Fourth Time Lucky
Not third time lucky this season, rather fourth.
Yes, RIDER and THE FELLA have finally managed to complete. Not that you would have thought that they were going to after the course walk. RIDER was apprehensive abut THE FELLA making it. I suspected that THE FELLA would have no problems, instead it was RIDER who was scared. Still, there were no bogey fences to be afraid of, just some awkward lines.
She managed to come out of the dressage smiling, only for it to slowly fade as we got ready for the show-jumping. Again she came out of the ring smiling, even if they did roll a pole. I blame flimsy safety cups.
Once again the smile faded as she prepared for the XC. Things weren't helped by the blood wagon being used to re-inflate a squashed rider. No sooner had the riders restarted than "loose horse" was called over the tannoy.
"Yours?", I asked an older man walking the course as his shoulders sagged at the announcement.
"Yes", he replied, rather more cheerfully than I would have credited. Still, his daughter was fine, only her ego bruised. A rather nice chestnut soon came into view, made as if to stop at his owner, only to jink sideways at the last moment and set off with renewed vigour in the direction of the horseboxes. It looked as though it was finally going to be brought to a halt as they strung a rope across the finish. Alas, it was not to be, as the riderless horse basculed neatly over the rope and continued it's merry way.
Maybe that's why the guy was smiling. His daughter might not have got round, but at least he isn't wasting all that money on food, bedding, tack, lessons, shoeing, vets and all the other 1001 ways a horse finds to empty your wallet in vain on a donkey.
Soon though it was time for RIDER to start. She was away over the first three before disappearing out of sight. I relied on the commentary to gauge her progress. I was surprised to find myself shaking as much as she had been before the event. Three minutes or so later she came back into view. For God's sake don't point him at the higher level fences or he'll jump them and you'll be eliminated for an error of course.
Fortunately many fences here were shared, including the last, and she managed to steer him over all the right ones.
Yes, RIDER and THE FELLA have finally managed to complete. Not that you would have thought that they were going to after the course walk. RIDER was apprehensive abut THE FELLA making it. I suspected that THE FELLA would have no problems, instead it was RIDER who was scared. Still, there were no bogey fences to be afraid of, just some awkward lines.
She managed to come out of the dressage smiling, only for it to slowly fade as we got ready for the show-jumping. Again she came out of the ring smiling, even if they did roll a pole. I blame flimsy safety cups.
Once again the smile faded as she prepared for the XC. Things weren't helped by the blood wagon being used to re-inflate a squashed rider. No sooner had the riders restarted than "loose horse" was called over the tannoy.
"Yours?", I asked an older man walking the course as his shoulders sagged at the announcement.
"Yes", he replied, rather more cheerfully than I would have credited. Still, his daughter was fine, only her ego bruised. A rather nice chestnut soon came into view, made as if to stop at his owner, only to jink sideways at the last moment and set off with renewed vigour in the direction of the horseboxes. It looked as though it was finally going to be brought to a halt as they strung a rope across the finish. Alas, it was not to be, as the riderless horse basculed neatly over the rope and continued it's merry way.
Maybe that's why the guy was smiling. His daughter might not have got round, but at least he isn't wasting all that money on food, bedding, tack, lessons, shoeing, vets and all the other 1001 ways a horse finds to empty your wallet in vain on a donkey.
Soon though it was time for RIDER to start. She was away over the first three before disappearing out of sight. I relied on the commentary to gauge her progress. I was surprised to find myself shaking as much as she had been before the event. Three minutes or so later she came back into view. For God's sake don't point him at the higher level fences or he'll jump them and you'll be eliminated for an error of course.
Fortunately many fences here were shared, including the last, and she managed to steer him over all the right ones.
posted by Nick on Sunday, May 29, 2005
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