Technically he is meant to be up to 10mins cantering now and moving on towards 15mins over next couple of weeks but even when he's fully event fit he only does three 5min canter sets once a week on the weeks he's not competing so I'm not sure he needs to be doing that much canter work just yet as eventing not till March. The programme is designed for racehorses and I dont think I want a racehorse fit Monty thanks so we'll just work on gradually increasing the difficulty of the school work and continue to do as much cantering in straight lines out hacking as possible but can really only manage 5mins max unless we box out somewhere.
Monday - day off after dressage Sunday
Tuesday - far too cold in the evening to whip his rugs off and ride - another day off
Wed - won P14 at Merrist Wood on 67.92% with 21 in the class
Thur - brisk hack round the railway line
Fri - schooling session at lunchtime - very pleased with how he is going. First bit of counter canter no probs and we did some pole work in trot and canter. Think the canter poles were a little far apart for him in a dressagey style canter - either need to get him a lot more forwards (generally our issue with SJ's anyway) or move poles closer together if doing this work in a normal canter. We did some G&R rein in canter on both reins and I just had that feeling he would do it before I gave the rein away - the feel he is giving me in the hand is totally different now and there we had it multiple times on both reins - didn't change his outline at all. Cant get it in trot but think it's more important in canter anyway.
Sat - first lesson since pre-injury. Tracey really pleased with how he is building up muscle in front of his withers - I thought he was looking a bit better there but pleased she noticed too. As soon as we trotted she was like wow what a difference. He feels amazing! She said she would buy him based on how he looked today. :) We did some work on finding out that I put more weight in the right stirrup and need to try and put more in left and lengthen the left leg as tends to creep up. Made me trot round on each rein without the outside stirrup and on left rein felt like I might fall off the outside! Then we did some canter work. Walk to canters were good. We even did one on the right rein on the 3/4 line and he stayed round, correct strike off and straight too - amazing! We worked on cantering down the 3/4 line making him super straight - need to shoulder-in slightly but then bring head back to the midline to get him 100% straight - almost thinking renvers - slightly more so on R rein, remember to still think it round the corners. Did some counter canter and he is almost straight but just tending to swing quarters in (or is it out - quarters are swinging towards the way he is bent) slightly as think I am using a bit too much outside (that's the leg on the inside of the school but outside to his bend) leg. Confusing or what! Finished with a bit of medium trot - careful not to let the frame lengthen - he is not ready for that yet as hindlegs need to push more. Last attempt I came round the corner and really felt him push for a couple of strides. Fab! Just need to build on that and we might actually have a medium trot worth talking about!
Sun - boxed over to Hankley common with Llewi. Covered 7.15miles in an hour and a half with plenty of trotting and cantering over the lovely sandy tracks. He nearly lost me once when I leant round to the right to talk to Becky and then he leapt to the left. We had a spinning fit at a log on the side of the track which took a couple of attempts to get him past and we had some close attempts to passage at some flapping tape - all typical for a Monty hack but it was good fun! Love having him fit again. Just cant wait to get cracking with some jumping again!
Feed wise he is now on half rations TopSpec balancer, big round scoop slightly heaped of Bailey's endurance mix, 1/2 scoop Dengie Happy Tummy (mostly alfalfa) a jug of Calm&Condition, 3/4 jug of Fast Fibre and 1/2 jug of Power&Performance. hoof supplement, salt and Supplease Gold. If he gets ridden any time other than the evening he gets a little extra feed with half scoop Happy Tummy and half scoop Endurance mix plus a blob of his soaked combination. He feels nice energy wise and is holding condition at one girth hole more than he was back in May fully eventing fit which is fine for now. Dont want him to lose anymore which is why I'm slowly swapping from Fast Fibre to Calm&Condition. Might also grab a bag of Bailey's Outshine next time I'm anywhere that stocks it. Clipped him blanket clip 3wks ago and he hasn't grown any of it back yet - still see the lines! Fine blades scalp him - must remember that! Still, at least means not too much clipping this year!
This week plans are just schooling and hacking at home, then riding club dressage on Sunday down at Fairoak - not competed there before, just been for jump clinic. Doing P14 again, plus N28 - first time doing 2 tests and first Novice. Hope he approves of the school as it is indoors, very smart and quite spooky and he's not been in there before so will be a mission to see if I can keep him connected when he wants to bring his head up and tighten.
No comments:
Post a Comment