Warming up I really tried to get him into my outside rein and going forwards. He was a bit sticky towards the fences and not keen to go on the longer ones - just how he generally is when he's in bored, lazy mode.
Took him into the arena and he lit up. 14 fences, 2 phase course, pretty much all up to 90cm height although nothing very wide. Tried to think about into the outside rein, forwards and just letting fences come to me. There were a few times when I held slightly or pushed slightly for the right stride but not once did he chip in and give me an awkward jump. It all felt controlled and the fences just arrived. Even managed the 180degree turnback in the jump off with the help of lots of leg. Super clear and really chuffed with both of us, having not jumped a course since mid-March. Think only 4 went double clear so even though we weren't pushing for time we would have been placed if we weren't HC. About 25 in the class I think so good result there.
Bit of standing around waiting for the next class which had changed so a whole new 14 fences to learn and again now mostly up to 100cm mark, although they really hadn't changed the spreads so given it's oxers that give me the heeby-jeebies I was ok with the course. Not really much time to do a good warmup as was 5th to go so just popped over a couple and off we went. He did another super round. For some reason I felt the need to hook him into the base of the planks after the oxer on a related 4 strides and got 5 in there and he did really well to clear it. He spooked at something or other after fence 8 and nearly missed no.9 so that was interesting and then stupidly hung onto his head coming to the little white stile at the last and he just got in too close and took it out in front. Still really pleased with him though and again, mostly I let the fences come to the me and the ones I was most likely to mess up (the double and the oxers) we did well.
Annoyingly pony decided to be his usual clumsy self loading onto the lorry and stood right on the edge of the ramp which proved a very effective lever on his right fore shoe and I just watched it peel off his foot in front of me. Argh. Fortunately farrier is being a star and coming out tomorrow morning to sort it out. He is booked in for shoeing anyway on Monday so rather bad timing but have got a dressage lesson tomorrow so really need 4 shoes on my pony! Wondering if might have to try and fashion some kind of filler to fill the gap between the ramp and the lorry so he cant stand on the edge like that as it's very difficult to make him walk up slowly and carefully to avoid it happening and he often does the same on the way down too - I forsee us losing many shoes in this way which is ok if going eventing and farrier on site but not otherwise. Clumsy horse.
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