Clear round Merrist Wood 30-01-13

So, we didn't end up going to Crofton on Sunday as it was blowing a gale and not safe to take horsebox out.  Braved a quick hack down the railway line and let him blow off a bit of steam.  Few hairy moments but not too bad.  Massive hailstorm hit just as we got back to the yard!

Monday did some jumping in the school just to remind him as not jumped for couple of weeks.  Small parallel with planks, sl bigger vertical and then a 3ft1ish vertical.  Warmed up using same exercise as so on the flat now - trot-walk-halt-trot then some walk to canter keeping a nice forwards canter from the start.  Concentrated on using outside aids round the preceeding bend to set him up for the fences and he met every single one spot on stride wise.  If couldn't see stride just concentrated on riding forwards and letting stride coming to me rather than panicking and hooking back.  Really great, positive session.  Just need to stop him jumping to the right over everything - always been a tendency of his but I'm letting him get away with it and even encouraging him to do it if we get a bit deep - I doubt it really makes much difference depth wise!

Tue - blowing a gale again so just did 35mins of lunging in draw reins.  No silly buggers like last time - all nice soft, round transitions up and down.  Lovely work considering it was pitch black in the school and sooooo windy.

Wed - clear round at Merrist Wood.  Hunted Noah earlier in the day so was kinda tired esp as looking after Llewi on box rest with foot abscess at the moment.  Got down there and had plenty of time to warm up so conentrated on same warmup routine as at home and then plenty of time to pop a x-pole few times then small upright then ascending spread then square parallel.  All of them spot on - if in doubt, leg on and let fence come to you.  No hooking allowed.  Went into ring with same thoughts and was really pleased to get 2 clear rounds.  He touched a couple but nothing major.  Got a little close to first fence first time.

Fence 2 spot on:

Fence 3 was a big parallel on a related 4 strides that I had to actually hold slightly to fit 4 in and he looked at it slightly but jumped it well.

Then round left hand bend to fence 4 and remembered to keep leg on round the corner:

Related 4 strides to a 2 stride double upright to oxer which he made easy:

Then sharp right hander to orange/black fence - difficult turn but he'd landed on the correct leg, managed to get him back to me, outside aids, turn and leg on - just the way you're meant to and not what I usually do so chuffed with that :)

Then dogleg to white oxer stile where he seriously jumped right and nearly took the wing out with my foot.  Resisted temptation to hook to a narrow fence though for once!

Finally left hand turn to simple upright and got in far too close but clear:

Quick regroup then straight on to jump another round. Much better shot at fence 1:

Another great shot at fence 2:

Fence 3 more positive this time then round to fence 4:

Again got the related distance to the double spot on by just keep riding forwards to part 1:

Not quite such a good strides to the orange and black off the sharp right hander:

Straighter to the stile oxer though and then saw a bit of a long one to the final upright and steeplechased it:

SJ lesson on Sat with Lucy Thompson so can hopefully work more on this forward thinking thing as it seems to be working well!  Then gonna have a play on the XC in the afternoon - v exciting!

Quiet times - snow!

What with all the snow I seem to have forgotten to report on clear round jumping last Wednesday.

Went down to Merrist Wood to do the 80cm - even 80cm looks big at the moment but first course we've jumped since last May so really need to get my eye in again.  Bought 2 tickets and put numbers down with just a couple between us.

Warmup was a bit frustrating as no-one putting anything decent up so just concentrated on getting good rhythm and keeping leg on and went ok.

Round one I was a bit backwards into a few fences when I saw a dodgy stride but we went clear and nothing felt too dodgy.  He was a little looky but responded well to leg..Round two made an effort to think forwards strides, leg on, took a flyer at the last but another clear round and felt much smoother so pleased with that.  Photos show good position so pleased not forgotten that!  Felt like we got good turns round the 2 tighter turns on the course and made a real effort to ride him in between fences and get the balance back.  He landed on correct leg all the way round and it felt nice and smooth so couldn't ask for anything more.

Hatcam vid from round one (need to adjust angle of camera!)

So, 10days off due to snow and tonight was first time I've ridden him since the clear round!  Did a good 10mins of walk warmup as not been ridden for so long.  First trot felt rather ropy - poss even a bit wonky but not forwards or anything so difficult to tell.  Probably first time he's trotted in 10days so not surprising really.  Warmed up quite quickly though and so after a trot round on each rein on a long rein I picked him up and we did some sitting trot - walk - halt - sitting trot transitions.  Well, this is a fabulous exercise - really got him sitting on his bum.  Then moved on into some LY and SI which he did really nicely - staying soft and round whilst going sideways.  Then felt I had the power to let him out into some lengthened strides - fabulous!  Think it might have tired him out a bit though as moved on into canter work and he just felt a little flat - def need to up his fitness now ready for eventing in 6wks time!  Still managed to do some good stuff though - did some canter squares to get him sitting on his bum round the corners then some canter-trot-canter and some canter-walk-canter.  Right rein as always more challenging but it is improving all the time.  Finally stretch down in trot both reins.  Really pleased with him.

Off to Crofton Manor tomorrow for some arena hunter trial thing - should be fun - something a bit different!

Sparsholt unaff dressage - eventing tests 13-01-13

Nice early afternoon times for dressage today so not too early a start.

Slight incident on the way there when sat nav took me down very narrow country lane which was just about passable until we met a Range Rover coming the other way!  Managed to squeeze into a hedge and just about get past.  My poor paintwork!

Happy to get there in one piece!  Kinda on the chilly side today.  Got on with 30mins to go which was fine.  Standard warmup - walk long rein, bit of walk lateral work, forwards trot and canter, canter on and back, walk break, sitting trot-walk-halt-sitting trot exercise, walk break, quick pick up and go forwards again.

Had chosen BE pick your own class and doing BE92 and BE102 in that class.

First test BE92 - 6 for his entry - rubbish - left my turn at C a bit late and he spotted something and spooked a bit.  Then straight 7's, 8 for left canter circle, more 7's then down to 6 for right canter trans (needs to go forwards thru trans) and 6 for R canter circle (coming onto shoulder) then straight 7's with 8 for final halt.  7677 "Obedient and fluent test. He just needs greater swing over the back and to lift the shoulders in canter" Score:31 - 2nd place out of 10

Quick 5min walk breather then picked him up into more forwards trot and bit of canter before back in for BE102.  After a couple of false starts where judge not sure if she had right test and then me going wrong having imagined it was 20m circles instead of 10m loops (doh!) we got going!  7 for entry and loop, 6 for trot-walk-trot - he just randomly died in the downwards trans, 7 into canter, 8 for G&R inside rein in canter (nicely balanced), only 6 for FWLR (needs more stretch and reach), 7 for med walk, 6 for 10m loop "drawing neck back", 6 for TWT across diagonal (bringing quarter left at times), 6 into right canter (needs to go forward thru trans), 7's for canter down long side and circle with G&R inside rein and down into trot. 6 for turn left after turning across school BE (lost connection on turn) which he deserved then 8 for final halt which I dont think he deserved as he yawed into it but what do I know! 7777 "Accurate and flowing but needs to take the bridle forwards at times"   This is Monty pulling out his opposite trick to being a giraffe and sitting behind the contact instead.  Grrr!  Anyway got 31.5 and came 3rd out of the same 10.  Same judge for both tests.

Moving onto this week we have clear round jumping on Wed night - eek - first course since May!  Then N39 affiliated at Merrist Wood on Sat morning followed by BE JT80 at BCA on Sunday morning - busy busy!

End of week8 cantering and start of jumping

Mon - day off

Tue - date night!  Intended on lunging before work but got stuck in traffic so ended up doing 10mins with him, mostly in trot/canter with the lungie bungie on like the draw reins on the lunge - lungie bungie doesn't work as well as it stretches and he just fights it whereas he submits nicely to draw reins.  Probably might as well have left him in the field - oh well!

Wed - jumping.  Proper jumps at last!  I had a 2ft jump with canter pole either side with 3 of my strides in between so a bit on the short side but when he did it properly it helped sit him back and make him look down and pay attention, a 2ft4ish oxer made out of planks with ground pole either side and a 2ft7 upright - all jumpable from both ways.  He was wild - leaping and charging at the fences, taking strides out and jumping canter pole and 2ft jump in one go.  Was taking me ages to get him back under control after each fence but at least he was loving it!

Thur - flatwork schooling including the poles so single pole on one long side, 3 canter poles on the other side.  Silly horse leaping over the canter pole massively but he did the 3 in one go nicely.  He was a bit heavy in my hands in general though - not the nicest session I've had but not easy to work around all the jumps in that small school.  Think jumps can go away now as start competing again next week so no real need to jump at home.

Friday - short hack then 15mins jumps.  He was up for it on the hack, snorting and charging off.  Not so impressed to go in school again.  Much calmer and just popped the fences nicely.  Kept oxer and upright the same.  Changed canter poles to two 2ft uprights with single canter pole in the middle - kept distance the same so still quite short for him.  Worked really well as made him shorted and really use himself to pick up over the jumps.

Today - Tracey lesson.  Worked on some centre lines with halts at X.  Must remember to look up and forwards when ride away to keep him nice and straight.  Did some work in sitting trot making the trot as slow as possible, then walk, halt and trot on again.  He needs to flex his joints more on the ground - she says he pings off the ground and then flexes lots but needs to melt into the ground and flex his joints when he lands.

Then we did some really challenging canter work.  Canter 1/2 10m circle to centre line, back to E/B and counter canter up the long side before as near to 1/2 10m circle as possible and straight down the school then half pass to the outside track which kept us in counter canter so just keep repeating.  Then back into trot and boy did the trot have some power.  So, bring the trot back, collect it up then let it out!  The medium strides are starting to come - I'm being greedy and wanting them all right now but I think they are coming.  Repeat on the other rein.  He was doing a super job at this tough exercise.  He did some wonderful 1/2 10m circles in true canter and spot on counter canter up the long side and then had a really good bash and managed about 1/2 12m circle in counter canter and gave the HP a good try considering never asked him to do it.  Occasionally he broke so had to walk and then go walk to counter canter and he was really getting this and doing some lovely big, powerful transitions.

Then we did some work on the canter-trot-canter on a straight line that is in N39.  She said absolutely fine to go rising trot - wouldn't attempt sitting trot on his big, pingy trot.  Left rein it is fine.  I use my outside leg back as I rise and then ask as I sit and we get instant transition with no sitting trot strides all fine.  Right rein I struggle to swap my brain round and it tries to do the same as on the left rein so dont get a nice, instant strike off as asking either as I rise or when on wrong diagonal.  Must make sure am on the right diagonal when first come back to trot then remember to ask as I sit.  Stupid one sided brain.  Take the transition slightly nearer to the corner on this rein as well just to help him with the idea of striking off on the correct leg.

Oh, and always remember - not too much inside left neck bend!

Sparsholt tomorrow for BE92/BE102.  It's gonna be flipping freezing!

RC dressage Merrist Wood 06-01-13

So, end of week8 of cantering now.

Thur was BD - previous blog entry

Fri - set up some jumps in the school.  x-pole at B and E and a small oxer (v small!) with a canter pole each side next to the jump at E.

It was getting dark so didn't do too much and dont want to overdo it at the moment anyway.  Popped the x-poles from trot and then canter trying to concentrate on keeping a rhythm.  Then trotted over the oxer, landing in canter and finally cantered it both ways no probs.  Old habits of fiddling coming back - must stop holding for a stride - fine to a 1foot x-pole but doesn't work so well at 3ft.  Did some stopping in straight lines after the fences and also jumped the ones at B/E on a circle.  That was plenty for him.

Sat - railway line hack - full of it as usual. Leaping about if not allowed to canter when he wanted to.  I had the draw reins back on after last week's hacking incident - they help a lot - permanent fixture for hacking from now on!

Today - was meant to be dressage comp at Merrist Wood but got downgraded to what was meant to be some kind of training comp where you did you dressage test then discussed with judge which sounded useful.  Good thing - no plaiting or comp gear needed.  So, warmup was good - love working in the big school.  Had a play with canter half pass just for the fun of it to see if he got the idea and he did.  Did some lovely counter canter and some nice walk to canter although right rein still needs lots of work.  Simple changes need work - haven't got the canter to walk at the moment.

First test was N27 - I wasn't overly enthused with it - misjudged my half 10m trot circles slightly on both reins (she put accurate shapes on sheet so what do I know!) and he really lacks suppleness to the right on the smaller circles - must work on that.  It just felt a bit disconnected.  G&R in canter wasn't too bad - is down the long side so not easy but not bad.  Medium trot - well he didn't hollow but it was more quickening than medium.  Really backed off the final halt so kicked him forwards once he had stopped as it's annoying me him anticipating and just meant to be training today so ideal opportunity.  Judge didn't speak to us after so bit annoyed paid £15 and just got standard sheet back,  List4 judge so would have liked to hear her comments.  Anyway, she gave us 67.14% so cant grumble with that esp as room for improvement.  Got an 8 for our entry, 7's for 20m circle, two 1/2 10m circles and the trot-walk-trot.  6 for canter over X as he anticipated and went early. 5 for G&R (on shoulder), 7 for canter cross diagonal, 5 medium trot, 6 for 20m circle and two 1/2 10m ones, 7 TWT, canter over X, G&R, canter cross diagonal, 6 med trot, 8 FWLR, 7 down centre line, 6 halt coz I kicked him out of a square halt (it was just the way he halted that annoyed me!) 7677. "Established partnership. More engagement to maintain throughness and develop lengthening further."  Canter needs more jump. Trot needs more suppleness. Not bad though.  List 4 judge. No idea where we came as they weren't running it a competition.

Put him back on the lorry for a 20min breather then hopped back on and tried to get him more forwards and out to the contact. Obviously worked.  P14 was next test and it felt lovely.  Everything just flowed.  No nasty moments.  Judge is on BD Trainee judges list and has judged us loads at Merrist Wood esp evening eventers dressage and always middling scores but today he liked us.  He did come out of his car at the end but just said there wasn't much he could say - canter could have a bit more jump and that was about it!

Got 9 for entry - I mean come on - this is the horse who got 6's all last year as went down centre line like banana!  When did we jump to getting 9's??? 8 for 20m circle. 7 for first TWT and change rein, 6 for 2nd TWT and G&R in trot.  7's for the rest of the test except 8's for FWLR and final centre line/halt (although think someone is blind as looked down from saddle and didn't look v square to me but someone else outside said nice square halt too).  7778" What a lovely chap with ability for extra marks. Could be a little more uphill but I'm being picky"  RC has posted on F/book that ours was best test of the day so at least know we would have won it if it had been competition.  Would have liked to see other scores though.

So, must work on: Suppleness to the right - smaller circles.  More jump in the canter.  Those final halts.  Medium trot. Making sure he stays up and out to the contact and doesn't suck back or come above bit - must work into contact.  I could say G&R in trot, but stupid movement so I dont care!  G&R in canter is coming though - need to work on it more in straight lines.

Plans for this week: bit more jumping - increase height slightly.  Dressage lesson with Tracey on Sat.  BE92/102 at Sparsholt on Sunday.

BD Royal Leisure 03-01-13

This week - Monday off
Tuesday - one hour hack on Hankley Common with Llewi
Wednesday - hired out Merrist Wood for schooling - pleased with how he went - worked on test movements.  Need to remember to carry hands, keep him up and together in medium canter.  Think shoulder-in to help with start of medium trot, if starts to hollow, back into shoulder in.

Today went off to Royal Leisure for BD.  Started with N35 - long, busy test and he felt a little tired by the end but gave it a really good go.  Managed to keep him soft in medium trots, just not enough shown.  Broke to trot early once but otherwise really pleased with him.  Got 63.46% from list3 judge Jane Kendall. "A willing forwards thinking attitude but needs to be more supple and develop the medium strides"  He was 2nd of 2 in the restricted, 3rd of 5 overall but only one mark behind 2nd place.  Got a 5 for breaking to trot early but otherwise all 6's and 7's.  7's for entry and final halt - this is one area we have seriously improved! 7 for trot stretch.  Collectives: 676 66 76 76

Quick break and then back on for N37.  Felt a better test and got 64.64%.  Came 1st out of 2 in the restricted and 2nd out of 5 overall.  Amazed with his entry, halt and move off. Square halt, stayed soft, moved off straight - over the moon!  Got 7 but sure it deserved an 8!  Got one 5 for first medium trot but otherwise all 6's and 6's.  7667 "Very obedient though needs to be a little more supple and engaged and to develop the medium trot strides and transitions"  7's for his counter canter and his 2nd G&R in canter!!!  Only a 6 for his rein back which was disappointing as he did it beautifully and cant see from video what she didn't like other than perhaps he paused at the end too long before walking forwards.  She said "fairly fluent back then lost balance"

So, that's 5 BD points and 2 Area Festival sheets.  Job well done!