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The tack room
First BE ODE next month, any advice welcome!
Rollingdinosaur · 18/04/2016 13:37
I am finally taking the plunge, and having a go at a proper affiliated ODE next month, if I don't get balloted out. I am excited, and somewhat terrified. I have done several unaffiliated ones, and not made a complete tit of myself, so this seems like the logical next step.
I would be interested to hear any tips, or ideas of what to expect, from those in the know. Will the standard be a lot higher? Will I look a prat, as a lot of my gear is on the cheap side, and I will be turning up in 4WD and trailer, rather than a swanky lorry. I am also not sure on the hat standard required, it mentions PAS 015, and kitemark. Does that mean it needs both? My hat has the kite mark, but not the other bit. I suspect that means I need a new hat, but I don't want to fork out for one if I don't need to. Any tips will be gratefully accepted, thanks.
WellErrr · 02/05/2016 07:43
I've found my thread!
It has been 16 years since my last BE event. Or rather BHTA as it was then
It had just changed when I started. I was doing Novice before children but lost my horse and got pregnant in the space of a year. I've got a nice youngster now but pregnant again and he's being wasted.
This winter I'm going to buy myself something good and go out and event again next season. Can't wait!!!!
Who has events coming up?
tootsietoo · 09/05/2016 10:51
Cancelled due to wet weather Rollingdinosaur! Gutted, I was so psyched up for it too. I've got two more 80s now this weekend and the weekend after, then no more local ones that I can make for quite a few weeks, so I will take stock after these next two and depending on how they go make a plan as to whether to do a 90 and when and where. Went to watch the grassroots champs at Badminton on Wednesday and now really inspired. Friend and I have set our goal to qualify for the 90 in 2018. I think 90s are very competitive, but we can both do good dressage tests, so there is a possibility we can do it if we can sort out the jumping and speed. Got to have something to aim for!
Hello WellErr! Congratulations! When are you due? Do you have good babysitters lined up to help you ride with a baby in tow? I was well impressed at Badminton this weekend. Watching the dressage on Friday, I spotted a woman in the bit of the stands reserved for riders/owners/trainers dressed in her riding gear breastfeeding a baby. Did some googling and discovered it was Lara Liedekerke-Meier, a Belgian rider, and apparently her baby is 5 months old. She'd done her dressage at Badminton, probably with leaky boobs, and then jumped off to feed her baby straight away! Respect to her.
frostyfingers · 09/05/2016 17:36
Hmm, preparations for my 2 phase not going quite so well! I thought I'd do some cantering work on dhorse but he put his foot down a rabbit hole (he's fine btw) and I hit the deck, hard. He took himself home, giving my poor DH a fright, I rang DH (apparently) and he fetched me - I wasn't far away but I don't remember getting home! I spent most of Saturday in bed watching Badminton and although I have a headache feel fine. So this morning I went XC and SJ schooling with a friend at a small local venue and dhorse took exception to jumping some tyres and I sailed out the side door again. Luckily I only landed on my backside and am fine , so we persevered and jumped the tyres and then a round of about 10 fences to finish.
I did learn a bit more about him though and it was mostly positive, and he was pretty forgiving of some not very good riding so I'll hope for better things when we have a SJ lesson later this week.
I'm also off to buy a new hat - Saturday's was already in the bin and I think I'll get today's checked and although it didn't hit the ground might bin that too. Ho hum!
Rollingdinosaur · 10/05/2016 09:43
Oh no tootsie, what a shame, bloody weather! I am envious of your ability to do a good dressage test though. I really struggle with the dressage. I have been told that they mark harder at BE than unaffiliated, so I am fully expecting a dressage score in the 50s at the weekend. It would be my absolute dream to qualify for the 90 at Badminton!
Frosty, hope you are not too battered and bruised. You were brave to get back on and keep going!
Hi WellErrr, when are you due? Can you get someone riding the youngster to keep him ticking over for you until you can get back on him?
tootsietoo · 10/05/2016 14:17
the dressage thing is a bit of a pleasant surprise - I went and bought a "sensible cob" and without quite realising it have ended up with a smart, well put together and active, not quite so sensible, little cob! So he picks up marks before I've even done anything just for being active and pretty. He naturally goes in a nice outline and has soft mouth, so my job is quite easy. There's no doubt it's much harder if you have an older, stiffer horse who finds it hard work. But then it's very satisfying when you start to make progress.
When is Millfield?
Frosty that sounds horrible. That would really knock my confidence. How is yours? Keep getting on and going jumping!
frostyfingers · 10/05/2016 17:50
Funnily enough although the first fall hurt (and still hurts) my confidence was fine as it was nothing dhorse actually did wrong. The second when he whipped round on me did give me pause for thought but I made him jump the baby tyres next to the ones that gave him a fright and then redid the offending ones a couple of times both ways and felt ok.
I've only had him 5 months, my last horse if he stopped did so in a straight line and I've learned now that this one doesn't necessarily so I'll put a proper neckstrap on rather than relying on the martingale and hold tight to that! I'm having a SJ lesson on Thurs so will hopefully learn a bit more about him and how to ride him. It's a great feeling when he does "lock on " to a fence, I just need to make sure I'm not too much of a hindrance!
frostyfingers · 13/05/2016 09:37
Good luck Dinosaur & Tootsie, have a fab time.
I'm off to see the doctor about my very fat and sore knee - why it's blown up I have no idea. The horse has bruised a foot and the shoe is off so our attempt at 2 phase next Sunday is looking very unlikely....just when you thought you had everything sorted it goes pear shaped!
tootsietoo · 14/05/2016 20:04
Oh no that sounds painful and tedious
Gaaaaaaaah! Is today's competition report! 2nd after dressage, lovely SJ clear round and a stupid run out at a light-to-dark fence. We were inside the time too. Spooky cob was so spooky still, i had to really work to get him over the dressed fences, I am so frustrated! I desperately wanted a rosette, need to get this in perspective, but I am so mad and I can't stop beating myself up! I think this may be a first world problem?? 
Millfield report please!
Rollingdinosaur · 15/05/2016 07:53
Oh frostie that is pants! Tootsie I know exactly what you mean, it is sooo frustrating when you know they can do better, but it just doesn't quite happen. Keep at it. Your day will come!
Well we did it! Dressage wasn't bad at all. I was trying so hard to get him going forward, that he broke into canter when we were meant to be trotting down the centre line! Then one of the other rings buzzed and I thought I'd gone wrong and walked before I should. Apart from those silly mistakes it was one of our better tests.
Showjumping was a bit of a disaster. He is usually Mr unflappable but there were loads of tack shops round the ring, which really distracted him. They rang the buzzer, as I went in as they hadn't noticed the horse before have a fence down. I didn't know whether to go or not, so went in a half hearted way. He hopped fence one, and went through fence two in spectacular style. We got our act together after that, and just had an unlucky pole, so two down in total. It was like riding a youngster, and felt like the worst round we've ever had.
XC however was awesome! It was a lovely course and he didn't look at anything. We got a few time faults, as I wasn't sure enough of his fitness to really push him, but I was on such a high at the end! I will definitely be doing another one!
tootsietoo · 15/05/2016 09:01
Fabulous! Generally the BE courses are well built and varied, so they're good fun to jump. But the problem is that now you have the bug there are events on somewhere every weekend - too tempting!
I think SJ is the most scary bit. You've really got to have the right balanced canter at the right speed.
Did you buy a photo? Are you staring at it a lot?! When is the next one?
IsItTimeForGinYet · 15/05/2016 19:44
Brilliant!!! Well done for getting out there and doing it!!! Did hear it had a buzzy atmosphere around the SJ. Hope you've got a lovely photo or 2 to stare at! I bought one out hunting and 6 months on it stk brings a smile to my face!
So where to next?!
I was hoping to do out first ode in 2 weeks but after having a dressage lesson (first in 17 years) I have realised that he could actually be quite smart with some proper work so we are having weekly lessons instead over the next couple of months.
I'm also still having saddle issues... I now have a lovely dressage saddle but none of the jump saddles she brought fitted both of us and she has banned me from using my old one. Fast work yesterday was made far more "interesting" in a dressage ssddle...!
Hope everyone hashad a fun weekend. And so sorry to hear about setbacks and bad knees.
frostyfingers · 17/05/2016 18:52
To add to my frustration we are on Day 4 of no internet connection - so while I was following instructions and resting my knee I couldn't watch Chatsworth or do any M'netting. What have I done to deserve this?! The knee is much less swollen so I'm waiting for a doctor's appointment next week so they can poke it around and see how bad the damage is - it was too fat on Friday and I wouldn't let them touch it!
I'm in the pub trying to catch up with some work but it's too noisy!
Congratulations on the outings - take it from me getting there is an achievement in itself!
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