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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

Cumwinton - the friendliest event of the season

25/8/2015

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With super groom Bella back we headed off to Englandshire on Saturday for the Cumwinton BE.

We were given a warm welcome at the gate and told to look for the man in fancy dress with big foam hands on the quad bike who would help get us parked. It was quite strange but turned out to be a very efficient way to get us all in and parked.

As Bella took Corky out to stretch his legs after the journey I headed up to have a look at the show jumping. I think it was the biggest BE90 track we have jumped - I was happy with the height though after the extra SJ lessons we have been having with David. Not sure I would have felt the same earlier in the season which is got to mean we are improving right?!? Well in we went, using the light seat and new bouncy canter. Corky was so keen from the minute we picked up canter - we flew round and only took fence 2 as I wasn't quick enough to collect the canter back and he go a bit flat. He was super keen all the way round through which was great - happy pony and happy rider. He felt like he was jumping his wee socks off over the last few fences once we established our rhythm. With 3 days jumping at Blair fast approaching I think the extra show jump lessons and schooling nights are starting to pay off. Still the one pesky pole though which is a little disappointing. 

We had a quick change and off out to the XC where the stewards and started all commented on my lovely fur bobble on my hat! Corky was still as keen as mustered so I decided to really push for the time after picking up the 1 TF at Hendersyde. There was an open ditch I thought I may need to trot into (didn't in the end as he backed off a little so had to encourage him over) and a drop then straight into the water which I was also going to allow myself to trot into. It was the first time we have had to jump up a bank out of the water at a comp so wanted to take it easy. As you can see from the video Corky wasn't too sure but a little vocal encouragement and a kick and up he popped. The rest of the course rode great and we kept our spend up nicely throughout. When we were flying up the last hill I decided to pop the brake back on as for the first time I started to worry were we too fast! Lucky I did as a few riders did pick up TFs for being too fast. I was the fastest within the allowed time. 4.53 where the optimum was 5.27! Not bad for a 15.1hh!

We ended up with an overall score of 43.5 which is our best of the season, 15th out of a field of 37. With only one event left this season I think a top ten place is out of our reach but after a winter of dressage and show jumping I'm hoping we will be in a great place to start off next season.
 
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Hendersyde - most imaginative (and technical) XC design of the season

25/8/2015

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So Hendersyde was my first solo event of the year as super groom Bella was off down south for a weekend with her family. It was also my first big trip in my new lorry Bluebell.

I went down and walked the SJ and XC on Friday night so I had a good idea of what to expect on Saturday - this took a bit longer than I expected so ended up back at the yard plaiting at 11pm eek! The SJ was very well presented - lots of nice fillers which is great for us as it helps Corky be more careful. I had been told it was a great XC and it didn't disappoint - lots of tricky combinations, drops, skinnies, a big open corner and open ditch. The most challenging BE90 course I had seen but that was perfect for us. It was also the most imaginative course - there were jumps carved out to be snails, ducks, thistles and even an elephant. 

The drive down on Saturday went well - big bluebell did try to run away a bit downhill - very like Corky actually! It was a beautiful day and as we arrived early I managed to re-walk both the SJ and XC.

I was quite disappointed with our dressage score - the test went well, corky was very obedient and rode each movement accurately, he did lack activity and wasn't working up into the bridle as well as he could but I thought high 30s. Ended up to be 42.5 and the judge only wrote 3 comments on my whole score sheet. I was the last rider in the section but it wasn't very helpful.

Anyway, put that behind us and off to the show jumping, I had been practicing jumping out of a lighter half seat in my lessons with David so tried our new technique in the ring. We only knocked one pole which is good for us and it was due to rider error as I over shot the line. I was very pleased! 

Now for the XC - we had a bit of a lost boot issue but thanks to Sabine for helping me out and Aimee for lending me not one pair of boots but three! (I now have spare boots in the lorry!).

Sabine who had already ran the XC gave me a good pep-talk about really riding it as people were struggling to make the time. I'm so glad she told me as I really chased all the way round and still was 1 sec over the time. I think this was due to trotting into the snail and also into the two water combinations. For next season we need to work on cantering into the water. The course rode beautifully - challenging but great fun. It did cause lots of problems for others though and we ended up finishing 13th in our section which is our best finish of the season. Just imagine where we would have finished if we rode a half decent dressage!!

All in all a lovely event with a super XC - definitely one for next season's list!

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    Louise Doherty

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