On cross country at Wandin
Photo: Katherine Jamison - Peninsula Pix
Wandin
I can remember the first time I attended an event at Wandin ‘back in the day’, when it was a huge event with many top riders. That was in the late 90’s when I lived in Adelaide and drove over for the weekend to spectate. For me, as an amateur rider, the thought of riding of places like Wandin and Werribee is like saying, ‘Yeah, I’ve kinda made it!’ It’s an exciting thought to ride where many of the top riders have ridden and it’s fantastic to see Wandin in such a good state again!
So, when I saw that I could enter a training grade 4 class at the recent Wandin CIC event, I was all over it like a fat kid on a smartie! I was so excited and I made sure that I contacted Nicole Stewart from Sports Performance Coaching and booked in a chat with her to set my 90 day goals and ensure I was focused. I really put a lot of positive energy into this event and was determined that it was going to be a success.
One of my goals this year is to have more regular dressage lessons with BSP so that we can place higher in our events from the get go. I have recently realised that our dressage is letting us down and even though I don’t really enjoy it, I know I have to do it.
I booked in a lesson with Dave Prior my team manager from MET and we worked on getting Billy forward and relaxed. It was a great lesson and I really enjoyed it and I also worked on my balance and as a result BSP was working so much better. I had to ride with my upper body more forward than usual (kind of like in 2 point which is the position I LOVE to ride in as I find it so easy! Dave said that I prefer it as I am balanced when I am there). I was really excited afterwards, because Billy had responded so well and Dave explained everything to me in a way that I understood and the reason why I was doing things the way he was asking and it all made sense! I got more of a ‘feel’ for what I was doing too.
I washed BSP after my lesson and then we headed home and I began to pack everything. (As it turned out this is where I learned a very valuable lesson!) I packed all of my grooming gear, clean saddlery and boots, gaiters, medical armband etc and placed my whips, club vest and saddle blanket on my desk to collect in the morning. Everything else was by the front door.
Up bright and early I had a coffee and some toast and took two bags of carrots from the fridge (I only buy carrots for BSP and my dog who also loves them!) and packed the car and headed off to collect BSP. We loaded up and off we went. Another of my goals for this year is to find a mentor and I’ve done that. Lizzie Hughes is one of the top riders I know in Victoria and I really admire her. She’s a wealth of knowledge so I contacted her and asked her if she’d be prepared to mentor me at the event if our times allowed and she agreed.
I arrived nice and early and found a parking space near the dressage arenas and was, by fluke, next to Durani a fellow friend and rider … Bonus! Lizzie arrived and parked nearby and then another great friend Rachel also arrived and was parked close-by. I was really thrilled to have so many friends I knew at the event. It was like being at a clinic.
However, this is where the day began to fall apart. As I unpacked the car and got organised, I realised I’d left my saddle blanket with my comp numbers on it, vest and whips at home! OMG! I panicked for a moment. Durani was super kind and offered her white saddle blanket to me. I thought about driving home to get it or calling my friend Jayde who was on her way, but then I realised my house was locked and I would simply run out of time. ARGH!
I began plaiting BSP once I’d collected my show bag from the office. Lizzie and I then decided to walk the cross country course as I didn’t have a lot of time between my dressage and cross country. As we walked the course, I asked Lizzie questions about lines and approaches and I was feeling confident as we walked the course, but then, we came to fence 13. A drop with two strides to a log. I don’t know if it was just me, but I tell you that drop looked HUGE! I was nervous about riding that one. Lizzie was fantastic and suggested that if I was nervous to trot in so that I could keep my line and make the log. The danger was that if we weren’t straight and we were going too fast, we could miss the log. I knew this was a fence where I’d have to ride a little defensively; sit up, lower leg on and slightly forward, upper body up and chest open and slip the reins a little.
Once we’d walked the course, we were heading back when I got a call from Rachel’s mum Barb, who kindly offered to continue plaiting Billy for me. How nice is that? When we arrived back, Jayde arrived and Lizzie went to prepare her horse for her dressage test. I went to the trade stand and as it was an open competition, I was told I didn’t have to wear club uniform, so I bought a new saddle blanket to use. Rachel kindly lent me her belt and I decided that as I didn’t have a jacket I would just ride in my white club shirt. I felt a bit out of place being the only rider without a jacket or vest, but I thought I was still well presented.
I took BSP to the warm up area and what a nightmare! Horses and riders were everywhere and all I wanted was a space where I could ride in straight lines. Everyone was circling and it was very dusty, however I did get in some lovely warm up transitions and was soon ready to go. I watched a couple of tests prior to mine, just to confirm that I knew the test and then had to wait for over half an hour as the ring was running late. I was thrilled to see a group of my friends who’d come to cheer us on arrive and BSP enjoyed the attention too.
BSP gets a big pat
Photo: Katherine Jamison - Peninsula Pix
Finally it was our turn to go in. We presented to the judge and I trotted up to A on a loose rein. BSP was so relaxed. The horn tooted and in we went. I felt that our test started off quite sluggishly but improved as we went along. I rode in the position Dave and I have been working on in our lessons. We decided that it was better to lose a few marks on rider position than have BSP not forward and relaxed throughout the entire test where we’d lose more marks. At the end of the test, I was so pleased! I knew we’d made mistakes but I felt overall that we’d gone quite well. I gave BSP a huge pat and cuddle and we headed out. It was a quick gear change with help from Jayde and then off to cross country where we warmed up. Most riders in the training grade 4 were coming in under time by around a minute. As I’ve been coming in on courses around 30 seconds under, I decided to go slower on this course. I was told even if I trotted I would still come in under time!
BSP was responsive in the warm up and I stretched him out at a gallop several times and then brought him back to canter and he did as I asked. However, as we were coming towards the warm up fence, he was crabbing so I was having issues with straightness, which was to be a theme on the cross country? As my time drew nearer, I realised I’d forgotten to put on my watch and medical armband. Seriously, where was my head today!? I told the steward and trotted back to the float and then trotted back and after the next rider, off we went.
Over the first three fences we found our pace and it seemed to be going well. We jumped over the ditch at fence four and then as we presented to fence five I was a bit too slow and BSP refused! He never refuses! I was so mad at myself. I took a deep breath, circled and represented and we sailed over it. Fence six was a brush and as we came towards it, he started crabbing. I almost had another stop and gave him a crack with the borrowed whip from Rachel and said some very unladylike things (sorry to the jump judge!) and got him over. From here I let him stretch out and the next series of fences were great!
Jumping down the drop was one of our better moments on the course
Photo: Katherine Jamison - Peninsula Pix
Through the water at a canter (just for you Paul Tapner!) and over to the drop. We went in at trot and sailed down it. As we turned to fence fourteen, a rider who was over at the ditch fell off and her horse, minus the bridle, bolted directly in front of us just as we were heading to the fence. BSP had a bit of a spac attack before I diverted to avoid the horse and then pushed him on to the fence and we cleared it. The final fence was three small mushrooms and because I turned too tightly to make up time as my watch was beeping, I had another refusal. Finally we were over and we cantered in with no stirrups and reins in one hand to the vet check. I gave BSP a big pat and hopped off him as Jayde came over to help me and she took my number and walked him for me. When the vet took his heart rate it was 48. I had to ask Jayde again if that was true. It was! My friends were cheering for us and we then headed over to the show jumping to watch.
Cantering in at Wandin
Photo: Katherine Jamison - Peninsula Pix
I hadn’t had the opportunity to walk the course, but it looked easy enough and I felt confident. I watched two riders and another rider asked if we could ride out of order. The steward said if we were ready we could go in at any time so that’s what we did. After the other rider went in it was our turn and we went clear and at a good pace.
Finally, we headed back to the float and I decided to head home. I picked up my dressage test and was disappointed to see the judge had absolutely caned me for not being collected or forward enough. Everything was a 5 or a 6. One of the moves was canter transition and the comment was obedient but we only scored a 6. I was confused because at my level we’re not supposed to be on the bit! I don’t understand how these judges mark sometimes but it’s made me more determined. Perhaps I just need to get my head around EA tests as it was my first one!
I was super pleased though when Jayde said she’d noticed on our first canter circle that when I was slightly more forward in my position that BSP was more forward and balanced and when on the second canter circle I sat up and he hollowed and his head came up. So I was happy that what I did worked.
I learned some very valuable lessons at Wandin …
ALWAYS ensure you have everything you need! Pack a few days before and have a ‘Day’ list for the competition day. Friends are invaluable for support and kind offers of help and pick me ups.
ALWAYS do what you know, don’t change things too much. I know the cross country was abysmal (we never have stops on XC!) because I wasn’t letting BSP go forward in his usual pace and rhythm. So, despite the issues I experienced, I didn’t get upset or lose my temper. I took it all on board as a learning curve and I know that next time will be better.
After the dressage we were 26th out of 31. After cross country (even with 2 stops) we placed 15th! My goal was top ten. I know we’d have been right up there if I’d not had those penalties so that was really encouraging and this was where I realised I need to improve my dressage.
As a continuation of my determination for 2013, I had another lesson with Dave and we worked on nose to fence movements with Billy to encourage him to step through with his hind quarters and once we’d suppled him up a little, we worked on straightness in the canter and had some very positive results. I really am excited about the progress we’re starting to see.
The Clinic
My next exciting adventure was a two-day clinic with my coach and hero, Megan Jones in Fingal. I was nervously excited as I was really hoping she’d notice the difference in us. When I arrived on Monday morning, I settled BSP in and prepared for our show jumping lesson. Megan was doing the dressage lessons in another arena and we were lucky to have Amanda Ross as our coach for show jumping. Weeew! Bonus! A clinic with both Megan and Amanda! I had a chat with Amanda who asked what we’d been up to since she’d last seen us and mentioned the position work and balance etc.
To start with Amanda had us walking, trotting and cantering standing in our stirrups with one hand in the air. I loved this. Then we worked on a circle over poles at trot and canter. BSP found this difficult on the right rein, which is what we’re working on to help supple him. Our show jumping course was a grid that was a bounce, one stride and then two strides as well as two separate fences in a figure of eight with poles placed before and after the fences at seven feet. I loved this exercise and really enjoyed the lesson. Amanda also gave us a great tip for show jumping hands. You bridge your reins and make your hands into a V (or like butterfly wings) and rest them on your horse’s neck over the fences. (I liked this a lot, but found out it’s not good on cross country and Megan told me the off, in a nice way, for resting on BSP’s neck).
BSP enjoys a roll in the sand
My dressage lesson wasn’t until 2:30 so I hosed BSP down and let him have a roll in the sand, which he loved. I then brushed him off and gave him more hay and refilled his water before I had lunch and watched more of Amanda’s lessons.
At 2:20pm I tacked up and headed down to the arena where Megan was finishing the prior lesson. As we entered the arena and halted, Megan came and gave BSP a big hug hello. I told her what Dave and I had been working on and we commenced our lesson.
Megan had me riding a circle and getting BSP to move off my leg and whip from the left side. I was tending to hold the right rein too much so she had me ride in a Mexican rein. Hopefully I can describe it. It’s where you turn your wrist up so that you’re holding the rein in your palm, with your knuckles facing the ground. This stopped me from pulling on the right rein when I needed to get him to move from the left. It really worked! I held the rein like this for the entire lesson and Megan kept getting me to relax my forearm and give it a shake every now and then. We worked on spiralling circles and many changes of rein and by the end of the lesson my right rein was loose and BSP was doing everything I asked! I was over the moon! Megan said she could see he was really moving off my leg almost immediately. I tell you I walked back to the float from that lesson with the biggest smile you’ve ever seen on my face! I gave BSP another hose down and then headed home.
Tuesday morning I was up at 4:45 am to get ready, have a coffee and breakfast and after ten minutes of BSP running away from me in the dark we were on the road.
This morning we were having a Freshman’s show jumping session. I’d never done one of these before but I decided I would jump my normal 60cm and then do the next level as a training test. Megan had us warm up over quite a big fence and then it was straight into the course with Megan giving up tips and corrections as we went along. I was really happy with Billy because he was going so well. After our session the other two groups of riders had their classes and then I was standing with the other girls who jump big and helped Megan put the fences up. They were huge! Well, they looked huge to me anyway! So Megan turns around and says to me, “You better get Billy!” I must have let out a very nervous laugh as I ran off because she called out “And have a nervous wee!” Ha-ha!
The jumping course
We went into the ring and I did another quick warm up before the girls started their course. Finally it was my turn. Megan said to me, “Just do the jumps you want, you don’t have to do all of them if you don’t want too.” And in my head a little voice said, ‘If you can do one, you can do them all!’ and so I replied with, “I want to do them all.” Megan looked pretty pleased as she said, “Good!”
I got BSP into a good canter and off we went. Oh my goodness! I am jumping BIG! I’m really doing this! Then I came to the treble of one stride, fence, two strides, fence, two strides third fence. I lost impulsion on the approach and cleared the first fence and awkwardly over the second then bailed at the third. Megan yelled, “Come again!” before I had time to lose my nerve and off I went. This time the same thing happened but the best part was even though I had an awkward landing, I didn’t fall off and I wasn’t scared! Megan got me to ride to the fences again and I had more impulsion and straightness and bang! We cleared them all! Yahoo! As I rode the rest of the course and passed the girls I heard Deb say jokingly, “Stop smiling.” I laughed because I was smiling so big!
When I finished the course, Megan threw both of her hands into the air and cheered! Bree went and got the measuring stick and you’ll never believe it. I jumped 95cm! ME! Jumping 95cm! WOW! Go Billy!
After a little break we then headed out to cross country and I asked Megan if she could send me over some introductory fences. So off we went and the first time I went over the warm up fence she said to me, “Get your hands off his neck. Your leg is good, you’ve worked hard on that. Use it!” We sailed over the little log and then back over the warm up fence. As we continued, I decided to have a go at the bigger log and we went over it no problems! Megan designed a course for us and worked us going up and down hills. This was the first time too that I have ever cantered Billy down hill and it felt wonderful. I realised that I don’t need to be nervous about cantering down hill because I can help him. I can balance him with my position and he responded to it every time I asked him to do something.
WOW! I feel as if something has shifted in me. Something big and something really positive. I am blessed to work with the most amazing coaches and I can’t praise Megan enough. I really wanted to show her how far we’ve come since our last lessons with her and I’m pretty sure we did that and she’s helped me go to the next level. I’ve got no excuses now!
Our next competition is hopefully (waiting on confirmation) Ballarat HT and then Woady Yalloak training grade 4. Giddy up!
Until then, happy riding, have fun and don’t let your fear hold you back! If I can do it, you can too! Wahooo!
Jenna and Billy Sparklepants. xox
