2016... You are turning out pretty all right.
So since my last blog, lots of stuff has happened ... and I don't quite know how it has fitted all in!
Siz over the big house/water combination
Hobart and Districts ODE was set to be a biggie with Sizzle doing his first 2** and Smash was entered in the Pre Novice to hopefully get around or first XC together! Well... I own a little horse with a heart bigger than Phar Lap's! He did a nice little test to be in the mid 60% range with lots to improve but lots of very good work. He then just ATE UP the XC! Some tough combinations and tricky narrows made the course scary enough let alone being first on course... But Siz just made it feel like we were cantering around a PreNov.
We finished the course on sound legs and with plenty of steam left. However my massive buzz was quickly squished after being informed that I hadn't jumped possibly the easiest jump on the course... A little loop around to a drop into the water that I had jumped many times before but was a bit of a strange line so I didn't realise it was in the course... I was DEVASTATED to say the least!
But in my eyes he still completed the course and did it with such ease that I decided to hold onto that and be happy with my incredible pony and not crack the sulks! So despite having the dreaded E next to my name I popped him around the SJ still and he was just awesome as usual. I figured out later that that was his first attempt at a straight 1.20m course and he tried his guts out; two rails that were purely my fault and a happy horse and rider. The little man is growing up!
Smashy (above) was much better and won his dressage, was spooky again around XC (a stop at each water) but certainly much better than at Quercus Park. He then had one unlucky rail in the show jumping and ended up winning!
Next up was Huntingfield ODE! This event fell on the same weekend as the Tasmanian Mountain Cattleman’s Get Together so poor Poppy was dragged along to watch my crazy sister do crazy stuff for the day... I was also a bit silly but I think it's ok to be silly sometimes!!
Poppy was awesome in her first Intro start since destroying my collarbone ... She did a lovely test that I thought was harshly marked for fifth place, then was super brave on XC until a scary sunken road that she took a few tries at before BOUNCING IT! She then cantered around the rest of the course with ease. Show jumping wasn't an issue and she did a fantastic clear! Go the pretty white pony!
The following weekend was Deloraine ODE. Smash and Poppy were entered and we had interesting results... Smash won his dressage, but then the strange format for the warm up for XC bought us unstuck and unfortunately I just didn't have his attention the whole way around with him cracking it at the spooky zigzag. But on a PreNovice course where only one horse made it around and there were a few falls ... I was just glad we were in one piece!
Poppy at Deloraine ODE Photo courtesy Hayley Atkins
Poppy was super again placing fifth again after the dressage, then was just Awesome XC with just a green run out at a technical combination and did another lovely clear SJ. She is going to be exciting!
And finally the last event I did was Monmouth ODE. Smash and Poppy were again competing in the Intro and Pre Novice.
Smash at Monmouth ODE Photo courtesy Brandy Howe
Smashy really stepped up to the plate here doing another super test for over 71% and first, then was the only finisher in my class jumping ALL the really scary jumps such as the max width and depth ditch and the water which is notorious for being tricky! Woohoo! He then did a great SJ considering the very, very soft surface (deep beach sand) for an uncharacteristic 8 penalties but there wasn't much I could do about it. He bought home the goods being a blue ribbon and prize money.
Poppy was great again to be fourth after dressage, then unfortunately the highly technical XC course was her undoing with her just not understanding a very tough narrow for Intro. But there was carnage (again... I feel a trend happening?) on XC so I was happy to get as far as I did and glad I didn't have to negotiate the jump that I believe less than 1/8th of the intro riders got over on first attempt. I can't wait to get her over the Strait and show what she can really do!!
Meet the new pony - Gemma
So that is all the competitions for the moment... Next for me will be the State Championships at Quercus Park where I will run a new Intro horse only to get a run under our belt (Yesss!! I got a new pony! And she is pretty and her name is Gemma!!). Then it will be the Southern Champs where I will possibly be running 4-5 horses at an ODE... We shall see if that eventuates... So wish me luck!!
Until next time, Alice 
