Flatwork schooling 31-05-13

So, Wed we went with Llewi to Hankley Common and bombed around for 2hrs popping a few little hunt jumps - great fun!  Covered just over 8miles in that time so good work out for him.

Yesterday I lunged in my draw reins/tail bandage get up and he worked really well.  Seemed to be holding himself less to the outside on the right rein - it was actually most obvious in walk.

Schooling at lunchtime today and it was very hot but he worked really well.  Started with usual walk to halts remembering to activate the right hind into the left rein.  Then walk HP on a circle into working pirouettes - he finds this hard so determined to keep working on it as if it's hard then it will benefit him.  Moved on to a bit of trot and canter on the circle with some changes of rein through half 20 and 10m circles keeping him soft in the change of bend.  Some trot-walk-trots and then onto canter.

Canter was good - giving me good G&R from the beginning.  Cant believe it's taken me 2.5yrs but finally I can G&R without him going giraffe on me - hard work does pay off!  Did some 20m circles moving into medium canter then 10m circles in collected before canter to walk, walk a few strides then back to canter and repeat.  Beautiful canter to walk on L rein, tending to drop me on the R rein - need to remember not to hang onto his head in the transition so he doesn't have anything to lean on.  Followed this up with medium canter up the long side then back to collected and then a half 10m circle into counter canter round the school followed by changing the leg through trot keeping him soft.  Trot work after this was amazing.  Did a medium trot across the diagonal then down the centre line into a square halt - he wants to drop me here too so need to keep hands soft and make the transition gradual then leg on into square halt.  Really pleased with the work he did especially as so hot but he was off the leg and working hard.

Finished by running through BE95 as riding this tomorrow at eventing camp and WW/BCA are using it too.  He was a little tired by this point so not consistently soft in the hand in the trot and a little on the forehand in the canter - not enough jump but not too bad although had to have a 2nd attempt at the final halt - will master them if it kills me!  Have to remember he's not fully fit yet so actually giving his best work after a shorter warmup.