Let me try this again with photos...
Friday, December 19, 2014
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Obstacles
ADS doesn't so much like calling them Hazards anymore, since Hazards leads you to think it could be Hazardous. It's probably something to do with the insurance... lol
Obstacles were the same for both days too. It was easier since you seemed to get a Do-Over if you had competed the day before. You also may have seen someone else take a different route thru the gates and tried it their way, shaving time off your score. Or you drove it once, figured out a better way and tried it, improving your time in the hazard. It also gave your pony a chance to go thru things without being afraid of decorations in the hazards. All of which worked in our favor and thankfully things went smoother for us the second time around.
Obstacle 1 was barrels decorated like Easter eggs with stuffed bunnies sitting on top of them. Straight in to make a right by the wall and go thru Athen back across the paddock to make a left and go thru B. You could either slow down and make a U-turn to the right then another U-turn to the left to go thru C, or you could circle around B on the left and line up for C. Saturday we did the U-turns, Sunday we did the circles. Coming out of C you make a U-turn to the right and head thru D that was behind you. Doing this put your horse on the right lead and you could go thru D and veer right to go back thru the Out gate. Don't forget to thank the volunteers on your way out!
Obstacle 2 was back in the corner and decorated for Halloween. Kat wanted NO part of it. Huge tree trunks with shiny banner letters strung between them. High enough horses could go under them, but still... bird cages with fake rats in them, a scarecrow and several other things I don't remember- it was all enough to keep the little guy on his toes. He reluctantly went into the Hazard. Kat did well enough, but he wasn't to thrilled with the idea of this hazard. Coming OUT of the hazard? He was all for it!
Saturday I had talked to Jim (cones course designer and judge) briefly before going on course for the Hazards. He was talking to Paul Sidwell who had judged Dressage. I had asked him if anyone else had destroyed the course the way we did? Not even close! Well as it happened, Jim and Paul were still talking when Kat and I came GALLOPING out of #1 headed to #2 and were standing by watching as we came FLYING out of #2 headed to #3. Paul asked Jim- "Are those two always like that?" Jim replied- "Only when she's driving!" and they had a good laugh over it.
Obstacle 3 was a little trickier. It was up by the front gate and decorated for Christmas. There were 4x4 wooden posts in the ground, wrapped with sparkly red garland to look like candy canes. Gates A & B were in these poles and on Saturday as we came thru A and circled around to go thru B, Kat and I had a conflict of interest on where we would go thru the posts. I figured we would go between these two and he decided to go between the posts before it.
Kat came Reeeeeaaaaallllllyyyy close to taking a header on one of the posts. Dang near smacked into it with his forehead! As it was, he stopped with his head and neck turned to the right and the post between him and the shaft at his left shoulder. We were within inches of taking it down. Typical! Hahaha We backed up a few steps sorted things out and continued on. Gates C and D were no problem after that. Sunday Kat was more than willing to let me make the call on those poles although for the most part, we had very little to no right turns. Both days we came galloping out of hazard, full bore.
Obstacle 4 was behind the one barn and decorated for Thanksgiving. There were turkeys all over the huge tree stumps, more glittery letters in hanging banners and Kat had no problem with these. We would come galloping in make our way to the far end and a hard right between two huge stumps going thru them for A. Continuing the turn to go thru B that is behind us, going up past it on the left and making a U-turn to come back thru it and down and around for C which is in front of us but needs to be taken in the direction of coming back towards where we are. Gate D was back up behind B and again, coming thru the same direction we went thru B. It was a sort of ribbon candy effect with all of the back and forth, circling around, but at least coming out of D you were headed right for the out gate and Kat fired hard both times, galloping thru it with no problems.
As usual, walking back to the barn and passing several others who had yet to go, already gone or were between obstacles, everyone was buzzing about how fun it was and "Can we do it again?" Sometimes it just doesn't feel like 4 Hazards are enough. Maybe it's because we aren't the ones pulling the cart or carriage. There are a few of the horses that really enjoy it, Kat obviously being one of them I know when he's feeling good and running full bore, I have to admit, that's an awesome feeling and it's about as close as I'll ever get to being on him for it.
Obstacles were the same for both days too. It was easier since you seemed to get a Do-Over if you had competed the day before. You also may have seen someone else take a different route thru the gates and tried it their way, shaving time off your score. Or you drove it once, figured out a better way and tried it, improving your time in the hazard. It also gave your pony a chance to go thru things without being afraid of decorations in the hazards. All of which worked in our favor and thankfully things went smoother for us the second time around.
Obstacle 1 was barrels decorated like Easter eggs with stuffed bunnies sitting on top of them. Straight in to make a right by the wall and go thru Athen back across the paddock to make a left and go thru B. You could either slow down and make a U-turn to the right then another U-turn to the left to go thru C, or you could circle around B on the left and line up for C. Saturday we did the U-turns, Sunday we did the circles. Coming out of C you make a U-turn to the right and head thru D that was behind you. Doing this put your horse on the right lead and you could go thru D and veer right to go back thru the Out gate. Don't forget to thank the volunteers on your way out!
Obstacle 2 was back in the corner and decorated for Halloween. Kat wanted NO part of it. Huge tree trunks with shiny banner letters strung between them. High enough horses could go under them, but still... bird cages with fake rats in them, a scarecrow and several other things I don't remember- it was all enough to keep the little guy on his toes. He reluctantly went into the Hazard. Kat did well enough, but he wasn't to thrilled with the idea of this hazard. Coming OUT of the hazard? He was all for it!
Saturday I had talked to Jim (cones course designer and judge) briefly before going on course for the Hazards. He was talking to Paul Sidwell who had judged Dressage. I had asked him if anyone else had destroyed the course the way we did? Not even close! Well as it happened, Jim and Paul were still talking when Kat and I came GALLOPING out of #1 headed to #2 and were standing by watching as we came FLYING out of #2 headed to #3. Paul asked Jim- "Are those two always like that?" Jim replied- "Only when she's driving!" and they had a good laugh over it.
Obstacle 3 was a little trickier. It was up by the front gate and decorated for Christmas. There were 4x4 wooden posts in the ground, wrapped with sparkly red garland to look like candy canes. Gates A & B were in these poles and on Saturday as we came thru A and circled around to go thru B, Kat and I had a conflict of interest on where we would go thru the posts. I figured we would go between these two and he decided to go between the posts before it.
Kat came Reeeeeaaaaallllllyyyy close to taking a header on one of the posts. Dang near smacked into it with his forehead! As it was, he stopped with his head and neck turned to the right and the post between him and the shaft at his left shoulder. We were within inches of taking it down. Typical! Hahaha We backed up a few steps sorted things out and continued on. Gates C and D were no problem after that. Sunday Kat was more than willing to let me make the call on those poles although for the most part, we had very little to no right turns. Both days we came galloping out of hazard, full bore.
Obstacle 4 was behind the one barn and decorated for Thanksgiving. There were turkeys all over the huge tree stumps, more glittery letters in hanging banners and Kat had no problem with these. We would come galloping in make our way to the far end and a hard right between two huge stumps going thru them for A. Continuing the turn to go thru B that is behind us, going up past it on the left and making a U-turn to come back thru it and down and around for C which is in front of us but needs to be taken in the direction of coming back towards where we are. Gate D was back up behind B and again, coming thru the same direction we went thru B. It was a sort of ribbon candy effect with all of the back and forth, circling around, but at least coming out of D you were headed right for the out gate and Kat fired hard both times, galloping thru it with no problems.
As usual, walking back to the barn and passing several others who had yet to go, already gone or were between obstacles, everyone was buzzing about how fun it was and "Can we do it again?" Sometimes it just doesn't feel like 4 Hazards are enough. Maybe it's because we aren't the ones pulling the cart or carriage. There are a few of the horses that really enjoy it, Kat obviously being one of them I know when he's feeling good and running full bore, I have to admit, that's an awesome feeling and it's about as close as I'll ever get to being on him for it.
Friday, December 5, 2014
Cones
Kat was ready for this one and so was I. We both look forward to cones as is gives him a chance to just tear around like mad and I can't say I'm opposed to the speed aspect of it either. Now that I know he can run like that, has the speed he's got and I'm comfortable with it... I'm diggin' it!
Jim met us at the gate and informed me he had nobody to reset the balls so I was not allowed to knock any down. I responded with how I thought it was a matter of knocking down as many as possible and we had a good laugh over it. I think he gave me a look of (You'd better not!) for that one, but it was hard to tell between Kat getting revved up and Jim getting back to the truck to time us. There were a couple of volunteers on course to reset balls, but I let Jim know I would call out which ones came down as we plowed our way thru the course.
NUMBER 6 IS DOWN!!! THERE GOES NUMBER 8! TWELVE! FOURTEEN! And so on for the duration of the course. We had 6 balls down by the time the dust finally settled. It was a Helluva rush doing the course. Although there were people saying they watched us but couldn't see much because of the vapor trails... we weren't the fastest on course for the day. There were a few others who were not only faster, but had gone double clear as well. Not our best performance, by any means.
What was really fun about it though, was the fact that about half way thru the course I found myself standing up on the outer rails of the cart as I shifted my weight back and forth over the wheels as we turned, trying to keep them both on the ground. Not only was I standing in the cart, but I also found myself leaning way out over the inside wheel as we slid sideways thru the turns as well. I probably ate a fair amount of dirt doing cones. WICKED FUN!
Sunday was an improvement, both on our time and leaving the balls up. We went faster though it didn't feel like it and we only took down 3 balls this time. I said it was an improvement, not that we were perfect... lol Again I was standing on the rails of the cart, sliding it around the corners, dirt flying, pony galloping and me encouraging him. He was tired from the day before and although he did break down to a trot a couple of times for a couple of strides, he put his best effort out there and gave it his all.
Afterwards, Jim made a suggestion to what type of cart I needed for cones. Not so much a cart, but he said I need a Chariot. That way I'm standing in it the whole time anyways. My friend Cheryl has a HyperBike which is similar to a racing sulky. I can only imagine we would be a lot faster with one of those. Apparently they are working on longer shafts and a stitch taller bike, more for the B mini's, but something that would likely fit my pony. Oooooh banish the thought....
Jim met us at the gate and informed me he had nobody to reset the balls so I was not allowed to knock any down. I responded with how I thought it was a matter of knocking down as many as possible and we had a good laugh over it. I think he gave me a look of (You'd better not!) for that one, but it was hard to tell between Kat getting revved up and Jim getting back to the truck to time us. There were a couple of volunteers on course to reset balls, but I let Jim know I would call out which ones came down as we plowed our way thru the course.
NUMBER 6 IS DOWN!!! THERE GOES NUMBER 8! TWELVE! FOURTEEN! And so on for the duration of the course. We had 6 balls down by the time the dust finally settled. It was a Helluva rush doing the course. Although there were people saying they watched us but couldn't see much because of the vapor trails... we weren't the fastest on course for the day. There were a few others who were not only faster, but had gone double clear as well. Not our best performance, by any means.
What was really fun about it though, was the fact that about half way thru the course I found myself standing up on the outer rails of the cart as I shifted my weight back and forth over the wheels as we turned, trying to keep them both on the ground. Not only was I standing in the cart, but I also found myself leaning way out over the inside wheel as we slid sideways thru the turns as well. I probably ate a fair amount of dirt doing cones. WICKED FUN!
Sunday was an improvement, both on our time and leaving the balls up. We went faster though it didn't feel like it and we only took down 3 balls this time. I said it was an improvement, not that we were perfect... lol Again I was standing on the rails of the cart, sliding it around the corners, dirt flying, pony galloping and me encouraging him. He was tired from the day before and although he did break down to a trot a couple of times for a couple of strides, he put his best effort out there and gave it his all.
Afterwards, Jim made a suggestion to what type of cart I needed for cones. Not so much a cart, but he said I need a Chariot. That way I'm standing in it the whole time anyways. My friend Cheryl has a HyperBike which is similar to a racing sulky. I can only imagine we would be a lot faster with one of those. Apparently they are working on longer shafts and a stitch taller bike, more for the B mini's, but something that would likely fit my pony. Oooooh banish the thought....
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