All posts in category Mounted Games

Games Practice 02/11/18

February, 11, 2018

Two days ago we had a practice and it was freezing. Today we had a practice and it was nice and warm! Both were fun, but I got to say the warmer temperatures were nicer to the joints.

Today’s practice included three of us from Team Gone Rogue; myself, Val, And Jon, and our friend Zoe on her brand new pony Dice. This was Zoe’s second ride on Dice, and his first time playing games. I think Zoe picked a good one. He hardly batted an eye at anything and he seemed pleased to trot on through everything. I believe I caught his very first race, Twitter, and his second, mug shuffle in the compilation video.

We rocked through quite a few races, trying to hit ones today we didn’t get to on Friday. And since it was warm, we ran through quoits a few times. For me I worked on my leaning in quoits, more for my leaning in general than to actually get the ring out of the bucket in competition. I am very happy with myself for touching the top of the bucket, go me! Val of course was whipping around, grabbing a hoop and in most runs (except the one in the video) slapping that ring over the cone. And Jon, his stirrup is so fast. He certainly challenges a vaulter with this skill.

About half way through practice one of the long horns came running into the indoor and started to toss a trash can around. Jon ran over and closed the gates to our section just before another one ran in. Turns out the cows had gotten loose. We called up to the house and they had them rounded us and back in the field quickly but there was a lot of mooing going on for a while. It made for a rather exciting mid practice break.

Video compilation from practice!

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by riderofchaos on February 11, 2018 • Permalink

Posted in Mounted Games

Tagged blue ridge games, blue ridge pony, equestrian, horse, mgaa, mounted games, pony

Posted by riderofchaos on February 11, 2018

https://blueridgepony.com/2018/02/11/games-practice-02-11-18/

Matt’s bday practice video

February 10, 2018

I am attempting to channel my inner youth and compile and include a video compilation from our practice. Let’s see how this goes.

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by riderofchaos on February 10, 2018 • Permalink

Posted in Mounted Games

Posted by riderofchaos on February 10, 2018

https://blueridgepony.com/2018/02/10/matts-bday-practice-video/

Matt’s Bday Games Practice 2018

February 9, 2018

This morning four of the Team Rogue riders got together in Berryville, VA for practice in honor of Matt’s bday! This was Averi’s very first practice with us and I think she enjoyed it even though we started off early. Early means cold! We all pulled a “Michael Jackson” and rode with one glove (you need the right hand free for equipment handling).

It was a really good practice. We busted through a good array of races including hi low, ball and cone (yep we did it), hoopla, 3 mug, litter, sword, 4 flag, flag fliers, mug shuffle, association, bottle, pony pairs and I am sure a few others. Pony pairs was particularly nice to be able to run through since we had four of us there.

Matt’s pony, Hero was fresh from having some dental work yesterday and seemed to settle down on his head tossing as the practice went along. I worked on pushing Poe up to equipment and not over checking, and we worked on a turn for Babyface. I think Cider was just happy to be out and enjoying himself.

What do the rest of you people in your 30s (ish) do for your birthdays?

Below are some photos of us practicing our “smoldering selfies” which Val recently read about and is instructing is in to jokingly help us all stay young. We are having a lot of fun with it. Clearly we did not follow the instructions with our group selfie. The angle is all wrong.

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by riderofchaos on February 9, 2018 • Permalink

Posted in Mounted Games

Tagged birthday, blue ridge pony, equestrian, gone rogue, horse, mounted games, riding, team, team practice

Posted by riderofchaos on February 9, 2018

https://blueridgepony.com/2018/02/09/matts-bday-games-practice-2018/

2017 Mid-Atlantic #1

May 11, 2017

The mounted games season really kicks off with MA1, which has historically been at the PG Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. This year it was moved to Mullica Hill, New Jersey in response to an equine herpies outbreak.

Gone Rogue, my Over 25 team, hit the field with our full usual team of Matt, Val, Averi, Kristin and myself. Val was on her new ride, Babyface, and the rest of us were on our usual rides. Game on.

We held strong through our two qualifying sessions, stepping cleanly into the A final for Sunday. All in all Saturday was relatively clean and smooth. We had our usual jell, mostly clean, with just a few fumbles divided up pretty evenly between us.

We went into the A final and we played hard. We battled it out through the whole session with two teams in particular, Time Flies and Boarder Patrol. The three of us were race for race, taking turns holding the lead and then swapping back and forth in the top three positions. It was an awesome final. We ended in a very respectful third place ahead of Chaos, and left the ring feeling solid.

The mistake that sticks out to me the most was my bottle during the final. I am usually a clean center setter, but I pulled the bottle over, and when correcting, knocked it off the barrel. Booo. But, focusing on the positive aspects, I did remount relatively quick and without much difficulty.

I also did inside turns for my end pick in 4 flag, and I am really pleased with how they worked. The first one, during a Saturday session, was not as smooth, but still felt solid. We played this race again during the final and this time we asked for the yellow flag to be propped in the #1 pick up position and I started, selecting it on a smoother inside turn. I am very happy with this change in my play. I credit the Bluegrass Open team I rode with earlier in April for this confidence. They encouraged me to try it and then praised it’s success. So thanks Bomb Squad.

Babyface was awesome. I am not sure if Val was able to recognize how amazing he was, always expecting the best from herself, but that pony shined. He is wicked fast and has such a good (although young) head. He got “stuck” a few times on his end turns, and he got upset in the barns when his buddies left him. But otherwise that pony has games champ written all over him.

Another pony I want to comment on, Peyote. That stinker was so good. He has had most of his winter off, and he is not the straightest running or smoothest pony even when in work, so I was really floored at how well he did. I am still apprehensive to say more and jinx us, but he looked like a real games pony out there.

Matt and Jitter and Kristin and Tex, bah, those four are always amazing, so what can I say? They were just as amazing as always.

The Open A final was also super hot. Just like in o25, three teams were really fighting it out hard, race by race.

I am excited to see how this season goes after MA1 having a head to head final in both o25 and Open (I am sorry I missed the majority of the intermediate and the novice finals).

Photos:

This one cracks me up. Val was like “I need all the rope” and I was like “got ya dude” and just neck reined Poe along. But you might note, she literally kept 1/2 the rope. Lol. We were clean in the qualifying heat but we busted up in the final.