WeeB
12th December 2011, 09:50 PM
I didnt mention it, but B and I were entered in a trec comp this weekend. Wasnt sure if it would happen or not (can never tell at this time of year when the weather is going to bring everything to a standstill!)
When sat morning dawned and brought with it a blanket of snow over the city I felt sure that we were not going to get there. But by sunday morning all the snow was gone and the roads were ice free!!
So we set off at 9.30am (our tack check time was 10.50am) Got to the venue with 20 mins to spare.. eeek!! (i would have liked 40 mins!!) so it was a bit of a rush to get ready but we made it... just!! I went with a friend from the yard who hasnt ever done trec before (I've only done one full comp and one short format) We were entered in the kelly marks newcomers and level 1 one day.
Tack check went fine (tinsel was actually one of the things on the check list! lol!) then into map room. Only took us 5 mins of our 10 to copy the route so we had a chance to double check it.
The ride was lovely, through a christmas tree plantation! Tickets to find had festive pictures on them. Not sure we went totally the right way as there were paths everywhere and not all of them were marked on the map but we did quite well using landmarks to get our barings! (one track we were ment to go down looked directly onto an old quarrie) We got a couple canters but the ground was really muddy and hard going so we kept it pretty much to a walk most of the way. When we finished the last judge asked if we had gotten lost, so I guess we took a bit too long!! Judging speed has never been my strong point but genrally I dont go that fast on rides anyway!
We had about an hour before the control of paces and PTV but somehow never managed to get a chance to grab a bite to eat!! Walked the course which was good, a couple eek bits, mostly the jump!! It was a cross pole, about 50cm I'd guess but it was covered in tinsel! Everything was decorated really well with stockings, santa signs and things, really festive! There was a tarpauline too which I wasnt too sure how that would go.
Me and B went first. Control of paces was fine. Canter a bit fast but we've not schooled much recently and I was concerned he'd break into trot! Walk was fairly fast, but we never seem to score in that!
Then onto PTV. First was ridden corridor which we trotted through fine, then it was ridden imobility. Never done this one before, you walk into a marked circle. halt and drop your reins and your pony has to stay in the circle for as many seconds as they can up to a max of 10 secs. B didnt move a muscle for the whole 10 secs! (why cant he do this when we're out and about??!:lol:) Then it was the tarp, he started to look at it as we approached so I just put leg on and he walked over fine, clever ponio! Then it was the bridge, didnt even look at the stockings on it just marched over, next up was the jump.... dont know what I was worried about, he jumped it beautifully and didnt even notice the tinsel! Next was ridden s-bend, B loves this one and is like a bendy snake through it! (my friend said that a couple of the people watching had said 'what a supple pony' she'd piped up with 'He's 30 too!' lol!) Then rein back which we ever so slightly demolished!! Think we hit the poles about 3 times! oops! Then low hanging branches which we did in walk, then lead corridor. Decided to walk it after practicing last weekend and he reared and cantered past me when I tried to lead him through it trot!! He walked through fine, and finally lead s-bend which we totally and compleatly demolished!! First bend was fine but second bend i didnt give him enough room and he had to walk across the middle of the poles! Stoopid me! :rolleyes:
But all in all I was pleased with our round, the s-bend disaster was compleatly my fault, B just did what I asked in the space I gave him. And rein back, well... I never practice that!
My friend did really well too, her pony (a five year old highland) was great! Her cop looked really good and they did great on the PTV, he had a wee tantrum at the tarp (despite happily walking over one about 6 weeks ago at home!) and he wasnt sure about the low hanging branches.
We had to dash off before it finished as it looked like it was going to snow, but the organiser texted me later in the evening to let me know our placings (yes, we both placed!!)
I dont know individual scores but over all,
In our section in the one day comp my friend placed 2nd and me and B placed 1st!! :D
And in the kelly marks my friend placed 3rd and me and B placed 1st!!! :D
My boy is such a star! He always pulls it out the bag and tries his hardest. And he had an absolute ball!!
We have a few more trec comps penciled in over the winter, weather dependant thought. But there is a full trec at the venue we were at yesterday in may, and I think my friend is up for that one.
(a mince pie and glass of eggnog to all who made it to the end of that one! lol!)
When sat morning dawned and brought with it a blanket of snow over the city I felt sure that we were not going to get there. But by sunday morning all the snow was gone and the roads were ice free!!
So we set off at 9.30am (our tack check time was 10.50am) Got to the venue with 20 mins to spare.. eeek!! (i would have liked 40 mins!!) so it was a bit of a rush to get ready but we made it... just!! I went with a friend from the yard who hasnt ever done trec before (I've only done one full comp and one short format) We were entered in the kelly marks newcomers and level 1 one day.
Tack check went fine (tinsel was actually one of the things on the check list! lol!) then into map room. Only took us 5 mins of our 10 to copy the route so we had a chance to double check it.
The ride was lovely, through a christmas tree plantation! Tickets to find had festive pictures on them. Not sure we went totally the right way as there were paths everywhere and not all of them were marked on the map but we did quite well using landmarks to get our barings! (one track we were ment to go down looked directly onto an old quarrie) We got a couple canters but the ground was really muddy and hard going so we kept it pretty much to a walk most of the way. When we finished the last judge asked if we had gotten lost, so I guess we took a bit too long!! Judging speed has never been my strong point but genrally I dont go that fast on rides anyway!
We had about an hour before the control of paces and PTV but somehow never managed to get a chance to grab a bite to eat!! Walked the course which was good, a couple eek bits, mostly the jump!! It was a cross pole, about 50cm I'd guess but it was covered in tinsel! Everything was decorated really well with stockings, santa signs and things, really festive! There was a tarpauline too which I wasnt too sure how that would go.
Me and B went first. Control of paces was fine. Canter a bit fast but we've not schooled much recently and I was concerned he'd break into trot! Walk was fairly fast, but we never seem to score in that!
Then onto PTV. First was ridden corridor which we trotted through fine, then it was ridden imobility. Never done this one before, you walk into a marked circle. halt and drop your reins and your pony has to stay in the circle for as many seconds as they can up to a max of 10 secs. B didnt move a muscle for the whole 10 secs! (why cant he do this when we're out and about??!:lol:) Then it was the tarp, he started to look at it as we approached so I just put leg on and he walked over fine, clever ponio! Then it was the bridge, didnt even look at the stockings on it just marched over, next up was the jump.... dont know what I was worried about, he jumped it beautifully and didnt even notice the tinsel! Next was ridden s-bend, B loves this one and is like a bendy snake through it! (my friend said that a couple of the people watching had said 'what a supple pony' she'd piped up with 'He's 30 too!' lol!) Then rein back which we ever so slightly demolished!! Think we hit the poles about 3 times! oops! Then low hanging branches which we did in walk, then lead corridor. Decided to walk it after practicing last weekend and he reared and cantered past me when I tried to lead him through it trot!! He walked through fine, and finally lead s-bend which we totally and compleatly demolished!! First bend was fine but second bend i didnt give him enough room and he had to walk across the middle of the poles! Stoopid me! :rolleyes:
But all in all I was pleased with our round, the s-bend disaster was compleatly my fault, B just did what I asked in the space I gave him. And rein back, well... I never practice that!
My friend did really well too, her pony (a five year old highland) was great! Her cop looked really good and they did great on the PTV, he had a wee tantrum at the tarp (despite happily walking over one about 6 weeks ago at home!) and he wasnt sure about the low hanging branches.
We had to dash off before it finished as it looked like it was going to snow, but the organiser texted me later in the evening to let me know our placings (yes, we both placed!!)
I dont know individual scores but over all,
In our section in the one day comp my friend placed 2nd and me and B placed 1st!! :D
And in the kelly marks my friend placed 3rd and me and B placed 1st!!! :D
My boy is such a star! He always pulls it out the bag and tries his hardest. And he had an absolute ball!!
We have a few more trec comps penciled in over the winter, weather dependant thought. But there is a full trec at the venue we were at yesterday in may, and I think my friend is up for that one.
(a mince pie and glass of eggnog to all who made it to the end of that one! lol!)