The Day of Reckoning

Sunday 5th September
And so it all begins again. I was especially looking forward to today, as it was such a good course, definitely challenging, but looks like a lot of fun. When I got to the stables Becky had already set out to do her paces, we were allowed an hour between the Control of Paces, and getting to the start of the PTV, which was very generous, and allowed us a bit of time to get into jumping mode for the obstacles ahead. I headed down to the paces about an hour early to try and get Harvey listening, as I had spied a good place to practise my canter before joining the melee down by the start of the paces. Whilst I was warming up, I was able to see both Becky and Sarah do the big log at obstacle number 10, and they both got over without much ado, I believe. Eventually it was time for my paces, and so I proceeded down the slope to the corridor and away I went, and they went really well, I got 43 in total, which I think was my highest CoP score of the season, so that was a bit of a boost.

I then trundled on down to the start of the PTV, by the main arena, and did a few jumps, and then I was away...
 
1) Low branches - right by main road and main arena, with some cunning trees placed right in the entrance, we cantered this with a vengeance and determination

2) Immobility - not quite fenced off enough it turned out...Harvey decided it would be a good idea to run out of the arena back to the warm up area, this was really quite off putting it turned out, and it definitely wasn't a good idea.

3) Bending - heading in to the forest, the extra metre between the posts was welcomed

4) Step up - very nicely dressed with floral decoration

5) Step down - rode really nicely

6) Water - looked suspiciously deep, but clear and inviting

7) Rein back - down a reasonable incline

8) Offside Mount - on a slight slope, bit of a tricky entrance

9) Gate - carefully placed trees making approach difficult

10) Log - quite sizeable, with a carefully placed horse box right on the nice rideable line

11) Footbridge - easy money

12) Corridor - a fair few trees blocking a nice entrance, weaving will need to be had

13) Ditch - very sizeable indeed, susprise was the key element to success

14) Hedge - really nice and inviting

15) S-Bend - on a slight slope

16) Path crossing - MASSIVE. Pretty much. (Although it was lowered by about a foot...)

Second part of the path crossing before the gallop to the finish

In theory, all of the above obstacles went well, however due to Harvey's little mission to start with, both mine and his concentration had gone a little, so the next obstacles didn't go quite as well as one may have hoped. Sarah did a really god PTV, she and Flanally Doo (Darcy) manages to get their best PTV of the season, and Anne was really happy with hers, made all the better by how she and Hank had got on earlier, and Becky's was pretty good as well, I just wanted to go back and to it all again! But I was happy with my paces, and I think we were all looking forward to bit of a de-stress time in the afternoon before the closing ceremony (which I shall tell you about tomorrow).