Any tips for first jumping competition? Update and Photo!

Gattino

Gattino

Happy Appy
Jul 16, 2012
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Ireland
So tomorrow is the big day, Cyrus and I doing our first jumping competition at a great venue.

He got cleaned, lunged and cleaned some more tonight and after his dinner switched to his rug that covers as much of him as possible :giggle:

It is jump cross 70cm I am entering.

Early start, will get up to yard for 7 and feed him and groom, get everything packed into friend's jeep, load him and off we go.

Any tips would be welcome

I think I am too tired this evening to be nervous :giggle:

Have to clean tack and my boots now so will have everything ready to go for the morning :biggrin:

Will get as many photos as I can too :bounce:
 
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Yes enjoy and talk to your horse if used to it!! Too many dont like me haha cos freeze up with nerves and my horse is used to me babbling on :giggle:

Good luck and kick ass :wink:
 
Had a great day, really enjoyed it, despite getting eliminated at 2nd last fence because Cyrus took a dislike to the jump with small square haybales under it :giggle: His stable is next to the haybales but in his head they obviously don't belong in an arena, silly ponyhorse.

Really enjoyed the experience though, he was lovely and forward and had good scope over the jumps, I felt relaxed and confident. He didn't even look at the water tray oxer kind of jump with plastic ducks in it :giggle:

In the warm up he did really well, did try a spook at some kind of metal arm attachment to one of the fencing posts but made him go past it riding strongly and then he was good as gold in warm up :biggrin:

For some reason there was this big plastic shiny cow just before the start line and it caused a lot of problems for horses and ponies. One poor girl's horse just would not go past it and only finally did after coaxing and 3 or 4 minutes (they are nice there that they will let you continue even if your round won't count in placing as you only have 30 or 45 secs from when bell goes) Cyrus did take a little look but luckily he is not generally afraid of random things so just rode him on strongly to first jump.

Had one refusal at fence 6 too which was my fault with a dodgy line.

There was a lot of positives and I learned a lot and after my round went straight up to warm up had a quick canter and then popped him over a cross pole and a vertical so he knew he can't end on a refusal and he is not allowed run out :bounce:

It was a course with some tricky parts I think as was the final of a 4 week league (but you could do just one week if you wanted but obviously would not be counted in league placings and prizes).

It was my very first competition so I am pleased with how it went as felt I rode positively and Cyrus and I both had fun :biggrin:
 
Sounds like you had a great day. It's always nice to hear someone being so positive despite it not all going to plan. It's all a learning experience (for you and the horse) and I am sure next time will be easier for both of you. x
 
Thanks, it has actually given me huge confidence boost that I know I can go do a jumping competition, feel confident and remember the course :giggle:
 
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Here is a pic of us in the warm up :biggrin:

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Well done you and Cyrus. It sounds like a brilliant first time out in the big wide world, and a lovely sort of place to start you both off. I bet you were buzzing!

You both look very smart and he is so clean!:biggrin:
 
Cortrasna said:
Well done you and Cyrus. It sounds like a brilliant first time out in the big wide world, and a lovely sort of place to start you both off. I bet you were buzzing!

You both look very smart and he is so clean!:biggrin:
Click to expand...

I was so excited, the venue is really nice very friendly, looking forward to next time. Pro pics should be up later so hoping some nice ones as would like some as a memento :biggrin:

He was brushed and scrubbed last night and managed to keep himself fairly clean overnight, just had to do a quick groom this morning and he only had one stable stain which is a miracle for him :giggle:

One thing I am going to get for next time travel is a tailbag as he had beautiful tail worthy of a l'oreal advert and then got poo on it on journey :giggle: I was at his bum with baby wipes trying to get the worst off :giggle:
 
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