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Bazza's Big Adventure

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Salt Ash, NSW
Bazza's Big Adventure

Bazza and I are entered to compete in dressage at the Pan Pacific Masters Games in November 2022.

Follow our training journey as we prepare to sand dance at the games.

16/04/2023

Well we certainly enjoyed our weekend - we even managed to score a ribbon today - the jockey was very excited as she likes purple. Bazza enjoyed making new friends and was the most relaxed he’s ever been at a competition.
We may now turn to the dark side 🤷🏻‍♀️ planning our next working equitation adventure ❤️

08/04/2023

We’ve just received the draw and course map for our first Working Equitation competition - we’re (or at least the jockey is) a bit excited. The dressage is in a 20 x 40 arena (things are going to come up pretty quickly) and the obstacles include corridors, slalom and a bull. Thank goodness we aren’t first in the lineup.
We’ve got the support crew busy using his jigsaw to build us a Ferdinand to practice and the jockey has finally finished painting the trot poles. All the gear and no idea but it’s going to be great fun 🤩 Can’t wait for next weekend 🐎💃 ps - The rules allow a riding skirt (but that’s not the only reason the jockey is interested)

27/02/2023

On the weekend we went to a clinic where we both learned 'ground work' exercises. It was a lot of fun, and set both of us up for a calmer move from in hand to saddle. We also got the low down on the 'turn on hindquarters' - which we are pretty good at (if we don't say so ourselves).
We both hate lunging so we've decided to try the groundwork exercised we learned as a substitute - we will report back in a couple of weeks. We are told it leads to better connection between horse and rider.
The jockey has become obsessed with socks - which is ok but Bazza isn't so keen on her colour choice.

29/01/2023

After a month long break we started training again last week - we needed a rest - Bazza met the jockey’s beautiful grandson - the jockey got us all dressed up and ate way to much Christmas cake.
We are slowly getting back into our dressage with trail rides mixed in to get out of the arena and the sun. We are hopeful for a successful move to elementary this year (before we reach CRA) - so far so good - our canter work is going well - not too much collection (we’d win ribbons in western dressage I’m sure) - it’s an amazing feeling to canter around on a loose rein - loping I think - so smooth and comfortable.
Our first outing is the 26th of March - we will enter at A in collected trot - the rest……watch this space 😉

02/12/2022

The jockey is all excited because we now have cavalettis in the sand pit. What a great way to vary our arena sessions. The goal is to do the higher setting in canter 🤷🏻‍♀️ one has to dream 💭

24/11/2022

We shared our sandpit with friends for the first time last weekend. It was really windy and the jockey thought we might retire early. All good - we strutted our stuff and even managed a little bit of half pass in canter 💪 slowly but surely we are getting back into our groove. No competitions for a while - training is too much fun to be ruined with all that stress ❤️

14/11/2022

Last week we headed up to MOONAN BROOK for a few days. Six ladies with their horses - you can imagine the conversations. We enjoyed riding on wide open trails, with a bit of dressage to warm up.
The difference in Bazza on a trail when he has been warmed up properly is amazing. A relaxed, responsive and happy pony with a relaxed and happy rider.
We are contemplating our next competition because we are really enjoying riding at home in our own space, and going out with friends in the forrest where there is no pressure.
It may be a different story next year when the competitions start ramping up but for now we are happy in our space.

20/10/2022

Funny how things change when you make a decision.
There is absolutely no pressure.
It's been a beautiful sunny week and we have been able to train four days in a row (that ended today with showers and a thunderstorm).
We are certainly perfecting our canter work - collect and release is the answer to a perfect transition - a difficult balancing act which resulted in the jockey being too enthusiastic in front of the coach yesterday. She ended up with nearly no reins and the whip went flying.
We are told it happens to everyone - at home things are as near to perfection as one would hope - at a lesson things go belly up.

We have dipped our toe into the walk to canter transition with great success.

What we have discovered this week (hallelujah says the husband) is that we really enjoy riding at home. It's peaceful, the views are beautiful, the sand is soft (not that we are anticipating any unplanned dismounts), everything is on hand, and at the end of the ride there's an apple and glass of wine.

Life is good.

17/10/2022

It's with a heavy heart we have decided to withdraw from the games this year. With the constant wet weather we feel it would be like trying to run a marathon having only trained for a half.
It wouldn't be fair on either of us.

Our training schedule has been inconsistent at best - a couple of days training followed by rain - three steps forward and sometimes it feels like three steps back. We often have an olympic swimming pool - see picture for reference - on our property. Of course we are very lucky to have our sand pit, and normally it drains within a couple of days...but rain event after rain event has impacted.

We will continue to train and share our journey - there's always the 2024 Pan Pacific Masters Games.

28/09/2022

Sorry we have been off line for a few weeks. Like everyone we are feeling the impact of the rain. It's hard to get consistent training in.
Bazza had a holiday at his Aunty Emma's whilst the jockey was away with work in early September. The stupid jockey switched his chaff to straight lucerne which meant Bazza was feeling very good about himself. It would have been like he was on speed......he was well behaved but the report card stated 'very fresh'.

We got some solid training in for a competition on the 18th of September. Our canter work was the best it has been in ages, and we both felt 'ready'. On the day our warm up was perfect - I wish we had a video - relaxed, forward and feeling beautiful. We even managed a sneaky canter around the arena as we were the first rider of the day.
It all went to sh*te pretty quickly. The judge was 15 minutes late, and we weren't allowed to ride around the arena whilst we waited. Sending a sensitive horse back to the warmup area is not a good idea and Bazza is no exception. The moment of being 'ready' slipped away, and when we finally entered the arena it was gone.
To add insult to injury, our test was stopped well into the second sequence of canter work (which was on the correct lead and going well considering) due to a suspected error of course. How did we know we didn't make an error? The movement was a transition into canter, which we did on time, on the correct lead, and there were not kicks or humps - hard to get that mixed up.

Our training since has been going well. We have learned that lunging is a great way to prepare for our ride - even though the Jockey hates lunging with a passion it's better than messy canter transitions.

Yes we are starting to feel a bit of pressure as the games get closer. Will we be able to pull it all together? Who cares? It's about the journey and the bond between horse and rider. The bond we have is priceless - Bazza has ADHD and the Jockey is a nervous Nelly - but we are what we are and we love each other.

13/08/2022

A great week! No unplanned dismounts and two very productive lessons.
Our homework from Emma to help with our canter left is balanced trot around the arena whilst focussing on the end markers on each side - so there we were on thursday trotting around saying 'look at K, look at K, and Look at M look at M' - this will help build the jockey's confidence to ride close to the wall - apparently the canter left will then just happen. You see we had another unplanned dismount some months ago when Bazza went too close to the fence at home in left canter, he slipped on the telegraph poles which border the arena - ever since the jockey has been a bit paranoid about proximity to the fence/wall when cantering left. So the problem with our canter left is the jockey (of course).
Our lesson with Anna focused on the 'walk' - something we just don't school enough. Bazza is becoming more enthusiastic to keep working after walk breaks, and we played with shoulder fore and leg yield in walk - both will help with our canter left problems. AND when the sandpit is too wet, we now have enough exercises in walk to train on the driveway if we need to. BONUS!

10/08/2022

Apologies for our lack of update - a busy week last week.
Our canter work is definitely improving - correct leads are becoming the new normal and we are no longer performing a Congo dance during the upwards transition.
We were so excited to show off our progress and training to our super coach, Emma, last Wednesday. However, a group of birds (who are obviously monstrous) flew out from behind the arena wall causing Bazza to jump right, whilst the jockey was mid rise in trot. Suffice to say an unplanned dismount occurred, and the jockey (whilst walking wounded) decided not to remount.
The positive from this whole episode is Bazza was ridden by Emma. The best feedback one can receive is when a professional rider tells you your horse is greatly improved, it validates your training.
After three days off due to a bruised rear end (the jockey not Bazza), we got back into our training on Sunday.
Frustrating!
Small steps and we are moving forward again.

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1445 Richardson Road
Salt Ash, NSW
2318

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