Elle McCoan’s Show Jumping Blog | Changing plans!

February 22, 2016

So, one month in to 2016 and my ‘plans’ from last months blog have already changed. My plans for this year with Zippy was to get him his double clears and then maybe sell him, but that happened a lot quicker than I thought. So with Zip off to his new home, I’d like to introduce the new girl…NPS Figi, my new 4 year old. She is by Necker Platiere out of an Animo mare. Figi is a 16.3hh black mare. She is very green so I have got my work cut out with her, but that is the best thing about young ones!

New girl, Figi

So with Figi arriving two days before we are due to leave for Addington, I decided that I would still go with her and Ed. Figi had only been to one show before this and jumped round an 80cm, so it was a big ask. So we packed up and left early on the Thursday morning and started our 7 hour journey to Addington Manor Equestrian Centre in Buckinghamshire. Both the horses jumped so well all weekend. Ed had a few double clears just outside placings and jumped some really good rounds in the Newcomers classes. I just did the Novice classes with Figi each day and was so pleased with her jumping round as there was a lot to look at in the international arena. I hadn’t been to Addington before this show but I really love the venue and would definitely go back.

With Ed going so well, I thought I would take him to the Grange for the 1.10m Blue Chip Qualifier. I jumped him in the Newcomers before this which he jumped a lovely double clear gaining a respectable 4th, and then jumped another fantastic round to finish 2nd in the Blue Chip Qualifier! Things are really starting to come together with him, all the hard work seems to be paying off and I really feel that we work so well as a team. Between myself and Bev, we have changed the way he goes from when I bought him last year. We have done a lot of work to try to make him think for himself more, including a lot of grid work and he seems to be really enjoying his job. I think given a bit more time, it’ll take something pretty quick to beat him against the clock.