XC clinic Parwood 30-03-12

Another clinic with Lucy Thompson.

Unfortunately the ground was solid so couldn't do too much but it was still useful.

Warmed up over couple of tyre jumps and a roll top and he was backing off and sticky, chipping in extra ones.  I do hate schooling him - totally different horse to the one at competitions.  He did pop over the open ditch nice and neatly though.

So, we razzed him up a bit and popped through the water - down and up steps, still a bit sticky to start with and took a few goes to get him cantering nicely through the water with enough oomph to go up the bounce steps out but once we got there he then cantered on nicely down the ramp to the roll top.  Then we went over to the 2 ditch palisades and again he was slightly sticky and had a little look but did jump them both ok.

So, a bit more razzing up and then we strung together a little course of water, bounce up, ramp down to roll top then opened him up on the way to an open oxer which he chipped in at and then onto a combination on a right hand curve - 3 lots of telegraph poles with 2 strides in between each part.  Lucy advised to come at anything with a relatively rounded profile and on a curve at an angle to make the lines much easier and it worked fabulously - saw a nice forwards stride, he really locked on and flew through making the striding easy.  Then flew on and got a super fabulous shot at the big log before turning right to the meaty corner which was flagged but no nice bordering trees or anything - easily pre novice size if not bigger.  Slight wobble on the way to it but clapped my legs on and he flew it.  Then on over a nice hanging log before anchoring him back to do a 3 stride related distance on a right hand curve between hanging tyres with simulated ditch underneath and a curved skinny hanging log.  He came back to me quite nicely, angled the tyres and made the turn easy.  Clever pony :)  Jumped great once he was razzed up enough!  He's just a lazy sod - cant be arsed if he doesn't have to be!

Quick rest then onto the bank complex.  Started with step up, stride, step up, 2 strides, step down, stride, step down which he made so easy and then onto a chunky log which he really wobbled towards but managed to keep him straight and kept leg on and got a nice jump over it.  Then we curved round to the right and came back up the ramp to the bank complex up a step, 1 stride, bounce down 2 steps and then curve right to a really narrow skinny sloping palisade type thing approx BE100 height.  I was awful and hooked him back down the steps and then hooked and fiddled to the palisade plonking him right at the base of it at practically a standstill and yet still he picked up and jumped it for me.  Bad bad rider.  Carried on and jumped a roll top off a left bend nicely.  Little debrief then came round again and just did the bank with the bounce steps down to skinny, remember to ride forwards and he jumped it lovely.  Must trust my horse more, channel him forwards, not backwards.

So, conclusions (apart from that it takes Monty half an hour to wake up when it comes to schooling) are getting the right lines into combinations esp curved ones - angle if possible, look where you want to go and ride forwards.  Always always ride forwards, even at water - legs wrapped around, sit up, shoulders back and go!