You can never underestimate what a mini/vse can do. We just got back from Hickory Knoll CDE in Wisconsin. Shay (my mini/VSE) has been competing at Prelim level. However, they don't offer Prelim level to VSE's only training level. which means if I wanted to run prelim, he had to run as a pony, which means quite a bit faster times for marathon and cones. I was not happy about this, as I saw no reason to not give me the VSE times even if I was running with the ponys. But they said if I was running in the pony division I had to run pony times. I figured what the heck, I would rather have the over time penalties in marathon, than have the canter penalties (training level isn't allowed to canter in cones or hazards). and be constantly holding him back when we have worked so hard to be forward. He warmed up very well for Dressage, but once in the ring he got hanging on me a bit and could have had a bit more bend but not bad so figured I was in the middle of the pack. Then over to cones, which he had a very good run other than a brief buck fit going to the first set of cones (but that is normal for him as he gets over excited). He was in my hands so nicely it was wonderful. He would gallop hard between cones and then come right back to me to a strong trot to go though the sets. It was a nice feeling when all the work is starting to pay off. I ended up clean in the cones but over time by 1.2 seconds (not bad for doing pony times...if not for that little bucking fit he probably would have made it
) I had a lot of nice compliments on how well he did and how much fun he was to watch.
So I figure I am in the middle of the pack still, so off to check the score boards and to my excitement I am in first place. In dressage, he was in 2nd with a 51.68, then ran the best prelim cones with only 1.5 penalties which put us in 1st place by 4.5 points. I could not believe it and was very excited, but a bit bummed because I did not know how he would be able to maintain it having to make the pony times in the marathon, especially on section A. Section A is 5k and an extremely hilly course and he had to make it at 12 kph to make time, then a 1k walk at 5kph, then to section E another 5.5k with 5 hazards to be ran again at 12kph. He went into section A feeling pretty good, but as we went on I could tell the hills were starting to take their toll. The first couple he would gallop up strong, but as we progressed we were down to a trot and at the final big hill he was down to a walk by the time we were up to the top, he was definitely having to be pushed to finish it, but he finished out the last kilometer and ended section A in the window and I was worried I had pushed him a bit too hard to make the pony times. When we stopped to turn in our green card he looked worn out. We get into the walk portion and initially he wasn't striding out, (I actually thought about retiring at this point), but as we walked he started striding out better and by the end of the 1k walk he was looking around and striding nicely. We finished in time so I was feeling pretty good at this point as Shay loves the hazards. We went throught the vet check well so off to Section E. I wasn't sure how much he would have left to give me, but boy was I wrong. He started off Section E at a strong trot and once he saw the first hazard he started pulling and wanting to break into a canter, but I had to hold him back as he wasn't close enough to the start gate yet. Well once given the signal he took off like a rocket and ran his heart out spinning around the hazard like he had just come out of his stall. He continued this on for the entire marathon, even in the water hazard that was up to his belly. He finished in time and was still trotting strong. He was such a good boy. Now time to check the score boards again and low and behold, he not only made the times in all 3 sections, he won the marathon phase. So he ended up overall prelim cones champion, marathon champion, 1st place in prelim single pony and OVERALL PRELIMINARY CHAMPION!! with an overall score of 88 .65 to win by over 11 points. Not bad for a little 36.5" mini.
I had more people come up to me talking about how impressed they were with Shay and they would no longer underestimate the minis. One guy in particular, said he wanted to shake by hand because he had the best go of his life in marathon and that mine must have been unbelievable as I beat him by so much. It felt really good and I was very proud of my guy. I think alot of people had their eyes opened to what a mini can do and that they can be competitive even against the big boys. So next time VSE isn't offered go anyway and compete as a small pony...they can do it and do it well. It just goes to show with alot of hard work it can be done.
I do have to give a big Thank you to Jada Neubauer of Midwest Carriage Driving for all the help, lessons and advice it has been worth every dime. I haul in to her facility (2.5 hours each way) about every other month for lessons and it has been well worth it.
So I figure I am in the middle of the pack still, so off to check the score boards and to my excitement I am in first place. In dressage, he was in 2nd with a 51.68, then ran the best prelim cones with only 1.5 penalties which put us in 1st place by 4.5 points. I could not believe it and was very excited, but a bit bummed because I did not know how he would be able to maintain it having to make the pony times in the marathon, especially on section A. Section A is 5k and an extremely hilly course and he had to make it at 12 kph to make time, then a 1k walk at 5kph, then to section E another 5.5k with 5 hazards to be ran again at 12kph. He went into section A feeling pretty good, but as we went on I could tell the hills were starting to take their toll. The first couple he would gallop up strong, but as we progressed we were down to a trot and at the final big hill he was down to a walk by the time we were up to the top, he was definitely having to be pushed to finish it, but he finished out the last kilometer and ended section A in the window and I was worried I had pushed him a bit too hard to make the pony times. When we stopped to turn in our green card he looked worn out. We get into the walk portion and initially he wasn't striding out, (I actually thought about retiring at this point), but as we walked he started striding out better and by the end of the 1k walk he was looking around and striding nicely. We finished in time so I was feeling pretty good at this point as Shay loves the hazards. We went throught the vet check well so off to Section E. I wasn't sure how much he would have left to give me, but boy was I wrong. He started off Section E at a strong trot and once he saw the first hazard he started pulling and wanting to break into a canter, but I had to hold him back as he wasn't close enough to the start gate yet. Well once given the signal he took off like a rocket and ran his heart out spinning around the hazard like he had just come out of his stall. He continued this on for the entire marathon, even in the water hazard that was up to his belly. He finished in time and was still trotting strong. He was such a good boy. Now time to check the score boards again and low and behold, he not only made the times in all 3 sections, he won the marathon phase. So he ended up overall prelim cones champion, marathon champion, 1st place in prelim single pony and OVERALL PRELIMINARY CHAMPION!! with an overall score of 88 .65 to win by over 11 points. Not bad for a little 36.5" mini.
I had more people come up to me talking about how impressed they were with Shay and they would no longer underestimate the minis. One guy in particular, said he wanted to shake by hand because he had the best go of his life in marathon and that mine must have been unbelievable as I beat him by so much. It felt really good and I was very proud of my guy. I think alot of people had their eyes opened to what a mini can do and that they can be competitive even against the big boys. So next time VSE isn't offered go anyway and compete as a small pony...they can do it and do it well. It just goes to show with alot of hard work it can be done.
I do have to give a big Thank you to Jada Neubauer of Midwest Carriage Driving for all the help, lessons and advice it has been worth every dime. I haul in to her facility (2.5 hours each way) about every other month for lessons and it has been well worth it.
