a theme, we went into the ring, took out the two little uprights I was worried about and also back bar on the second part of the double – this was my fault as we were on the wrong leg coming into it and a duff stride!

Not to worry – we’ll put the SJing to the side just now as we haven’t really been doing too much work on it – will be now though!

Onto the fun bit! The XC start was quiet so I manage to get off early. He was a wee superstar – clear all the way with 0.4 time pen.  We had a couple of ‘oh sh*t’ moments when I think I dropped the contact and he chipped in but fortunately he knows how to keep his little legs out of the way and I sat back and kept myself out of the way too! He felt strong and fit all of the way round to the end – even while galloping up the very steep hill after the corner (which went to pan – she photo below).

So – over all we ended up 32nd which is our worse BE placing to date – but I think it was out most successful outing to date! I was so so pleased with this dressage and XC. I’m now turning the attention to SJing this week with a lesson with ‘aimee on Friday night and then back to dressage on Sunday (Lothian’s spring dressage comp).

Entries are in the for 90 at Dalkeith and then Kirriemuir.

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Super week of training

3/4/2015

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So in preparation for our first BE90 we had three training session this week. The first was on Tuesday night, Arena Eventing with Les Smith.

It was held at Rockrose who have even more new XC jumps if that’s possible. We were in a group with two other riders who were competing at BE100 so it was nice to be challenged. We jumped lots of complicated lines and Corky took it all in his stride. Les said I need to work on getting a bit more canter, but no more speed coming into the jumps. As Corky got into it more we definitely got more canter, but also more speed. It was the most advanced lesson I’d had in a while – I was very impressed that we managed all of the exercises but it did give me a lot to think about.

On Wed we had our regular flatwork lesson at home with Aimee and our breakthrough from last week with the canter continued. Corky can finally canter round on the bit working from behind – it may sound like a baby step but it’s a massive step for us. I think another 3-4 weeks working on it and we may have working canter sorted! Aimee had us run through the DR test for EV and gave me a few things to practice in our last on Saturday.

Yesterday I took the day off work and we headed over to Lindores for a XC lesson with Diana Zajda which was so helpful. Diana immediately explained why Corky was chipping in to so many jumps – I was releasing my contact 2-3 strides out and basically not supporting him at all in front of the jump. The minute she got me to ride him from leg to hand and to keep a steady contact over the jump the amount of chipping in decreased dramatically! We jumped a real mix of jumps – skinny’s, drops, corners, steps up, ditches (one corky cantered through!) and some deep water! Diana gave us some homework of working on our canter balance going downhill and said once we are more balanced we will be ready to move up a level.

All in all a successful few days – now for some chill time for both me and Corky before Eden on Sunday. May even open a bottle of wine tonight!

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Getting into the swing of things

1/4/2015

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So this weekend we were faced with some pretty horrible weather. The high winds scuppered Lucas' first trip to the Pentlands on Saturday and the ponies enjoyed a PJ day.

I headed up to walk the XC course at Gleneagles in the hope that the wind would die down on Sunday which it did for the most part. The ground wasn't wonderful after all the rain but not too bad considering. The course looked great, lots of improvements make to the existing fences and some new ones added.

The weather was better on Sunday so Corky and I (and Tammy) headed up to Gleneagles for the HTs. We were in the 90cm class and Corky flew round. He chipped in quite a few time but I think it was just because the ground wasn't great. We ended up 8th which was supwr. He felt fresh and strong at the end too.

I'm so excited about our first BE run down at Eden Valley next Sunday. We have a few training sessions and a morning XC schooling in preparation. It'll be our first run at BE90 - our dressage is still 15-20% off what we want it to be but I think our jumping should be ok. Fingers crossed!

I have two lovely photos from Adrian Sinclair to add tomorrow.

Videos curtesy of Tammy :-)

http://youtu.be/ZzieVjk8uYY

http://youtu.be/oY1y1P-7Ys8

http://youtu.be/dY7E0CMWQdA

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