Alice Oppenheimer

A busy February for Alice

2011 seems to be moving on at an alarming rate, but it might just be because we are so busy! Nearly every horse has had a ‘party’ in February! Firstly we took Bracks (Headmore Boadicia) and Dante (Headmore Downtopia) to Quob on 2nd for an elementary qualifier. Dante was on first and he warmed up quite well but was a bit tense and very excitable as the warm up at Quob is quite spooky and it was very cold and windy. However, he settled down in the test and almost went a little too relaxed in the indoor arena. We had a few little wobbles but I was pleased with him as, instead of getting hotter as the test went on, he actually relaxed more. He scored just under 67% and ended up 2nd.
It was then Bracks’ turn and she was also a bit cheeky in the warm up and, as a result, she got a little bit over the top and started to throw her front legs everywhere! She loves doing this but isn’t yet strong enough behind to maintain it so when she throws her front legs around she looks like a cartoon character! Her over enthusiasm led to some losses of balance in the test which led to an uncharacteristically low score of just under 65% for her, putting her into 3rd place. However, when I thought about it I realised that neither horse had been to that venue before so that would explain why they were both a little over the top!

Following this rather excitable outing, we took them out again on 5th to Sparsholt College. This time Dante was doing two elementaries and Bracks was doing two medium tests. Dante was on first and he warmed up quite well for the first test but was very, very spooky in the test. Our first four marks were two four’s a five and a six! However, when he settled he got consistent sevens but the damage had been done at the start and he finished on a score of 63.1%, but still finished 2nd! When he came out to warm up for the second test, he warmed up absolutely fantastically and he kept that in the test. I think it was one of the best tests he had ever done as he was relaxed and I was able to ride him forward, and the rein back was better, although it was still al bit green! He scored just under 70% and finished 3rd.
It was then onto Bracks and she was much more settled than at Quob and warmed up very well. She then did a lovely test which I thought was one of the best tests she had done in ages. However, I was very disappointed with the score of 63.1%, but it was still good enough to win so we thought that the judge was marking low. We then did the qualifier and her way of going was fantastic but she got a little overenthusiastic in the wind which led to a few mistakes. This kept her score down at just under 66%, but still finished 1st.
Wizard (Wurlizer) and Bjorn (Headmore Bjorndajoke) also had an outing. We took them to Sparsholt for their unaffiliated show on 27th. Bjorn did his first ever proper dressage test, an elementary. It was elementary 42 which, as I pointed out to my Mum after she had entered it, was in a small arena which, ordinarily, would not be an issue but, as Bjorn is so big, at nearly 18hh, it made it quite tricky! I nearly killed her when I found out I had to do that test but, as Mum pointed out to me, at least it would get him in an arena... and hopefully he would stay in it too! We arrived at Sparsholt in the wind and the rain, but Bjorn was a very good boy in the warm up despite the weather; he settled very quickly and behaved beautifully. He was also super in the test, we managed to stay in the arena for the entire test which was an achievement in itself, especially as it was a small arena in the middle of a larger arena so Bjorn thought that he had a lot more room than he did, he seemed rather confused when I kept asking him to turn in the corners! He was a bit green and wobbly in places, which is understandable, and there was the odd little mistake but he still scored nearly 67% and finished 3rd, just one mark behind the two equal winners.
Wiz and I then had our first Grand Prix, which was a massive step for me. I was absolutely petrified! My aim was just to get round! Wiz warmed up really well and was really pleased to be out at a party showing off his tricks! The test went fairly well, we had a few little mistakes but I was expecting that, but I got everything done in just about the right place! The judge stopped me afterwards and gave me some really encouraging advice and our piaffes got better as the test went on. His passage was super and I managed to get the canter zig zag and all of the changes, but our canter pirouettes were still a bit large. However, for our first attempt at Grand Prix I was over the moon and we scored 63.62% and finished 3rd in the massive pick your own class so, all in all, it was a very worthwhile trip out!

I also had a couple of regional foundation squad training sessions in February. I took Wiz on 6th so we could practice our Grand Prix movements away from home. Jill Day, our trainer, was very impressed with us and gave us some really good exercises to help me improve my canter zig zag and piaffe – passage transitions. I then had a ride on the mechanical horse which, as usual, I struggled to ride! I eventually managed to get it to half halt but Michelle, who teaches us on the mechanical horse, was pleased with my progress, even if I was still having problems trying to ride it! I also had a session on 20th as we decided to give the Winter regionals a miss this year as I am concentrating on the older horses and wanted to save the younger horses for the summer season. This meant that I could take Bjorn out in the lorry before his trip to Sparsholt as he hadn’t been out since May last year! He walked straight up the ramp of the lorry like a true professional and, although he started off a little bit tense, he settled well and went beautifully in the end. Jill thought that he was a super horse but is a little bit too big for me which, at his size, is only to be expected! I then had a ride on the mechanical horse and I think I may have finally cracked it! It has taken me long enough but I was really starting to get the hang of it and managed to half halt in both trot and canter and move between the paces! I was thrilled! Jill also gave us a talk to make us all think about what we want to do in the future. It certainly got us all thinking about what we want to do when we no longer want to ride, which is something I certainly hadn’t thought about!

I also had a rather terrifying experience... but it had nothing to do with horses. I went on the BBC radio Surrey breakfast show on 28th February. I was absolutely petrified and didn’t want to go as I was going to be on for around 10 minutes but the presenter, Nick Wallis, was lovely and made it enjoyable. Once I started talking I was fine and it flowed well, everyone who listened said that I did a good job and I didn’t embarrass myself so, as far as I’m concerned, it was job well done!

Alice