# Setting a record at Nunney CIC**



## HotToTrot (22 June 2016)

It happens to even the very best riders.  It happened to Mary King, after all.  I think it may have happened to Aoife Clarke.  Quite possibly Oli Townened, though I am not sure about that.  And those are just the ones we know about - the ones who are sufficiently high profile to command media attention, and/or who get given red cards at FEI events (the cards may not be red, that could well be football, but I've never shown much of a flair for attention to detail and a bit of sport-mixing never did any one any harm).  Being "spoken to".  Having concerns expressed.  Concerns about safety, about lack of control.  So, yes, I know that plenty of better riders than I have received a ticking off in this regard.

What I am less certain of, though, is whether it has ever happened to anyone IN THE BLOODY DRESSAGE PHASE.  I wasn't riding too fast to a fence, I didn't jump anything from a standstill, I quite simply trotted in at A and proceeded to demonstrate a frankly impressive display of Parrot-wrestling as I manhandled my horse round FEI CIC** Test A.    

Is he always like this, the judge asked, and I nodded in assent.  Would I be safe to jump, she queried, and I smiled and said I certainly hoped so.  I'd have to be watched, she continued, and I smiled again, and thought that she could watch away, for all the difference it made.  She was concerned, she said, she thought I didn't have enough control.  

Although I maintained a level of nonchalance, her words cup me deeper than perhaps she intended, and I didn't contradict her, for what could I say?  How could I begin to explain to her that I don't exist in this world, not really.  That CIC**s and polished dressage tests are not my norm, that to me the dressage score is meaningless; it's a number that must be ascribed to me before I am allowed to jump.  How could I tell her that last year, my cheeks still wet from the tears I'd shed for my beautiful Vito, I'd gone out, and I'd bought a horse.  I bought not a horse with whom I harboured aspirations of greatness, not a horse on whom I'd hoped for placings and rosettes, but a horse who gives pony rides to my 18-month old son.  A horse who makes my three year old daughter squeal in delight as he gently snuffles carrots from eager little hands.  A horse who I will ride down to the very biggest of fences; a horse who will move heaven and earth to bring me home safely through the finish flags.  That's the horse I bought.  And I'd buy him again in a heartbeat.    

My husband was furious.  How dare she put negative thoughts into my head, he'd roared.  I should tell her to look up his record.  Tell her that his scores were just as bad with a four-star pro.  Tell her that he'd jumped round Advanced tracks and that to him, two-star was a walk in the park.  So I spoke to the TD, I found out what exactly "being watched" would involve and I also found out the name of the dressage judge.

So, to everyone on here who has very kindly told me that I can't possibly be as bad as I think I am, that I'm actually quite competent, that I do myself a disservice; ladies and gentlemen, here I present you conclusive, empirical evidence of why none of what you say is true.  Because here I was, standing in the middle of a field in Somerset, being told just exactly how bad I was, by none other than Jane Holderness-Roddam.  Jane Holderness Roddam, as funny coincidences go, used to work with my father.  It will remain a source of frustration to me that I missed the chance to shout, triumphantly, "DO YOU KNOW WHO MY FATHER IS?" but then, given that I didn't in fact recognise who she was until the secretary told me, the answer would probably have been "no".  

To cheer ourselves up, we proceeded to discover a flat tyre on the buggy and carry a writhing, fidgety baby round the XC course.  As you may well understand, I was looking forward to leaving the event for the night, to getting some sleep, and to coming back to do a bit better the following day.  Which was inconvenient, in light of the fact that the Chelsea Tractor, alerted in all likelihood by Jane Holderness-Roddam to my ineptitude and inability to control or steer when moving at speed, took its survival into its own hands and refused to start.  Undeterred, I flagged down an unsuspecting 4x4, proffered my jump leads expectantly and politely invited them to help me to jump start my car.  Sadly, though, the Chelsea Tractor was not to be fooled as easily as all that.  Still it refused to start and so we turned instead to a hovering Competent-Looking Type, who was armed to the teeth with a Van and all manner of Useful-Looking Things.  And, as I gaily brandished live jump leads surging with power from the Cheslea Tractor's 12-volt battery, I couldn't help but think that, should Jane Holderness Roddam have taken it upon herself to appear at that very moment and worriedly voice her concerns for my safety, then frankly, I'd have been forced to agree with her.    

We walk on a narrow path, we event riders.  Some paths are narrower, some are wider, but underneath all of our paths, lies the same thing.  The Chasm of Doom.  The demons.  And here's the annoying thing about the Chasm of Doom; it's real.  Nobody falls into the Chasm of Doom when they win.  Nobody falls in as a result of a clear round.  We fall into the Chasm of Doom because our path crumbles, because we meet insurmountable obstacles and because something has gone wrong.  To get out of the Chasm of Doom and stay out of it, we need to repair the path.  Remove the obstacles.  As I drove back to Nunney the following day, I saw my path crumbling.  I quietly told my husband that I wanted to go home, I didn't want to jump.  I didn't want the pressure of being watched by the ground jury and found wanting.  Maybe there was, after all, something wrong with Parrot.  Maybe he was sore, had a bad back.  And if the showjumping did all go wrong, what then?  Would I be publicly hung from the trakhener with my own jump leads by Jane Holderness-Roddam?  

My husband was silent for a bit.  Then he said:  "Ok.  There's no point in doing it if you don't think it's the right thing.  But remember that you don't have to do it all at once.  Just tack up, then get on.  See how he feels, see how you feel.  You can't do any harm by warming up.  If that feels ok, then have a practice jump.  If he feels good, then you can do your round and see how that goes.  If you feel fine, then you can go XC.  Just decide one step at a time."  Although I was calmly abseiling down into the Chasm of Doom, I agreed with him.  I'd just get on.  If I didn't like what I felt, then I could stop.  As I rode to the warm up, I tried to think it all through.  I'd been given an unequivocal vote of no-confidence from one of the most prominent eventing judges know to man and Parrot-kind, and if she didn't think I could do it, then maybe she was right.  In entering that arena, I would be nailing my colours to the mast and saying that I knew better than she did.  And that, let me tell you, is a punchy call to make.  I started at the beginning.  What concerns her?  My lack of control.  Why is that a problem?  Because I might loose him to a fence and get hurt.  *To a fence.*  And there I had it.  her comments were based on my performance on the flat.  Not over a fence.  She doesn't know that I can hold this horse to a fence.  So I had to get out there, get in the ring, and show her that I damn well could.


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## HotToTrot (22 June 2016)

We jumped a cracking round.  One down, but he felt amazing.  My husband didn't have to say he'd told me so, because I knew he'd told me so.  The Chasm of Doom was behind me, for now, and I was back on the path.  Parrot turned on the turbo-charge fairly early on in the XC, but he was listening and he stayed straight, so I let him run over the first few.  The first fence of note was at number six, a step down to a steep slope, with two skinny angled hedges at the bottom, on four strides.  I just couldn't get him back as we came down the slope, so we ran past twice and then continued on our way.  Eight was a big parallel to a skinny, and he stayed on his line this time, over an upright gate, followed by a massive picnic table, and then we went down to the first water.  This was a tricky question, with a big turtle in, followed by a skinny out.  I gathered him together, made him come deep to the first element, and then had the control I needed for the exit fence.  Although Jane Holderness-Roddam would doubtless have been in awe of my flawless control at that point, she would likely have been somewhat less impressed with the near navigational mishap that occurred shortly after.  I saw the green flag on the upright that preceded the second water crossing, set him up.... And then remembered that it's normally recommended practice to follow the blue flags at two-star, so opted for the blue-flagged fence next to it instead.  He turned the turbo charge on again as we surged up the hill to a big brush parallel and then I got him back for the skinny before the water.  Once he'd cleared it, he locked on to the water, and went to take a pull.  No way, Parrot.  The third water was a double of very upright rails into the water, followed by a jump in the water.  The turbo-charge is amazing.  Flying over a huge fence on that horse feels like nothing on this earth, but if I'd let him take me down to a double like that, then even he would not have been able to get up for the second part, and we'd both have ended up on the floor.  I anchored him and he got a nice shot in, popped the second rail and then took me forwards to the log in the water.  

Towards the end of the course, there was a hanging log at the top of a steep slope, with a skinny at the bottom of the slope.  "Houston", I thought, recalling only too vividly what had happened at fence 6, "we may well have a problem".  I got him back for the log, but still he went to belt down the hill.  Instead of turning him right, to the skinny, I turned him left.  He took a pull and I sat back, got hold of his head.  As we ran parallel to the string that roped off the course, he suddenly listened and came back to me.  Now I needed to turn very sharply right, and angle the skinny on about two strides, it was a trickier line than the course builder intended me to take, but I would be doing it from a place of control.  In turning away from the skinny, I'd bought myself a couple of precious extra strides in which to get him back, and now we cleared the skinny and we headed home.  "Kates Touch" announced the commentator, "nearly has a run out at 18b".  I did not, I thought indignantly.  That was a calculated piece of masterful manoeuvring, and also a completely characteristic example of me turning left when I am supposed to be turning right.

So here is photographic evidence of my brilliant horse and, to dressage judges far and wide, I will say only this:  He may well be tense.  Our dressage may well be truly dreadful, but to answer your question - yes.  Yes, he is "always like this".  And I sincerely hope that he always will be.    

http://s1362.photobucket.com/user/VivianePendleton/media/IMG_5477_zpsyazfng2x.jpg.html?filters[user]=136295434&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0


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## HufflyPuffly (22 June 2016)

Well to be fair what does the dressage judge know , I think you should be applauded for getting back on and knowing you could do it regardless of the wobble of confidence! 

I'm sure the dressage will improve the longer you are a partnership together, but at the end of the day when he jumps so well and is such an awesome part of your family life then who cares .


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## FfionWinnie (22 June 2016)

I would love to know what sort of "dangerous manoeuvre" he did to provoke such a comment from her? 

Great report as ever. Your husband is getting a lot better with the right thing to say isn't he!


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## smja (22 June 2016)

Glad you remembered which colour to jump, the description of the turbo-charge makes me feel very jealous. I'm having to event vicariously at the moment, your excellent report really cheered me up 

p.s. photobucket link isn't working for me


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## Pebble101 (22 June 2016)

I have a similar sort of horse although at a much lower level.  Hovering around the 30 - 40% in dressage (once got the comment 'rider out of control') but he usually jumped a double clear.  

I suppose once it has been brought to their attention they have to keep an eye on you.  Do they come up afterwards and say they were happy with you?


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## LeannePip (22 June 2016)

Parrot just sounds awesome! brilliant report!

Although i cant see the picture


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## Bernster (22 June 2016)

Awesomely awesome.,  what do you think she meant by it?!


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## HotToTrot (22 June 2016)

Sorry - I can't make the photo work!  Someone else made it work last time - Director Fury!  Please could you come back and show me how to do it?!


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## Bernster (22 June 2016)

It works for me


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## ester (22 June 2016)

hopeless! 







the photo adding not the eventing


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## Sandy200 (22 June 2016)

Hope your husband charges extra for his sports psychology counselling - he sounds great!  Dressage is just something in the way of the cross country anyway. Surely it's not important?


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## bluebellfreddy (22 June 2016)

I always love your reports, they make me just want to get on with my eventing. 

You are a true inspiration to us eventers that don't have the most perfect creatures. Hope you have not been put off by your experience at Nunney, and all the best with your next event. 

PS. Can I take your husband to events for my moral support.


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## PorkChop (22 June 2016)

Ace report as always and fabbie picture, that is a huge fence  Go Parrot


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## Dollysox (22 June 2016)

Amazing photo, fantastic report, as usual, and what does JHR know anyway?


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## {97702} (22 June 2016)

Well if you are going to get that feedback, surely it is better to get it from the best  wow, just stalked you on BE, she really didn't like your dressage did she 

Good luck for your next 2* you are really going for it, huge respect


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## The Fuzzy Furry (22 June 2016)

Excellent write up and bloody well done!


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## star (22 June 2016)

Bloody hell, that fence is humongous!  I wouldn't give a monkeys nuts what my dressage score was if I could soar over fences like that!


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## HotToTrot (22 June 2016)

AlexHyde said:



			Well to be fair what does the dressage judge know , I think you should be applauded for getting back on and knowing you could do it regardless of the wobble of confidence! 

I'm sure the dressage will improve the longer you are a partnership together, but at the end of the day when he jumps so well and is such an awesome part of your family life then who cares .
		
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http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bu/jane-bullen-1.html


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## RunRunReindeer (22 June 2016)

Always excited to see a new post from you. This one was an emotional roller coaster! Well done you and your fab horse, I'm in awe of you both


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## {97702} (22 June 2016)

HotToTrot said:



http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bu/jane-bullen-1.html

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I think AlexHyde might have been missing a smiley in her reply   I was introduced to JHR's sister the other day and nearly fell through the floor.....


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## ossy (23 June 2016)

Fab report, is your husband available for hire?


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## almostthere (23 June 2016)

Well done for overcoming the negative feedback. I would have been so far into the chasm of doom that nobody would have been able to retrieve me .


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## Mickyjoe (23 June 2016)

In her defence, JHR is one of the very, very nicest, most friendly and approachable GJ people in the whole sport. She would not have meant any of that in a mean or negative fashion and I am sure was absolutely delighted to have seen you do so brilliantly in the next two phases. Well done for overcoming such a tough start and doing so amazingly well in the jumping and xc.


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## leflynn (23 June 2016)

I read that thinking it might have been a very expensive dressage test  Get on for shoving two fingers up at the chasm of doom and cracking on, love it


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## Farma (23 June 2016)

'Would I be publicly hung from the trakhener with my own jump leads by Jane Holderness-Roddam?'

That just made me lol! As always brilliant Viv, you are such an inspiration as I am facing getting back on and getting out competing with baby in tow, I just keep thinking if you can do it so can I, keep it up! 

ps looking forward to seeing your Vito reports soon


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## 9tails (23 June 2016)

This line made me guffaw: "Tell her that his scores were just as bad with a four-star pro."

The fences are mighty big in 2* aren't they?  You are very brave and accomplished.


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## ihatework (23 June 2016)

I just love your reports and writing style, it just cracks me up.
Glad you managed to crawl out of the chasm of doom!

I too am sure JHR would never have intended to make that kind of impact (or indeed hang you from the trakhener via jump leads, lol) - she is very down to earth and just doing her job but does raise an interesting point about whether the rider should be informed they are being watched or not. Had you been on a watch list but not known you were would it have made a difference?


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## Kylara (23 June 2016)

Lovely to hear you did continue and do well in the SJ and XC, and fab picture.

I too have had a terrible nutjob in the dressage (many years ago 13.3 pony!) I got pulled aside after dressage frequently with a "are you sure you'll be ok in the jumping phases?" to which I always mumbled that he was perfect over fences, he just hated dressage. I don't think it helped that we were doing 3'9" courses either (what is now BE novice and advanced I think). It got to the point that quite a few people on my local circuit knew the crazy pony. We worked to get as much of the test "correct" that we wouldn't be eliminated and then charged around double clear SJ and XC and ended up with our rosettes, then dressage scores started to become of major importance to the eventing results and we quit and started doing HTs instead, where he was one of the most sane in the warm ups!

Turbo charge on a 13.3 was fabulous so I can very well imagine the beauty and thrill on a much bigger horse. Well done, and don't let it get to you. I once had a lesson with an FBHS who didn't like how I held and set up said mental pony to a grid so told me to not do anything and "let him take you in", which I did. One of my best ever memories where the I told you so moment really was perfect. Long grid with a bounce, one stride, one stride, two stride to huge oxer. Pony had been doing it well with struct instructions to hold back and sit on his bum, then I "did nothing and let him take me" and we jumped the bounce as a spread, bounced the one strides, and shoved a small stride into the two stride to the oxer which he flew beautifully. I was simultaneously terrified and enjoying it and the FBHS guy's face was a picture. My lovely friends cheered and pony was over the moon. 

Just because people are well known or very good themselves, unless they know your equine, they can only make judgements from their own experience. Parrot sounds like a much higher achiever than my Finn was so I can only imagine she has never had a horse that was a difficult ride in the DR only to fly the SJ and XC. I so wish mine had been bigger as we couldn't affiliate him due to his size and I'm sure advanced was his limit, not that he wouldn't have had a go 

Congrats and I hope you get a big copy of that picture!


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## HotToTrot (23 June 2016)

AlexHyde said:



			Well to be fair what does the dressage judge know , I think you should be applauded for getting back on and knowing you could do it regardless of the wobble of confidence! 

I'm sure the dressage will improve the longer you are a partnership together, but at the end of the day when he jumps so well and is such an awesome part of your family life then who cares .
		
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Thanks - he is fabulous.  I genuinely don't think our scores will improve, but it doesn't matter.  I am never going to get placed at Int or CIC** - it's really a question of how many marks I am last by, rather than a question of whether or not I am last! I am happy just to be at those events, with that horse, and I do want to improve my riding, I do have lessons with good people, but I don't mind if the improvement doesn't translate into improved scores!  



FfionWinnie said:



			I would love to know what sort of "dangerous manoeuvre" he did to provoke such a comment from her? 

Great report as ever. Your husband is getting a lot better with the right thing to say isn't he! 

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I think it was just general lack of control!  Yes, husband is extremely useful.  



smja said:



			Glad you remembered which colour to jump, the description of the turbo-charge makes me feel very jealous. I'm having to event vicariously at the moment, your excellent report really cheered me up 

p.s. photobucket link isn't working for me 

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Oh dear, injured pony?  



Pebble101 said:



			I have a similar sort of horse although at a much lower level.  Hovering around the 30 - 40% in dressage (once got the comment 'rider out of control') but he usually jumped a double clear.  

I suppose once it has been brought to their attention they have to keep an eye on you.  Do they come up afterwards and say they were happy with you?
		
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No, the TD said that the ground jury would watch me SJ and they might watch me XC, but that if they were happy, then nothing more would be said.  



LeannePip said:



			Parrot just sounds awesome! brilliant report!

Although i cant see the picture 

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He is!  



Bernster said:



			Awesomely awesome.,  what do you think she meant by it?!
		
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[


Bernster said:



			It works for me
		
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I think she thought that if he belted off with me on the XC, then we would be in trouble.  So for example, there was a stiff double of uprights into the third water. If I'd lost control of him there, it could have been a disaster. And she did have a bit of a point; I lost him down the hill to the angled hedges, and we ran out.  I didn't lose him dangerously, and that fence was designed to make you make exactly the mistake I made!  But I guess you can see that if he was likely to just tank me off into fences willy-nilly, then it would have been dangerous.


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## HotToTrot (23 June 2016)

ester said:



			hopeless! 







the photo adding not the eventing 

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Yes!  I am!  Will you be my personal IT support team and put the pics in for my posts?!  



Sandy200 said:



			Hope your husband charges extra for his sports psychology counselling - he sounds great!  Dressage is just something in the way of the cross country anyway. Surely it's not important?
		
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He always knows what to say!  



bluebellfreddy said:



			I always love your reports, they make me just want to get on with my eventing. 

You are a true inspiration to us eventers that don't have the most perfect creatures. Hope you have not been put off by your experience at Nunney, and all the best with your next event. 

PS. Can I take your husband to events for my moral support.
		
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Yes.  He also babysits and can load and unload.  But he can't tack up.  



LJR said:



			Ace report as always and fabbie picture, that is a huge fence  Go Parrot 

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Thanks!  



Dollysox said:



			Amazing photo, fantastic report, as usual, and what does JHR know anyway?
		
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Well, quite - the first woman to represent GB at Olympic eventing, former chair of BE, judge at Badminton...



			
				Lévrier;13294226 said:
			
		


			Well if you are going to get that feedback, surely it is better to get it from the best  wow, just stalked you on BE, she really didn't like your dressage did she 

Good luck for your next 2* you are really going for it, huge respect   

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My husband read your comment and told me that I had to come clean and fess up that, of the two judges, the other judge gave me an even WORSE score than JHR.  



The Fuzzy Furry said:



			Excellent write up and bloody well done!
		
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Thanks!  



star said:



			Bloody hell, that fence is humongous!  I wouldn't give a monkeys nuts what my dressage score was if I could soar over fences like that!
		
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Your dressage scores are outstanding, though!  



RunRunReindeer said:



			Always excited to see a new post from you. This one was an emotional roller coaster! Well done you and your fab horse, I'm in awe of you both 

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Thanks!


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## HotToTrot (23 June 2016)

Lévrier;13294392 said:
			
		


			I think AlexHyde might have been missing a smiley in her reply   I was introduced to JHR's sister the other day and nearly fell through the floor.....
		
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See, I was trying to work out if she was related to the Pullein-Thompson lot.  I had a feeling there were three sisters.....  I loved those books!  Need to do some more googling.  



ossy said:



			Fab report, is your husband available for hire?
		
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He'll only agree if he can tell you exactly what to do! 



almostthere said:



			Well done for overcoming the negative feedback. I would have been so far into the chasm of doom that nobody would have been able to retrieve me .
		
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Well I hadn't actually gone all the way in!  I was just on my way down!



Mickyjoe said:



			In her defence, JHR is one of the very, very nicest, most friendly and approachable GJ people in the whole sport. She would not have meant any of that in a mean or negative fashion and I am sure was absolutely delighted to have seen you do so brilliantly in the next two phases. Well done for overcoming such a tough start and doing so amazingly well in the jumping and xc.
		
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Yes, she was very pleasant about it, and she seemed extremely nice indeed!  The impact that it had on me (made me try to get into the Chasm of Doom) was my responsibility, not hers.  But I couldn't have someone of her calibre tell me something of that magnitude and then NOT write a blog about it, could I, now?!     



leflynn said:



			I read that thinking it might have been a very expensive dressage test  Get on for shoving two fingers up at the chasm of doom and cracking on, love it 

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Thanks!  



Farma said:



			'Would I be publicly hung from the trakhener with my own jump leads by Jane Holderness-Roddam?'

That just made me lol! As always brilliant Viv, you are such an inspiration as I am facing getting back on and getting out competing with baby in tow, I just keep thinking if you can do it so can I, keep it up! 

ps looking forward to seeing your Vito reports soon 

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You can!!!  You will!!!  See you soon, I hope.  



9tails said:



			This line made me guffaw: "Tell her that his scores were just as bad with a four-star pro."

The fences are mighty big in 2* aren't they?  You are very brave and accomplished.
		
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They are large!  But he is brilliant.  



ihatework said:



			I just love your reports and writing style, it just cracks me up.
Glad you managed to crawl out of the chasm of doom!

I too am sure JHR would never have intended to make that kind of impact (or indeed hang you from the trakhener via jump leads, lol) - she is very down to earth and just doing her job but does raise an interesting point about whether the rider should be informed they are being watched or not. Had you been on a watch list but not known you were would it have made a difference?
		
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Oh dear, this may be a long one.

After it happened, I was confused.  I didn't know that at FEI events, the DR judges are also the GJ.  I had no idea why a DR judge was expressing a view on the jumping, as I thought (incorrectly) that the phases operated in isolation.  Then my main concern was that everyone - SJ judges, XC control, XC fence judges - would all be told to watch me.  Then if I had a sticky moment (as can happen) that I would get pulled up because they were all expecting me to do something dangerous.  So I spoke to the TD, to understand exactly what it meant.  He said that the GJ would be on hand to watch me SJ and possibly XC, but that nobody else would know and that, if there was no further concern, then nothing more would be said.  So that satisfied me on that front.  So on that, I would say that I needed to have a better explanation as to what it all meant, than the explanation I initially got.  I sought out the TD, to find out what it meant, but had I not done that, then I may well have been in more of a panic.  

Then the next stage, as I said, was to really had to think it all through, and I had to decide whether there was anything in what she said.  Now - that is hard.  Someone like her tells someone like me that they are concerned, and someone like me is v likely to realise that someone like her knows better than someone like me, and think maybe I AM out of control, and maybe I can't do it.   I have *minor* control issues when jumping.  I ran past two angled hedges, didn't I?  That's control.  So, she was correct when she identified that, BUT, I don't think that I had any less control than any of the others who faulted XC.  I would say that in general, it was correct of her to raise the control concern, because if there is a concern, then clearly it needs to be addressed.  Yes, I would want someone (who is qualified to do so) to speak up, if they saw an issue with me.  I decide that I was safe, and I did have enough control, because I train with good jumping trainers.  I have their "blessing", as it were, to be doing CIC**.  We work on my control.  I sent one of them my Rockingham video, for a double check that he thought it all looked fine.  I feel that I have enough external check points in place to be confident that I do have enough control to be doing what I am doing.  My record on Parrot would back this up.  

However, all that said, JHR didn't know any of that.  This could be my first CIC** on a horse I'd never had a lesson on and I could be there on the minimum MER.  So that leads me to say that these things ought to be raised - but that it wasn't necessary to raise it with me because I already have the training and the systems in place, and I have a bit of experience with this horse.  The issue that JHR saw in the DR is, to the extent it affects the jumping, an issue that has already been identified by my jumping trainers.  Oh dear, "rules don't apply to me"!  (Perhaps this is why I get so many speeding tickets.)

So that is raising the concern.  Should we be told we are being watched?  Once I fully understood what it meant, I was a bit more relaxed about it.  I suppose being told I would be watched emphasised the fact she was concerned.  There is a danger that we will ride negatively if we think are being watched, and that would be dangerous.  That said, we do need to develop mental resilience, because we have to recover when things go wrong.  I am undecided on that!


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## MardyMare (23 June 2016)

You should write a book - love your style!  Well done on getting round despite all the drama with dressage - that jump is huuuge!!


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## ester (23 June 2016)

Of course the difference being that you are permitted slightly different forms of control apparatus jumping than you are dressage? 

And yes, any time 

Lower level 90/100 horse now novice/1* my mate took her exracer to larkhill (not the best plan as she was eyeing up the P2P course!) and was asked by the dressage judge after her test if she was safe to jump/told she would flag her up. The mare could barely contain herself in the dressage and even the SJ commentator made a point of her appalling score. 
Friend's response was along the lines of yes of course, the jumping isn't a problem (and all still in a snaffle), we just have to do this boring bit first (then thought as the dressage judge was into dressage that might not have been the best line).


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## ihatework (23 June 2016)

Good answer HotToTrot


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## Pigeon (23 June 2016)

Fantastic  

You should write a column for H&H!


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## HotToTrot (23 June 2016)

Kylara said:



			Lovely to hear you did continue and do well in the SJ and XC, and fab picture.

I too have had a terrible nutjob in the dressage (many years ago 13.3 pony!) I got pulled aside after dressage frequently with a "are you sure you'll be ok in the jumping phases?" to which I always mumbled that he was perfect over fences, he just hated dressage. I don't think it helped that we were doing 3'9" courses either (what is now BE novice and advanced I think). It got to the point that quite a few people on my local circuit knew the crazy pony. We worked to get as much of the test "correct" that we wouldn't be eliminated and then charged around double clear SJ and XC and ended up with our rosettes, then dressage scores started to become of major importance to the eventing results and we quit and started doing HTs instead, where he was one of the most sane in the warm ups!

Turbo charge on a 13.3 was fabulous so I can very well imagine the beauty and thrill on a much bigger horse. Well done, and don't let it get to you. I once had a lesson with an FBHS who didn't like how I held and set up said mental pony to a grid so told me to not do anything and "let him take you in", which I did. One of my best ever memories where the I told you so moment really was perfect. Long grid with a bounce, one stride, one stride, two stride to huge oxer. Pony had been doing it well with struct instructions to hold back and sit on his bum, then I "did nothing and let him take me" and we jumped the bounce as a spread, bounced the one strides, and shoved a small stride into the two stride to the oxer which he flew beautifully. I was simultaneously terrified and enjoying it and the FBHS guy's face was a picture. My lovely friends cheered and pony was over the moon. 

Just because people are well known or very good themselves, unless they know your equine, they can only make judgements from their own experience. Parrot sounds like a much higher achiever than my Finn was so I can only imagine she has never had a horse that was a difficult ride in the DR only to fly the SJ and XC. I so wish mine had been bigger as we couldn't affiliate him due to his size and I'm sure advanced was his limit, not that he wouldn't have had a go 

Congrats and I hope you get a big copy of that picture!
		
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Wow - that is mad!  I wouldn't put it past either of mine to treat a bounce like a spread, sometimes!  Well, this was part of how I managed to get myself comfortable that I WAS safe to jump; she'd never seen me jump.  If she had seen me jump and still thought me unsafe, then I may have crawled into the Chasm of Doom and never come out.   



MardyMare said:



			You should write a book - love your style!  Well done on getting round despite all the drama with dressage - that jump is huuuge!!
		
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It was quite big, that one.  



ester said:



			Of course the difference being that you are permitted slightly different forms of control apparatus jumping than you are dressage? 

And yes, any time 

Lower level 90/100 horse now novice/1* my mate took her exracer to larkhill (not the best plan as she was eyeing up the P2P course!) and was asked by the dressage judge after her test if she was safe to jump/told she would flag her up. The mare could barely contain herself in the dressage and even the SJ commentator made a point of her appalling score. 
Friend's response was along the lines of yes of course, the jumping isn't a problem (and all still in a snaffle), we just have to do this boring bit first (then thought as the dressage judge was into dressage that might not have been the best line).
		
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Brilliant!!!  I shall store that line up for next time.  



ihatework said:



			Good answer HotToTrot 

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Sorry for waffling! 



Pigeon said:



			Fantastic  

You should write a column for H&H!
		
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I entered a blog competition that they ran last year, but they didn't want me!


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## claracanter (23 June 2016)

I think what you do is amazing, whether it's within the rules or not! If Jane H-R did that to me I would have had a major crisis of confidence. Well done you for putting it behind you. Do you have a video of the test though 
I was writing for a dressage judge at a Riding Club Area ODE. A horse bolted during it's dressage test and my judge reported it as she was concerned about safety going XC. No one else official seemed bothered, at the time I thought she was just being caring, if it had been me riding though, I would have been mortified.
 I'm not sure if it makes sense to 'watch someone', because if something had gone dangerously wrong with your round would they have been at fault for letting you go on Is what she said an 'official thing' or was she just throwing her weight around.Surely it just added to the pressure.
So when Mary King et al get yellow carded for dangerous riding, how does that work? Surely thats worse than being kept an eye on.


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## Fidgety (23 June 2016)

HotToTrot said:



			I entered a blog competition that they ran last year, but they didn't want me!
		
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That's a shame, I'd actually start buying it again just for your column.


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## HotToTrot (23 June 2016)

claracanter said:



			I think what you do is amazing, whether it's within the rules or not! If Jane H-R did that to me I would have had a major crisis of confidence. Well done you for putting it behind you. Do you have a video of the test though 
I was writing for a dressage judge at a Riding Club Area ODE. A horse bolted during it's dressage test and my judge reported it as she was concerned about safety going XC. No one else official seemed bothered, at the time I thought she was just being caring, if it had been me riding though, I would have been mortified.
 I'm not sure if it makes sense to 'watch someone', because if something had gone dangerously wrong with your round would they have been at fault for letting you go on Is what she said an 'official thing' or was she just throwing her weight around.Surely it just added to the pressure.
So when Mary King et al get yellow carded for dangerous riding, how does that work? Surely thats worse than being kept an eye on.
		
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I think there are various different levels of being "watched" and being "spoken to".  In my case, the ground jury watched me showjump (I assume - I didn't see them).  They then must have decided that I was sufficiently in control for me to go XC.  If they still had concerns, they could have grabbed me after my round and told me I couldn't go XC.  Perhaps they also watched me over the first couple of XC fences, and then they could have radioed ahead to the fence judges to pull me up if they hadn't liked my first few fences.  Maybe they even watched me warm up for either or both phases.  The officials are allowed to prevent people from continuing, I think, so I guess the point is that by keeping an eye on what I was doing, they could have intervened if they hadn't liked it.  Of course, if they had thought I was fine, I could still have gone on to have a problem!  But if they thought that there would be a problem, then they could have pulled me up.

I understand that there are also ongoing watch lists - so riders may be watched over the course of several events and spoken to if there are concerns.  Going up the scale of severity, I think that it is possible for people to have to undertake further training before they are allowed to compete again. So I think that what happened to me was on the minor end of the scale - as far as I know, I am not on an ongoing watch list.  

With the caveat that I am not completely sure about Mary King, I think that yellow cards are FEI things, not BE.  I think that her horse was deemed out of control, and that the verdict was that she should have realised this and pulled up before he went on to demolish a frangible pin - I think that is what happened.  Two cards within a set space of time means suspension from eventing for a period of time - again, off the top of my head, I'm not completely clear on that.


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## ester (23 June 2016)

I don't want you on a blog, I miss not having hovis on here I don't want to lose the rest of you


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## HotToTrot (23 June 2016)

Fidgety said:



			That's a shame, I'd actually start buying it again just for your column.  

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Why thank you!


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## HotToTrot (23 June 2016)

ester said:



			I don't want you on a blog, I miss not having hovis on here I don't want to lose the rest of you 

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And you'd lose your role as my personal IT support crew.


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## View (23 June 2016)

Wow - that is one huge fence.  And well done you for carrying on after that conversation with JHR.

I do enjoy reading your reports - your writing style is so engaging.


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## HufflyPuffly (23 June 2016)

HotToTrot said:



http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bu/jane-bullen-1.html

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				Lévrier;13294392 said:
			
		


			I think AlexHyde might have been missing a smiley in her reply   I was introduced to JHR's sister the other day and nearly fell through the floor.....
		
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Ah yes I was definitely joking! Judges do definitely know what their talking about . Though as Topaz used to belong to this I will NOT do dressage group, I definitely sympathise! 

If Topaz can turn herself around in this department I always think anyone can, we really were that terrible, try being stone cold last after the dressage at unaff 80 level ode's .


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## Girlracer (23 June 2016)

Entertaining report as per. I admire what you're doing, and it sounds like you are having a great and successful time along the way. 

Well done.


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## TheSylv007 (24 June 2016)

Another vintage report  
I'd be really interested to know what it was he was doing in the dressage that would cause such concern for your safety in the jumping?  If you had done the whole test at gallop I guess I could imagine that they would consider you at risk or if your show jumping round was completely out of control.  Just wondering how bad it could truly be!


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## teapot (24 June 2016)

Great report and good on you for not going home after your 'chat'. Mahoosive fence too! 

So where does being 'spoken to' sit on the warnings/yellow card line? Is this a warning about being put on the naughty step, or a more gentle 'everything alright?' (I noticed WFP got a yellow warning at Tattersalls for 'inappropriate behaviour/headgear' the other week...)


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## HotToTrot (24 June 2016)

View said:



			Wow - that is one huge fence.  And well done you for carrying on after that conversation with JHR.

I do enjoy reading your reports - your writing style is so engaging.
		
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Thanks!  



AlexHyde said:



			Ah yes I was definitely joking! Judges do definitely know what their talking about . Though as Topaz used to belong to this I will NOT do dressage group, I definitely sympathise! 

If Topaz can turn herself around in this department I always think anyone can, we really were that terrible, try being stone cold last after the dressage at unaff 80 level ode's .
		
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I'm just trying to remember a time when I haven't been last after the dressage, on any horse, at any level!  



Girlracer said:



			Entertaining report as per. I admire what you're doing, and it sounds like you are having a great and successful time along the way. 

Well done.
		
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Thanks! 



TheSylv007 said:



			Another vintage report  
I'd be really interested to know what it was he was doing in the dressage that would cause such concern for your safety in the jumping?  If you had done the whole test at gallop I guess I could imagine that they would consider you at risk or if your show jumping round was completely out of control.  Just wondering how bad it could truly be!
		
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I was in the right pace, no galloping!  I think the dressage itself wasn't deemed dangerous.  But extrapolating from how I looked in the dressage (that I was struggling to control him) the concern was that I wouldn't be able to control him when jumping and that he may tank off with me.  



teapot said:



			Great report and good on you for not going home after your 'chat'. Mahoosive fence too! 

So where does being 'spoken to' sit on the warnings/yellow card line? Is this a warning about being put on the naughty step, or a more gentle 'everything alright?' (I noticed WFP got a yellow warning at Tattersalls for 'inappropriate behaviour/headgear' the other week...)
		
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As far as I know, this is an "unrecorded incident" - e.g. nobody knows about it except me, the ground jury, and the apparently almost 15,000 people who've read this....

I wasn't told off and I didn't do anything wrong.  It was a warning, I suppose, in relation to that event only; a warning that if I looked out of control in the SJ, then I may not be allowed to go XC.  But as far as I know, I now have a blank slate moving forwards.  So I would say it was on the more minor end of the scale.


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## FfionWinnie (24 June 2016)

Who do we lobby to see some videos of the hot trotting then?  Can you get the super groom husband geed up for the next one. Or start training the eldest child. Mine has been videoing SJ rounds since she was about 2.5 and the commentary is highly entertaining at that age too...  At 7, the commentary is less funny (she sounds just like me directing her around) but the videoing is perfect, unless she starts "riding her pony" while also videoing. Just something for you to think about in your spare time &#128519;


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## dark rider (25 June 2016)

Lovely report as always. You really bring it to life. I too have horse whose dressage can be, let's say, eccentric.  But he is dream across country.  You are already doing more than most of use could ever dream about. Be gone the Chasm of Doom&#55357;&#56832;


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## HotToTrot (25 June 2016)

FfionWinnie said:



			Who do we lobby to see some videos of the hot trotting then?  Can you get the super groom husband geed up for the next one. Or start training the eldest child. Mine has been videoing SJ rounds since she was about 2.5 and the commentary is highly entertaining at that age too...  At 7, the commentary is less funny (she sounds just like me directing her around) but the videoing is perfect, unless she starts "riding her pony" while also videoing. Just something for you to think about in your spare time &#55357;&#56839;
		
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Here you are!  I probably could get the baby to video me, but then I'd have to send it to Ester so she could post it for me.  

https://www.an-eventful-life.com.au...es-touch-rockingham-castle-international-2016




dark rider said:



			Lovely report as always. You really bring it to life. I too have horse whose dressage can be, let's say, eccentric.  But he is dream across country.  You are already doing more than most of use could ever dream about. Be gone the Chasm of Doom&#65533;&#65533;
		
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Well I walked into it with my eyes open - I knew what his DR was like, but one of my trainers told me to "go and buy something that would tow me over a corner", so I did.  Though not, as you will see if you watch the video, always on the first attempt!!


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## HufflyPuffly (25 June 2016)

Wow that video is brilliant, you make those fences look almost (only because of that pesky corner!) easy , in even more awe than normal now .


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## star (25 June 2016)

HotToTrot said:



			Here you are!  I probably could get the baby to video me, but then I'd have to send it to Ester so she could post it for me.  

https://www.an-eventful-life.com.au...es-touch-rockingham-castle-international-2016




Well I walked into it with my eyes open - I knew what his DR was like, but one of my trainers told me to "go and buy something that would tow me over a corner", so I did.  Though not, as you will see if you watch the video, always on the first attempt!!
		
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Fab video!  He is a machine.  Shame about those bloody left corners.  My next horse needs to be something that will definitely tow me over left corners or I might have to start ritual burning of them all!


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## OldNag (25 June 2016)

Fab report as always. I would never have the bravery  to do what you do, but I love reading your reports.


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## blackhor2e (26 June 2016)

HTT, First of all I admire your perseverance in the face of adversity! 

As a fellow amateur eventer (around your level) I too can sympathise with your plight! My very lovely horse too loves to jump, so dressage does occasionally feel like a manhandling of a caged wilderbeast that has seen his escape route. You are not alone and whilst I may have never met this particular dressage judge I do hope in hindsight that you take what people say with a pinch of salt, those closest to you and your trainer(s) would never put you in harms way, if they believe you can do it on this horse you can and don't let anyone doubt your skills at this level. We may not be Olympians but we can get round a beefy course well, a huge well done and I'm pleased your husband was so supportive. (They can have their uses occasionally)


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## HotToTrot (26 June 2016)

AlexHyde said:



			Wow that video is brilliant, you make those fences look almost (only because of that pesky corner!) easy , in even more awe than normal now .
		
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I think he does find it easy.  I am so lucky! 



star said:



			Fab video!  He is a machine.  Shame about those bloody left corners.  My next horse needs to be something that will definitely tow me over left corners or I might have to start ritual burning of them all!
		
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Ha!  That corner was so my fault.  I didn't get hold of him before the first element - he was trying to turn on the turbo charge!  



OldNag said:



			Fab report as always. I would never have the bravery  to do what you do, but I love reading your reports. 

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Thank you!  My horse makes me brave! 



blackhor2e said:



			HTT, First of all I admire your perseverance in the face of adversity! 

As a fellow amateur eventer (around your level) I too can sympathise with your plight! My very lovely horse too loves to jump, so dressage does occasionally feel like a manhandling of a caged wilderbeast that has seen his escape route. You are not alone and whilst I may have never met this particular dressage judge I do hope in hindsight that you take what people say with a pinch of salt, those closest to you and your trainer(s) would never put you in harms way, if they believe you can do it on this horse you can and don't let anyone doubt your skills at this level. We may not be Olympians but we can get round a beefy course well, a huge well done and I'm pleased your husband was so supportive. (They can have their uses occasionally) 

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You mean around my level, but a couple of levels up?!  Did you resolve your passport dilemma in the end?


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## blackhor2e (26 June 2016)

HotToTrot said:



			You mean around my level, but a couple of levels up?!  Did you resolve your passport dilemma in the end?
		
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Not at all, I'm still doing a couple of two stars this year, Barbury being the next  
Passport dilemma was solved thank you, took the afternoon off work, drove. Good two hours to the BE office and camped out until they changed my passport to a new FEI one


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## DirectorFury (26 June 2016)

Fab report as always and P(C)arrot looks like a little star in the video .

Sorry I was a bit late to be IT support, I should probably finish my 'how to post photos' guide that's been in draft form for nearly 3 months now (I blame my masters dissertation personally, very inconvenient thing it was).


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## HotToTrot (27 June 2016)

blackhor2e said:



			Not at all, I'm still doing a couple of two stars this year, Barbury being the next  
Passport dilemma was solved thank you, took the afternoon off work, drove. Good two hours to the BE office and camped out until they changed my passport to a new FEI one 

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That is a relief!!  And I hope Bramham went well too, what an awesomely amazing thing to have done - that is phenomenal.  



DirectorFury said:



			Fab report as always and P(C)arrot looks like a little star in the video .

Sorry I was a bit late to be IT support, I should probably finish my 'how to post photos' guide that's been in draft form for nearly 3 months now (I blame my masters dissertation personally, very inconvenient thing it was).
		
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Ugh, these things that get in the way of important stuff!


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