DCUK Crazy Diamond
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| Pink papered Oldenburg 12 year old 16h bright bay gelding BD points - 163 as at 18 Aug 10 Qualified BD Winter Regional Champs Medium 2011 Qual Tack and Togs Champs Nov Open and Elem Open 2010 Qual Hickstead Masters League Northern Semi's at Novice and Elem 2010 Qual Area Festivals Nov Open and Elem Open Med Restr 2010 Part Qual Summer Regionals nov open and elem open 2010 Qual BD Novice Open Regional Finals 08 and 09 and Winters 2010 part qual nov Qual for 2008 & 9 Area Festivals at prelim, nov and elem and ... BE points - 4 |
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Fantastic that Stan has upgraded to Elementary... check out the news page and update on 26/7 April 2010
Great winters training has produced surprising results :-) with Stan winning both his Elementaries at Elms on 21 March. I did lose a bit of sleep thinking that I'd really dropped him in at the deep end (especially given the complexity of E53 compared to what he's used to!) but he was an angel, picking up 7 points with 2 wins, at 66% and 65%.
Stan's training is going well, with good outings at Elms and some brilliant and challenging (all in one go!) outings at Sheepgate (grelims in the hedges!). He's now regularly cracking 70% in the easier classes and has just, on 6 May, won his elementaries and clocked up 4 more points at Elem. We're working with Jill Day and Anna Ross Davis to build up his strength for the more collected and demanding work and he's loving his job - I genuinely love riding him, whether its a hack or schooling.
Stan upgraded from prelim to novice at Elms on 21 Jan - Julie is thrilled. We're now aiming for our century of points, with a promise of champagne for the whole support team (and Joe and Stan of course, they're a bit partial to a lick of champagne!) when we make it.
Stan at Elms on 21 Jan 09
Fed naturally and, from Dec 08, we're seeing and feeling an incredible difference.
The photographs above were taken in April (left) and May (right) 2008 ... the ones below more recently, showing how he is developing
This picture was taken at the College EC, Bedford (and was probably as close as we got to the judges box without spooking!). From the picture above left, you can see how the top line is coming on and that he's building up behind the saddle. All the work we do with our horses is varied, he'll school maybe 3 times a week, but works 3 times a week on the lunge (Pessoa), and his routines include trotting poles, small related jumps (on the lunge) and hacking. |  |
This was taken on the 10th October at the Sheepgate Tack and Togs champs by Julie's husband. Although we had an experience (!) ... spooks galore due to Stan's dislike of being able to see horses through the hedge you can see behind me ... he came back and did some cracking movements. Here he's lifting his core muscles even more than above and as a result the should is a bit more 'up' than the picture above ... if this means nothing ... then have a look at how the base of his neck looks at the one above (solid) and then this picture, neck a lot softer, muscle definition beginning to show, we're getting there with the basics. (but scroll down for the true laugh! and you thought your horse could spook!) |  |
Update - Elms Farm BD on 17 Aug.... As part of Stan's ongoing training, he did 2 elementaries at Elms (we didn't tell him how difficult they were meant to be ! :-)) but he surprised us by coping extremely well with the more difficult movements, picking up 3 BD points and gaining 2nd and 3rd placings - the class had several strong combinations in so we were particularly chuffed with the way he just got on with the job. A big thank you too to his aunties who came along for moral support (honest, or was it for the £250 payout for a thrills and spills clip!!). Great day for Team DCUK too - more on the news page.
 | Stan has been produced by Miss Rebecca Ireland until the beginning of 2008 when he came to Julie for his dressage education to be improved and a new dressage home found for him. However, Stan was such a wonderful character (and then some!) that Julie and George bought him themselves. We're thrilled that he's staying on Team DCUK - previously competed as Mr Trix, Stan will now compete under DCUK Crazy Diamond Great picture .... although we're a little dubious about the number they gave Stan! |
Spook - What spook? 2008......
I've mentioned this picture(s) to so many clients that I thought, why not, put it on his page! So many riders and trainers would not reveal pictures like this for a million pounds but, to be honest, we hide nothing and by showing you that this happens to us as well proves our point even more that we can help real riders with real flatwork worries and challenges.... so here we are 'bearing all' so to say! Yes, I stayed on, yes, he came back to me (mentally and in confidence terms) and yes, I did laugh (eventually, the little tyke!). And, although we got 2 two's for these movements, his test sheet had a smattering of 7s, 8s and even a 9 :-). - so as you look and, hopefully, smile at my misfortune, please don't think badly of the young chap - he remains our budding starlet and still cracked the 70% ceiling (and then won the novice and elem qualifers the next day :-))
We should be heading the other way! ... oh and in trot!
We should have been in trot between M and B! George just caught us as we landed - he literally jumped from the track to where we are here in one go! I think I should be sponsored by superglue! Anyone thinking of getting £250 for You've Been Framed .... we want a cut ha!ha!