Slighty dryer wk 30-04-12 including unaff MW 06-05-12 and RW lesson 05-05-12

Pretty sure the week wasn't too exciting - spent schooling time establishing walk to canter right and trot-halt-trot after having the bright idea to enter an Elem on Sunday.

Friday had the saddler who checked saddle and said still fitting him fine as although settled a bit, he has filled out a bit.  Check again in 3mths or so.

Sat was Richard Waygood lesson at Farley Hall.  Monts felt like he couldnt be arsed from the word go.  Started over a small upright on a circle offset from centre line - tripped over it a few times.  Had to get the canter back on the circle then ride forwards to the fence.  Fence went up and then progressed onto including it in a course, jumping it then changing direction on landing, related 5 stride distance upright to oxer round to a dogleg - nothing bigger than 3ft and he jumped it all (apart from 1st part of related distance 1st time) but didn't feel very sparky about it.  Made the jump on circle harder by approaching it from behind oxer but he jumped it well every time.  Then did the 2 fences down the centre line so they were on an acute angle with 3 strides between and he made it look easy both times - done that exercise before - no probs.  So, nothing bad to say but he didn't inspire me today.


Jumping largeish upright on a circle:
http://www.waynejonesphotography.com/ag16878

Oxer:
http://www.waynejonesphotography.com/ag16883

Jumping largeish upright again but turning the opposite way afterwards:
http://www.waynejonesphotography.com/photo14796388.html
http://www.waynejonesphotography.com/photo14796390.html

This is my fave one - attacking the oxer:
http://www.waynejonesphotography.com/photo14796398.html

Jumping angles - this is 2 fences on acute angles with 3 strides between them taken on a straight line down the centre of the school.  quite a challenge but Monts has done this exercise before so it's just fun for him.
First one - love the way he's got his toes touching!
http://www.waynejonesphotography.com/photo14796476.html

2nd one - interesting jumping style from the orange one but we let him jump the way he likes coz it works for him!
http://www.waynejonesphotography.com/photo14796461.html


Sunday, was due to go to Badminton to watch XC  so when that got cancelled wondered what else we could get up to.  Our dressage has been slowly improving but still needs lots of work so elected for some unaffiliated dressage at Merrist Wood.  We did N35 last week there at the BD and came =2nd on 66.92% under List 2 judge so feeling more confident about what we're producing in tests these days.  Looked at the tests on offer for today - thought about the prelims as that is what we have to do eventing but they're a bit boring so looked at the novices.  N27 fine - good practice for RC Champs in a few wks time.  N28 - boring test.  Feeling brave looked at the Elementaries.  E42 - looks a lot more interesting than N28 and no harder than N39 which we've done before so put my entry in!

So, we started with N27.  This seemed to go quite well.  He doesn't like the right hand arena and can get really silly but we got that under control on the first trot round and he behaved well in the test.  Haven't really got a medium trot yet and our final halt was skewiff but otherwise not too bad.  Amazed to find out we came equal first out of 20 with 65%.  Judge is List 5 and not renowned for being over-generous so very pleased with that score from her.  She said "A lot to like and work with.  Just losing balance at time and some transitions could be smoother"

First centre line:
[URL=http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2703862440048766437qszAQe][IMG]http://inlinethumb61.webshots.com/50300/2703862440048766437S425x425Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Non-existant medium trot:
[URL=http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2196701150048766437eDZmfK][IMG]http://inlinethumb25.webshots.com/16920/2196701150048766437S425x425Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Bit of canter:
[URL=http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2132984060048766437GQTdYD][IMG]http://inlinethumb59.webshots.com/44922/2132984060048766437S425x425Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

So, then onto E42.  A week of trot to halt, halt to trot and walk to canter had improved these elements but nowhere near established yet.  First halt he stepped one way and the other before managing a lovely square halt, then failed to do a medium across the diagonal but it picked up after that.  Walk to canter right happened albeit a bit stickily.  He went a bit wild in the first medium canter but otherwise all went well.  Slightly tired by the end - not ridden an Elem since Dan 6yrs ago - forgot how much harder they were!  We had a List 3 judge who said "Fair test showing some nice work.  Needs to take more weight behind for the medium work".  We scored 64.1% which I was gobsmacked with.  Just got 5's for first medium and walk to canter right.  Plenty of 7's though - all of his canter left work, both his half 10m circles followed by counter canter, FWLR, 6second halt etc.  7677 collectives.  We were 3rd out of the 10 people doing the Elem.  It was a mixed class with Novices and Mediums too and we came 6th out of 15 altogether so very happy with that.  He has come on leaps and bounds in the last couple of months - really pleased with him :biggrin: