klebert
17th Sep 2007, 09:54 PM
Hello Everyone!!
Mr Podge has completed his 2nd ever Horse Driving Trials and I am so so chuffed with my baby!!
There were 15 competitors all told, broken down in to Open Horse, Open medium pony, Open small pony, Open pairs (any height) and Preliminary (our class). One of the competitors pulled out half way through the marathon section and so we were down to 14.
So.... as with Horse Trials, you have three sections of dressage, marathon & hazards (equivalent to tracks and jumps) and cones (instead of showjumping).
Dressage section: Podge spooked going through the gates that made up 'A' and we wavered up the centre line. I am sure that he thought I was trying to play 'chicken' with the Land Rover at 'C' and was working out that self preservation was a good thing and sod Mummy. Had a little spook as we tracked left at C towards H, but by this time I spotted who the dressage judge was (we went to Secondry School together and it's been no love lost since) and said to Ian (O/H) who was my groom "Well it's XXX, so we're scr3wed - may as well enjoy ourselves". Totally relaxed and decided to use it as a schooling session, but just using the dressage test to school. Was totally chuffed with how Podge went and so left the test feeling really good about just how far we have come since Podge was trained to drive in January this year (2007). :D
Got ourselves sorted for the Marathon/Hazard section and set off. It was a 8km course with six hazards between four and five gates to drive in a set order. It was a hot day and as we were last to go, I said to Ian that although we would drive it to the best of our ability, I would not push Podge just to try to win for the sake of winning! It's only his 2nd ever HDT and bearing in mind it took me near on four years to get back on 'the box seat', lets get round nice and safely and work on our speed, fitness and steering as we progress!
Well... he was a doll. I use the words 'Get' to ask him to turn left and 'Come' for turning right. I couldn't believe just how responsive he has become! We have sussed that he is so much better taking a longer, but more flowing course, however on the couple of tight turns (drivers memory error) that we needed to take to correct course, he is willing and will try his hardest to please and get us out of scrapes. ;D
We trotted all of the course (with the exception of the 'walk' stage) and although we were horrendusly over time, we got to the finish and we got there safe and sound. :)
We had about an hour or two between getting back and the cones section to finish the days events. I walked the course and was horrified to discover that we had 15 sets of cones to remember. :eek:
Well... Podge went like a dream and gave to me all that he had left to give. We zoomed through the cones (which unlike England must be driven at the trot - cantering is not allowed) and although we had three down, I was just amazed at my teeny pone!
So.... the scores....
Dressage: 4th out of 14 with a score of 47% (in driven dressage, the lower the % the better).
Marathon: 12th out of 14
Cones: 10th out of 14
Just so amazed with our dressage score!! Can you believe that Podge (who many call simply a 'cart horse') could obtain a score as good as that on just his 2nd ever event?? And the fact that I and the dressage judge don't see eye to eye means that that score is even more fabulous! ;D
So.... without further a do... the photos
Dressage:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e96/bertie157/Dressage2.jpg
Marathon:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e96/bertie157/Hazard4a.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e96/bertie157/Hazard4b.jpg
Cones:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e96/bertie157/coneas.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e96/bertie157/cones2.jpg
And my personal favourite two:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e96/bertie157/Dressage.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e96/bertie157/Hazard1.jpg
Mr Podge has completed his 2nd ever Horse Driving Trials and I am so so chuffed with my baby!!
There were 15 competitors all told, broken down in to Open Horse, Open medium pony, Open small pony, Open pairs (any height) and Preliminary (our class). One of the competitors pulled out half way through the marathon section and so we were down to 14.
So.... as with Horse Trials, you have three sections of dressage, marathon & hazards (equivalent to tracks and jumps) and cones (instead of showjumping).
Dressage section: Podge spooked going through the gates that made up 'A' and we wavered up the centre line. I am sure that he thought I was trying to play 'chicken' with the Land Rover at 'C' and was working out that self preservation was a good thing and sod Mummy. Had a little spook as we tracked left at C towards H, but by this time I spotted who the dressage judge was (we went to Secondry School together and it's been no love lost since) and said to Ian (O/H) who was my groom "Well it's XXX, so we're scr3wed - may as well enjoy ourselves". Totally relaxed and decided to use it as a schooling session, but just using the dressage test to school. Was totally chuffed with how Podge went and so left the test feeling really good about just how far we have come since Podge was trained to drive in January this year (2007). :D
Got ourselves sorted for the Marathon/Hazard section and set off. It was a 8km course with six hazards between four and five gates to drive in a set order. It was a hot day and as we were last to go, I said to Ian that although we would drive it to the best of our ability, I would not push Podge just to try to win for the sake of winning! It's only his 2nd ever HDT and bearing in mind it took me near on four years to get back on 'the box seat', lets get round nice and safely and work on our speed, fitness and steering as we progress!
Well... he was a doll. I use the words 'Get' to ask him to turn left and 'Come' for turning right. I couldn't believe just how responsive he has become! We have sussed that he is so much better taking a longer, but more flowing course, however on the couple of tight turns (drivers memory error) that we needed to take to correct course, he is willing and will try his hardest to please and get us out of scrapes. ;D
We trotted all of the course (with the exception of the 'walk' stage) and although we were horrendusly over time, we got to the finish and we got there safe and sound. :)
We had about an hour or two between getting back and the cones section to finish the days events. I walked the course and was horrified to discover that we had 15 sets of cones to remember. :eek:
Well... Podge went like a dream and gave to me all that he had left to give. We zoomed through the cones (which unlike England must be driven at the trot - cantering is not allowed) and although we had three down, I was just amazed at my teeny pone!
So.... the scores....
Dressage: 4th out of 14 with a score of 47% (in driven dressage, the lower the % the better).
Marathon: 12th out of 14
Cones: 10th out of 14
Just so amazed with our dressage score!! Can you believe that Podge (who many call simply a 'cart horse') could obtain a score as good as that on just his 2nd ever event?? And the fact that I and the dressage judge don't see eye to eye means that that score is even more fabulous! ;D
So.... without further a do... the photos
Dressage:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e96/bertie157/Dressage2.jpg
Marathon:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e96/bertie157/Hazard4a.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e96/bertie157/Hazard4b.jpg
Cones:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e96/bertie157/coneas.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e96/bertie157/cones2.jpg
And my personal favourite two:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e96/bertie157/Dressage.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e96/bertie157/Hazard1.jpg