Lazy start to the day. Got there with loads of time so wandered off round the XC course. Looked pretty nice - few things I was worried about were no.7 the trakehner (coz I hate them), no.9 a log with a kind of shallow ditch in front of it coz I knew he'd look at it, probably didn't worry enough about no.11 the corner with it's big pot of bright yellow flowers and other decorations. no.13 the 2nd water was a decent step into muddy water and then after that should have been home dry.
Got ready for dressage, they were running early so short warmup - gave him a gallop around the huge open warmup and then bit of walk lateral work then picked up into trot nicely so in for our test. I didn't have him connected enough in front but the aim of today was to establish forwards and softness and not have him all tight over the back. I think aim was completed. Bit disappointed to see 39.5 on the board as was hoping for a little better. Sheet seems fair enough in most places though - thought his halt in the middle was nicely done and square so to get a 6 was a bit stingy. Then he got a 5 for left canter trans which said above the bit which I cannot see on the vid, but otherwise much better than it has been so I think progress in the right direction.
Went to watch some SJ which seemed to be causing carnage for unknown reasons. There were about 15 clears in all the Novice sections and course quite similar for the BE100 and also causing issues. He warmed up nicely - whacked up a nice big parallel just before we went in which he knocked which isn't a bad thing before he goes in to jump as wakes him up a bit - jumping nicely and taking me forwards. Went in and he promptly gawped at no.1
so kicked on to 2 which he gawped again so got a smack and onto the wall oxer at 3 which was ok, round to the bright planks at 4 and he nearly stopped - got a huge growl and kick and launched over amazingly clear.
Kicked onto the double as I know if I hold at all he wont make the 1 stride so really rode it and it jumped nicely.
Finished the rest of the course nicely for a very rare clear in the BE100 sections. This is fence 7 and 8:
Changed and onto XC. Warmed up ok, quite pingy which was a relief as he's been so quiet recently. Round to the start box and just as about to go in he decided to stand on his back legs so we missed the cue to go and started several seconds after they said go - not a great start!
Jumped fence 1 and 2 no probs then had to come round to 3 and 4 which were 2 small hanging logs on an angle. For some reason decided to just hold and hold for a non-existant stride into 3 so got in far too deep, much better over 4. 5 was a chunky log before the drop and again I held him back instead of kicking on so got in deep but popped off the drop ok.
Coming round and up the hill to 6 he was spooking at everything and not concentrating but jumped it ok then same on the approach to 7 the trakehner - looked in the ditch at the last minute and leapt then shot sideways afterwards nearly leaving me in space. Onto the brush to sunken road (which was more of a sandpit) which I held to again (spotting a theme here?) and he skirted round the sandpit on the grass but inside the flags. Next fence was the hanging log with the fake ditch in front so really kicked on and he jumped it fine then the into space which was ok then I got the wonkiest line to the corner and I didn't have my leg on - he baulked at it and all the flowers and I didn't have the forward momentum to get over it or just stop him running out the side. 1st 20pens on our BE record so v sad about that as sure it was mostly my fault for riding him so backwards all the way round :( Anyway, onto the house before the water, still holding, still getting in deep, not learnt at all. Up the step and onto the 2nd water. Concerned about the step in so back to trot but he popped off ok, lost a bit of balance in the water but just about gathered up knitting to make the skinny brush out. Long gallop to the big wide bar thing at 14 - he felt tired, but it was big so kept leg on and he jumped it really well, heard commentator say how nicely he'd jumped it. Finally remembered I have legs for a reason and kicked on to the step up to brush and then onto another skinny brush and finally to the flower garden to finish.
Completely knackered. Not used to having to kick him on between fences so much and I just buggered up his rhythm so much by holding into the fences it was much harder work than it needed to be. Gutted about 20pens on his record. Ended up with 10.4 time pens too as all that fiddling just slowed us down so much and it was a long old galloping course which would normally suit us. Forutnately the vids wont upload so you dont get to see how much I screwed up fence 3 which was the theme of things to come. I reverted back to my old "if in doubt hold on to his mouth for dear life" instead of "kick on". I did it when I first started the season and I've done it on both my BE100's at anything I've been worried about. Totally a mental problem with me rather than him as know he's more than capable of jumping clear round 100. Feeling chuffed we appear to have cracked the SJ but glad we are dropping back to 90 again for a bit so I can sort out my XC riding.
Just one event left now - unaff champs at Tweseldown next Sunday. Going to change him back into the snaffle as feel he doesn't need the gag at this stage of this season and it's not helping with him backing off his fences. Sure there's nothing wrong with him as he's SJing fab and I think it's all me XC.
full XC course pics here:
full course pics
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