".. You look like Monday."

Regional Championships 2016

We started with a new trainer about 1.5 months back, with a goal to participate in Southern Finland's championships in dressage. This far we have been riding easy classes, but now we had to take the training to a whole different level because of the championship class. In just 1.5 months I feel like Rokis developed so much that I still cannot believe all the things we did in that time. I am so happy to have an awesome dressage trainer who actually understands Rokis better than anyone else!

The championships were organized just few days ago, 11th of September. Normally when we have been to a dressage competition and when we start the performance, Rokis loses his energy. This time it did not happen and he was listening to me pretty well throughout the performance. There should have been more impulsion in the trot and canter. Let's put it this way: the points and percents were not good at all, so that is the part I am not happy with. However how Rokis was behaving the whole time and the fact that we had the best warm up ever, makes the experience worth of gold!

SHS 13.8.2016

I had the chance to participate in a competition in Santahamina garrison, in Helsinki. The first class was a total abomination. After the first jump there was a jump that had to be jumped away from the warm up area, so Rokis was like "nope" and that was it. In the second class I was so strict that he would jump every fence there was and so he did! He listened well and jumped mostly with a good technique, but unfortunately we had two poles down because I wasn't riding too well in some parts of the course. All in all I was happy to see that he was listening to me after the bad first class.

 

 

#justsantahaminathings; while heading back home we stumbled across one of the famous PASIs. They gave us some space to pass them with the trailer. True gentlemen!

Laakso, 23.7.

We were participating in a competition in Helsinki. It was organised in Laakso's riding stadium, which is a nice place. It's a good arena for Rokis since it is so big, and Rokis' canter is so long that it is easier to ride a good round there. Rokis was behaving very well already in the morning so I tried my very best to make sure he maintains that feeling because if he would, I knew he would be awesome. Rokis jumped two phenomenal rounds in the competition. The first one was 0.90m, and already then he was listening to me super well and he could not have been better. So 0-0 from that! The feeling was awesome after the round because he has rarely been that good in competitions. The second round was 1.0m, which did not cause any problems either. I rode a bit too close to the second last fence and we took one pole down from there. Of course it was a shame we did, but I am still very, very satisfied with the round! I am super happy to see how Rokis has improved in past few months. On the contrary to the plan I had, we are not going to participate in the GP in Hanko. I decided that it is better to let Rokis rest now, and then I will sign us up for some other competition in a big arena. If I do the groundwork well now, we will reach anything we ever want.

 

Rokis' mood a day before the competition 

 

 

All the following pictures are by Saija Marttinen from Kuvauksellista Photography.

 And yes, Aida almost always does the course walk with me! ;)

Muurla 26.6.

The blog has been on hiatus for a while, I'm sorry! Hopefully I will get the inspiration to write more soon, but when I do, I promise it will be something super nice. :)

I got some nice pictures from the competition in Muurla, all of them are from the 1.0 meter class.
Copyrights to Henni-Leena Helenius!

 

 

 

After the competition Rokis has had a chill week, just normal training. However, we had our first training with our trainer since february! We jumped in the derby field, yaaaaay! Rokis has never felt that good while jumping in the derby field. I even told my mom that if Rokis will behave well in the derby field, our groundwork is pretty well done.

 

 My safety shoes..!

The stable staff took care of the manege's ground today. It looks super uneven and soft, but it was absolutely perfect to ride on! Rokis seemed to like it as well, so gotta praise the guy who took care of the ground!

Few weeks back: we got the chance to meet James Nikander, aka Musta Barbaari, lucky us girls!

I went to celebrate my friend's graduation from high school. So much good food and company! <3

 

Competition time!

Although sad things have been happening this week, I decided to participate in a competition nearby. It was the first time in a year that I went to a competition with Rokis. He had been good all week so I was hoping we would get two good courses from the competition. I don't even want to say what we jumped, but let's put it this way that for us the classes were kinda like baby classes! Everything went well all the way from the morning until we were back home.

So, more about the courses I rode: they both had the same structure and actually I think that Rokis has never felt that good while competing. I was astonished but not surprised, since we've done A LOT of work to get the confidence burst out from Rokis. He was absolutely awesome during both courses, but I forgot the course for a split of a second, and I didn't ride well enough to the coming fence and I decided not to let Rokis jump from that position. Otherwise I rode better than I had planned during the course walk!

All in all we accomplished more than I hoped, and I'm super proud of Rokis how much his rideability has developed!!

I'm not going to talk more about the competition day, but here's some pictures taken throughout the day!

 

I just love how my saddle looks like when it's clean..

 

9AM and ready to wash Rokis to be white again!

 

Pre-competition snack in our yard

 

 

 The price giving ceremony, and the judge complimented Rokis on how good he looks like!

 Team Blondie is happy!

 

Rokis just after few seconds I let him go to the pasture..

 ... And he took the most out of it!

 

And the aftermath! :D

 

A must-to-see snap I sent to my friends!

Vekliina

RIP Vekliina

13.7.1993-25.5.2016

She was the best horse I have ever had, and I ever will have.

She gave me more than I could ever imagine. Sleep well, dear friend.

I will always miss you. 

I love you.

Color Obstacle Rush Helsinki 2016!!

WARNING, a lot of photos!

Okay this was the day I was waiting for! I had heard so much about Color Obstacle Rush, and this time I was a part of it. OH MY GOD. It was so worth waiting for! I had so much fun during the run that at times I could not breathe (mind you, not because of bad condition, but because I was laughing so hard ;) ).

  

Before!

The run itself was 5K, which is rather easy for me to run. The obstacles were nice, although some of them were more or less the same. Still, this was most certainly one of the best experiences I have ever had!

 

After!

 

 

 .. And Aida got a fair share of the paint as well!

After getting back home (and a good scrub in the shower) I went to do a basic flatwork training with Rokis. He was nice, did everything I asked. So not much to say about that. :)

 I just cannot stop laughing at this picture, it must be one of my favourite pictures of Rokis!

Fit in 2020, and horsie developmental milestones

Yeah I've been a bit lazy in going to the gym so few weeks back I started training there FOR REAL. Surprisingly I notice some positive changes already, so more training and less candy.

Also, Rokis was SUPER today. He was quite nice yesterday as well, but today blew my mind. His jumping technique keeps on evolving and he's becoming better day after day. Although we have had our difficulties and I had to experience them a bit too painfully, everything has its purpose. We have done this all together.
I don't want to say that we will do something before we actually do it, but I can tell that we will do something totally new. Stay tuned.

Patience is a virtue.