Urchinwood One Day Event.

So, we went out to have fun and we did. It wasn't my best day in the office, but we completed and we were not last. Which was the aim, well the aim was fun and no embarrass myself which I think we nearly did!

Dressage

Dressage was a bit of a disaster. The test was BE90 Test 97 (2016) which is a test I know well and should have been able to do in my sleep.

However, I was really trying to take care of Hope because it was warm, and I had had it drummed into me that she wasn't massively fit. So, taking care of her was the order of the day. So other than a bit of trot and a few canter transitions as a loosener we hadn't done much warming up but we were warm enough to get going. It didn't get off to a great start when she lurched sideways on the first line up the centre. Oh dear. We did okay in the trots with quite a few sixes but then it got worse again in the first canter when she shot forward when I asked for the transition. It all got a bit exciting as to whether we were going to make it around the corner or fall out of the arena and be eliminated. In the drama, I didn't notice we were on the wrong leg, oops that really was poor, sorry Hope, and we got a 4 for that. I managed a bit of a recovery from there getting some more sixes until the last canter where our circle was wonky and then in final figure, I lost a stirrup in the corner, blushes furiously, and it was back to fives. Oh well. More dressage practise required.

Show Jumping

From there it was up the hill to wait for Show jumping. The course was really interesting with lots of turns out and back in. I am pleased to say I remembered the course this time, but it didn't go strictly to plan
Here is a rough plan.

Fence 1 was fine, at the top of the hill going crossways with no elevation change. Not a problem. Good start.

From there it was left to Jump 2 on the same lead and again it was good.

Jump 3 was another on the same lead but required going out and round to come back in but it was nice and friendly so no worries.

Next was a turn right changing the lead heading up the hill and swinging all the way round and to Jump 4

As I was approaching, I made a fatal error, I thought oh this is going well we could do this.... I think Hope must have read my mind because, all of a sudden, we were swinging right and nothing I could do would convince her to turn back. So quick circle and over we went.
Another swing right round the outside and up the hill to Jump 5 a nice little narrow jump. I asked for an early stride and she bounded over with a huge leap. She is definitely honest if you get her on line and give her instructions.

Then turn left round two jumps and to the double, Fence 6

Was nice and easy then swing round again to the left to Jump 7.

Should have been fine but nope off again and I still don't quite know what happened, I presume I got complacent.

Probably what happened I was just not quite on line and confusion reigned, but again little circle and over we went. Still on thin ice one more and its curtains and Elimination
Heading to Fence 8, I was a bit trepidatious, as this was the widest and biggest jump on the course. It had a nice approach uphill and with a bit of a grunt and lots of leg because Hope was starting think I was mad and saying "did I really think she was going go over that" but she listened and we made it. I had to work and ask for the stride but she went. Very pleased.

As both Hope and I where a bit hot and sweaty by this point and my hips where starting to hurt, I jumped off, ran up the stirrups, and walked her over to the cross-country course. It was a nice stretch.

Cross Country

On arrival at the Cross Country it was time to put into action the special secret plan. As a solo eventer with no back up its pretty hard when it comes to the change of outfit required between show jumping and cross country. Normally, I suspect, people go back to their transport, tie up the horse, and get changed. I didn't have such luxury and Hope’s stable was a fair distance away but thankfully my old instructor, Tammy, was the Cross Country Steward so I could prearrange things so that she was holding the horse while I got changed into the kit I had stashed in the back of her trailer shelter! :D Getting my tie off was fun because it was wet from sweat. Undoing a wet tie is not something I have tried before and I can tell you a tie isn't designed to get wet and come off in the usual way. Fortunately, I am good with knots.

After the change we looked like this.

Very sharp in my new cross country top but poor Hope looked a bit Dread Pirate Roberts because her plaits wouldn't quite come out.

The cross country course was similar to previous courses but subtly different
which of course is dangerous. It may help you to look at this interactive map with pictures of the course

The first Jump was the traditional start and the way Hope shot out of the blocks she seemed to be enjoying her self. We flew over this.

It was then through the gate and into the next field. The ground was quite hard and stony there so I didn't want to go too fast but Hope had other ideas.
Jump 2 is something I have jumped heaps of times but because I was trying to slow Hope down to get her round without tiring out too much it wasn't as simple as usual. She was grumpy with me as we approached the jump and she wasn't quite sure what I meant so she shot off side ways but after a bit of circle over we went. Weeeee.

Down the hill through the next gate and here we have to turn right not go straight as per normal. This was different for me, but I remembered and then round to the first actual question on the course.
Jump 3 was a jump that I haven't jumped before and it seemed large and Hope needed riding here. I was pleased I got it and she went on the stride I asked for and I caught a potential run out.

NB: These photo's where taken early in the morning so lighting was a real issue so bear with me.

It was another straight up and down fence for Fence 4 but Hope was going well so no problem this time.

Then it was a reach round to the next field (with a trot through the gate as it is really rough there) and hug the hedge line to the malt pen jump (Fence 5). I know this one well and although its a combination it really rides as two separate fences. I was pretty confident here as last month Hope and I had jumped the shorter combination to the left. Still nice to ride it clear

Jump 6 was a nice canter away with a bit rough ground in it. We may have trotted again a little here just to protect Hope. Nothing hard here just a simple fence and she was a star.

Then on to something of a nuance because this was a new jump to me, Jump 7, and it was off to the right of the road which Hope took some exception to but I got her and she went over.

Through the next gate area with hard ground at the trot and across the field and about half way across was Jump 8

It actual rides quite large and being so open Hope needed some help but we got it and went when I asked. We slowed up at this point again to conserve energy. (Do you see the theme here?) Up to the next gate and just the other side was this snailtastic obstacle Fence 9.

We'd had a run out here last month and I wasn't going to have it happen again and I got on to her and no problems at all. Then another pull and trotting up the hill to this uphill jump. No real problems with a lovely leap and a left turn. Hope even got the right leg. :D
Fence 10

Round the corner and back down the hill to this tricky jump. Fence 11. It is not tricky to jump in and of itself but it is down hill and then you need to turn right straight away to the next obstacle.
Two years ago when I did the 60cm course, I baulked at this turn because it was wet and Hope doesn't turn that fast, as we proved in dressage. This time though I thought we should go for it.

I faded left after the jump then turned right and went straight into this combination. This year I even managed to remembered to stay left so I didn't get a face full of tree.

Then it was through the jumps for the other courses and over the road. Hope hates crossing that road but I convinced her eventually and on we went, past the spiny and to the fence that had me concerned the most.

Fence 13. I mean it is the 13th fence and that is bad enough but this feels like a monster. It is over the stone wall and there is quite a drop on the other side. I was focused, I prepared and stayed quiet but at exactly right point I asked her to jump and she was perfect. There is nothing quite like that thrill of knowing you just rode the hardest jump on the course perfectly. Yeah

Jump 14 was a bit of let up fence straight ahead and frankly Hope needed a breather by this stage, she was starting to tire a bit but was still willing so we went on.

After this we trotted round to the next little set of tires. I have jumped the bigger jump to the left of this and would have liked to jump that but hey the object is to finish so over we go.

Round to the left across the field and over the bigger of the little houses which are Fence 16.

Then it was through the gap in the hedge you can see ahead of the jump above and a turn left up the hill and past the commentary box. Hope was happy, so, as the commentary team started to talk about me, I decided to give them a thumbs up. Of course, as they commented on this, saying that I was being fancy and riding one handed giving them the thumbs up, Hope decided I needed to pay attention. Probably fair enough but as we came to a gap in the wire fence she danced sideways, spooking and jumping about. As the commentary box quite rightly laughed at me I got her back under control through the gate and then over this relatively easy jump. Phew! Fence 17

At this point I realised how slow we had been going.... I could hear the horse and rider behind me coming up fast. So we pulled over to the right and let the next person past earning ourselves another mention from the commentator but we tucked in behind them and went straight over the final fence. Yee ha!

As you can see from the score sheet it wasn't great but we completed and where not last of those who finished but it wasn’t pretty.

Final Scores on the doors

All that was left was to give Hope a shower until she was cooled off and put her away.
Sadly, there was no professional photographer, for some reason, so no action shots which is a shame but it was so, so, much fun I want to do it again.

Big thanks to Urchinwood Manor and Hope’s owners for letting me ride her. It was a real blast.

Finally a One Day Event! :D