Wed - 10mile hack over Hankley inc 3min40secs canter at bit slower than BE90 speed and various other canters inc a good gallop.
Thur - 30mins lunging - still trying to bend to the outside on the right rein but interestingly did right canter in the draw reins with no objections which he hasn't done for a long time so hopefully hock inj has helped.
Friday - 45mins schooling. He was generally just not really submitting and connecting or connecting and submitting - whichever way round those two should go so I went into sitting trot and did lots of transitions and lateral work. I then took away my stirrups and did more of the same including some lovely canter work and canter to walk, walk to canter then some simple changes. Finally took my stirrups back and had some amazing trot work before letting him have a stretch down and finish. Now if I could just work out how to get to the final stage a bit quicker so he's not knackered by the time I reach the stage he's soft and connected enough to do a fabulous test! Might be brave and take my stirrups away in the warmup next week - getting less wobbly so should give it a go!
Day off tomorrow, maybe a few little jumps on Sunday and then a short schooling session on Monday before next go at Novice Area Festivals/Music qualification on Tuesday, day off Wed then Prelim Area Festivals and Elem Music on Thursday.
Really useful. Hacked him there so he was nicely warmed up - explained my concerns about him this year and so we initially focused on getting a good canter and improving my lower leg security in the canter. He put my stirrups down a hole and got me standing up in them turning my toe and knee out and really pushing the weight down in my heels whilst holding onto the mane with both hands up by his ears. Then moved into canter like this, turning my heels in rather than drawing them up and back to use my leg. Need to think all the time "Can you gallop, can you ride a 10m circle" - canter should be always good enough to do either. Expect instant response to leg and keep canter moving forwards, ESPECIALLY round the corners! He felt up for it from the word go, much more forwards than he has been recently.
Started with a cross pole and he stuttered in a short stride, came round with a bit more power the next time and he took me by surprise by going on a longer one. Got ourselves organised from that point and met everything else really well apart from fluffing the planks as I fiddled coz they were big! Got told had to ride as if I was in a jump off all the time, think forwards, using outside rein and legs to get good balanced corners. Land, and move on to the next fence. Most importantly, keep the power round the corners. I found this especially weird coming round the corner to the double as really really wanted to hook back and try and look for a stride but by keeping moving on I had no time to try and see a stride therefore no time to panic about not being on the right one and he met it perfectly every time - magic! He was pinging and we finished with jumping a dogleg to a 1m ascending spread. He got in a fraction close the last time but because I'd kept the canter moving instead of pulling back for some imaginary stride he still had the power to clear it. Result! He pinged all the way home, grunting and snorting about having to walk round a grass field. Much more like his old self. Love him.
So, Wednesday we went back to Liphook to see the farrier who was very pleased with the progress - heels already widening slightly, quite happy he shed his entire frog on both fronts and was growing more sole and more heel and most important no solar or heel bruising. Vet didn't seem quite so enthusiastic about him and banned us from eventing for another 5wks although to be fair ground is far too hard to even consider it at the moment. He did feel he was more comfy in his back since having his hocks done. Says he's still overweight. Really must remember to weigh him next time as he's definitely lost weight as girth going up more and can see his quarters are more defined. Trotted him up after the farrier reshod him and he was sound in a straight line, just slightly off on the LF on the left rein on a hard circle but no more than normal for him. Next time he's going to look at him before the farrier shoes him.
Few hours later and we arrived at Pachesham for another attempt at Freestyle to music. Hoping to go one better than last time when we won both classes but didn't get qualifying scores. I thought the Novice went well - the floorplan didnt work as well as last time and I missed out the medium canter as wasn't in the right place for it which then put me a bit behind for the final bit but just worked around it. He could have been a bit more forwards but there was nothing bad about it.
15min break then back on to warmup for the Elem. I really thought the test was pretty rubbish, he wasn't in front of my leg, I didn't collect the canter enough before the first simple change so although he got the canter to walk just about he got the wrong strike off into right canter twice which put me behind the music. Fed up with him being sluggish I booted him up the long side for a terrible medium canter but it worked in that he did a nice 15m circle right and a lovely simple change right to left. Medium trot he did try for me but had to seriously kick him down the final centre line. It felt rubbish!
So, wasn't too impressed to see the score for the Novice of 65.27% and 2nd last in the Restricted (think 6th out of 7 or something) The judge really doesn't like his canter and it got 6's with nodding/unsteady head which is what we got in the last test we did under her. Mental note to not bother next time! (Avoid Bridget Beresford-Wright) Got 7's for walk and trot left ad his halts but otherwise 6's. 6.5 for rhythm, 7 for harmony then only 6.5 for choreography and music :( Comments: "Pretty horse and some promising movements . He needs to carry more weight on the hindleg." Rubbish :(
Imagine my shock to then discover we won the Elem on 68.26% from a List One judge (Sally Merrison). 3.26% ahead of 2nd place. He got 8's for hiss FWLR and 2nd simple change, a 4 for the first simple change, 6's for his 10m circle right and his medium trot and everything else got 7's (even his leg yields and his crappy medium canters) 1st halt got an 8, 2nd one 7 and she gave 7 overall. Amazed at the 8 for the simple change! Only 6.5 for rhythm, harmony and elasticity but 7's for harmony, choreography and music. Not really good enough artistic marks though - if we'd got a 7 for our other simple change we'd have got bang on 70% for our technical marks which would have been higher than our artistic which is not the way round it should be. Need to improved my choreography which is fair enough but I like the music - not sure how to improve that. Comments: "Much to like, you ride well to the music, good halts and walk. Choreography attractive but a pity you couldn't redo the simple change that went wrong" - Comments intriguing given the marks - personally I'd have given lower technical marks and higher artistic but what do I know!
So, we are now qualified at Elem Restricted Freestyle to Music for the Winter Regionals - wasnt really my aim but still! Now need to decide what to do about qualifying for Novice as would be Novice Open if I do manage it. Also if qualify for Nationals at music have to forfeit my place at the Area Festival Finals.
Got there with plenty of time and kept warmup for N22 warmup test short and sweet. Bit of walk lateral work, quick trot and canter then some sitting trot renvers/HP/SI which looked really good in the mirrors - not forward enough for a test at that level but we're way off that anyway - they were correct which is main thing.
Warmup test was indoors, came down centre line nice and forwards, got to C and he did a complete 180 degree spin and nearly lost me out the side door. Crazy bloody horse. Regained composure but he was tense in that corner for whole test. Tried to concentrate on growing the trot/canter in the mediums which judge didn't appreciate but I'm sure looking at videos that he did actually lengthen his stride. Judge leaned out at the end and asked if the door had opened or something to make him spook like that - I said I thought it might have moved but that he was probably seeing ghosts!
Came out, jumped off, gave him 15mins rest then got back on with 10mins to go before AF test. Warmup concentrated on getting him more in front of the leg so sharp reactions, direct transitions, bit of rein back to canter and some attempts at medium trot. Checked score for first test on way out - just over 60% - really couldn't believe it was that bad so not very happy going into AF test.
AF test in outdoor International arena. It started blowing a gale with horizontal rain as I went round the outside, the tentpoles were flapping - all great! He was so flipping dead in the trot work it was unbelievable - thought he was gonna grind to a halt at several points. Hard to maintain composure whilst feeling like I wanted to give him a boot in the ribs and send him forwards. Fortunately managed to maintain enough forwards to keep the connection and generally felt it all went ok but couldn't see it getting amazing marks. Was hoping for top ten though.
Whilst we waited for scores they managed to put up the correct score for my first test which was 63.1% which was much more like it - without the spin would have been closer to 65% as got a 4 for that movement and a 5 for submission overall. Came 5th out of about 10.
Waited for ages and ages, past the time when the presentation was meant to be, still half the class's results to go up. Finally they came out with sheet - was desperately trying to see over shoulder to see score, thought first mark looked fairly competitive but couldn't see second one, then looked across and thought I could see a Q next to my name. Had to look about 5 times before squealing to Helen that I had a Q by my name. Then an eek - horse is on lorry with travelling boots and no tack on and presentation in 5mins! Dragged him off lorry, quickly put poncy white bandages on (not that he needs them as socks so white!) and off we went to presentation. We were equal 4th so sneaked into qualifying by the narrowest of margins, but who cares! We're going to the Winter Champs - woohoooo!!! Monty was completely non-plussed by a mounted prize giving, stood like a donkey in the line up and happily cantered around for his lap of honour. We got 65.8% from judge at C (Marion Terry - List 2) and 67.41% from judge at E (Rosanne Liversidge - List 3A) leaving us on 66.61%. Winner on 71% so way way ahead.
Saturday I bought some Saracen speed mix and Propell Plus for him to try and liven him up.
Tuesday we schooled and had a good run through of N38 ready for Saturday. Happy with how he is working although still needs to be more forwards.
Wed - Tracey lesson - separate blog entry
Thur - gridwork. Really worked on keeping him forwards round the corner into the grid. Didn't do much - pole, x pole to raised pole to upright then pole, x pole, pole, spread finishing at around 3ft3. He got it wrong once but still hopped through it putting very little effort in but making it feel easy. I thought some jumps might wake him up a bit but he was still fairly lacklustre.
Fri - took him in the field and mostly just walked but cantered up the hill 3 times. Not much enthusiasm there either although he's never excited by the field.
Sat - Area Festivals - separate blog entry.
Sun - 10 mile fun ride at Highclere - Vine and Craven Hunt. Thought maybe this would get him a bit excited but was walking him along on the buckle after the first long canter and few jumps. He did liven up in the middle a bit and got a bit arsey after catching up with some horses in front but nothing in the grand scheme of Monty behaviour. And we had a canter across the field and he actually leant down on me and stuck his head down which is a Llewi thing but Monty always goes with head up pulling. Bit disappointed with the jumps but TBH not sure I felt like jumping anything big on him as he kept putting in short strides and really wasn't taking me to them - having to use far more leg than I would usually on him. Not sure if they were just too small for him to be bothered going on a bigger, longer stride or something wrong. Ground was ok - only let him run and jump on the softer, well covered ground. Just not sure what is up with him at the moment - he was full of it on hack over the ranges last week and pretty wild on our hack over Bourne Woods but generally he feels rather lacklustre and the new feed doesn't seem to have made any difference at all. Need to decide about entering Regionals by Friday.
Back to see vet and farrier on Wed so will discuss with vet.
Had been thinking feet were looking good although LF still longer than RF. Growing plenty of sole on both and I though frogs looked good and were in contact with ground well until got back from ride today and both front frogs just peeled off in one piece leaving really pathetic shrunken frog behind. Very weird.
Started with bit of lateral work in walk then trot/canter on a long rein to warmup.
Then took stirrups away and worked on small amounts of trot lateral work - renvers and SI. Really really must control the quarters in the SI - at the moment it's more like a leg yield than a SI. Renvers was good though! Really got him accepting the rein. Theory behind taking stirrups away was to sit on his back and stop him pinging me into the air in the walk-trot transitions. Then did some on and back in trot and some trot poles. Mustn't fall into habit of leaning back and leaning on his mouth in the medium trot. He needs to learn the signal for big trot. Did some counter canter and some medium canter trying to work on keeping the same tempo and riding the bigger stride, not asking him to go faster. Felt like he worked really well - didn't want to stop!
Having had his hocks done last Friday, Monts had Sat and Sun off. He stayed in Friday night and all of Saturday then went back in the field. Monday my friend rode him in the school, mostly in walk just to get his joints moving again.
Tuesday I schooled him trying to keep it all fairly low key - all long and low stretching work, all big circles, no direct transitions, no changes within the pace. He felt good, lovely and forwards and free. I had 3 trot poles out which he did nicely both ways then a couple of canter poles with one stride between them. On the right rein I had a good run up at them and just sat there keeping my big, relaxed canter and he made them feel easy. On the left rein they were off a much tighter turn and I just could not get them right and he kept leaping them. They're only poles, he should be able to meet them wherever in his stride but he wants to meet them like they're jumps and get it dead right all the time. I couldn't get it right - tried to keep the canter flowing forwards round the corner and then tried to collect it up more and make him sit and wait but should know by now that just kills the canter. Not sure I'm cut out for this SJ lark - I just seem to be good at messing it up!
Wednesday I took him for a hack up the ranges. He has felt so lacklustre recently I thought I might be brave and take him on a route I haven't done in ages as he got a bit psycho about it. Started off ok, he was happy to have a gentle canter on the first bit of heather. Ground still quite firm so just walked on the next bit which he grumped about but managed. Then had a little trot and he was ok. Back to walk, round the corner and he turned himself inside out grunting and I realised he remembered exactly where he was. Naughty pony! Slight panic as was in the midst of heather tracks that he knows are for galloping on and no easy way home. Let him have a canter up a hill but forgot that track goes nowhere so had to turn him round and go back the way I'd come - that was fun! Then down a steep hill to the bottom of his gallop hill and he was boinging. No way was I gonna hold him to walk so let him bounce his way up there in a very steady hand canter - he was gagging to go flat out but pretty sure that's not what the vet prescribed! He bounced home after that - far more like the Monts I know and love to hate hacking!
Thursday Helen did a bit of schooling with him and apparently he was dead and lazy - naughty pony.
Friday I schooled him after work and made sure to work on having him buzzing off my leg and he was really good - still kept it all quite low key and stretchy. We did some trot poles with alternate ends raised. Really tried to get him to go through them still stretchy but he just wants to hollow and run through them - not quite what I want! Managed not too bad on the left rein in the end but on the right rein he kept jumping them as 2 pairs then the final one so got off and took down one side of the raised poles so just alternate ones raised at one end. He then consented to trot though nicely - silly horse.
Today took it up a notch again. Took a little while to convince him he could trot in a normal outline again, not just a long and low one! He did some really nice counter canter work (cantering figures of eight), some perfectly acceptable simple changes (best when I remember how to ride them properly!) and I got some very exciting medium trot strides - they just need more refinement and a bit more softness but really felt him push from behind rather than run. We did a bit of LY in trot and some smaller circles and then LY out. Lots of transitions and some rein back. Finished off with some really super trot stretching on both reins getting him reaching right down to the floor and lifting over his back. Very pleased with him.
Tomorrow we are off for a long hack with Llewi and another horse which hopefully he will enjoy. Have got a lesson on Wednesday in preparation for Area Festivals on Saturday at Oldencraig. Want to work on this medium trot but otherwise it is a test he should be capable of scoring well in. Might pop him over some jumps on Thursday too - rekindle some enthusiasm. Bought him some Saracen Speed Mix today - hoping for a bit of buzz without sending him mental!
Wed 31st July - Pachesham
Started with P19. Warmed up nicely enough. Tried to get him nice and off my leg although it's a bit of a mission at the moment as he just generally feels like he cant be arsed. Went up to the arena and saw that the bloody PC had set up camp in the next door field and pitched a load of tents down the long side. I knew this was not going to go down well with Monty. He really doesn't like things like that. I took him into the arena, his eyes popped out on stalks and we had full on rearing, spinning, leaping display. Exactly how he behaves about going into a XC start box. Normally I cant manage that as just cant get him going forwards but with the whole arena to use I had more of a chance. I got him going up the long side and attempted to get inside bend but as soon as we came across the arena he freaked again. Ended up basically going for extreme inside flexion to get him to listen to me and somehow I got him into an outline albeit a rather tense one.
I had visions of having to withdraw before we started so was actually amazed by the test he then produced for me. It was full of expression, impulsion, forwardness and only a couple of moments where he blanked me as too busy trying to look at tents. He actually felt fabulous! Ended up coming 2nd in a big class on 68.63%. Got 6 for first centre line as he was drifting off to the left trying to get away from the tents, a 6 for canter right transition as too busy trying to stare at tents and then 6 for the change of rein through trot away from the tents for being resistant through jaw (he was trying to bugger off with me so chuffed for just maintaining trot!). The rest was 7's and he even got 8's for his walk work including the FWLR towards the tents. Was very proud of him for coming back to me after having such a meltdown. Collectives 7767. "Well produced test, more relaxation whilst maintaining the connection now for higher marks". But for once, I had that elusive forwardness and connection. That's what I need all the time! Judge: Sam Amos
I wasn't expecting that much from the N38 after that display as expected he'd used up a lot of nervous energy but he was a good boy, just could have been a bit more forwards. Managed 65.48% from List 3 judge which is a good score but we were seriously outclassed. Followed horse into the arena who got 74%!! There were just loads of very very nice horses there. Got all 6's and 7's though - first section of test solid 7's except 6 for canter right circle as nodding head. 6's for medium trots and then a series of 6's before back up to 7's again for last bit of test. 7667 collectives. "Pretty pony and some promising moments. He needs to carry more weight on the hind leg in the canter come more through" We came 8th in the Restricted out of 14, 9th out of 18 overall. Judge: B. Beresford-Wright
Fri 2nd August - Oldencraig
Slightly overcooked the warmup as got my time wrong by 10mins but generally felt he warmed up nicely - did some nice trot leg yield - the mirrors are soooo helpful! N22 was in the International outside - good to get him in these arenas before AF's in a couple of weeks. He was a bit tense but generally it was an ok test. He got 5 for his first medium trot and then did a stonking medium canter on the right rein but massively swung his quarters in on the return so got a 5 for that too. Otherwise all 6's and 7's. 2 lots of FWLR both double marks so good to get 7's for those. He has the potential to up most of those 6's to 7's and definitely ditch the 5's. Should be consistently getting high 60's with a bit more work. 64.82% so just missed out of a qualifying score for Regional but got our final AF sheet. 7667 collectives. "A willing test, needs to come yet more through and over the back, esp in the trot work. But a nice partnership" Spot a theme here yet? Came 6th out of 9 overall. Think we were 5th out of 6 in the Restricted, less than 1% behind the very very nice horse we followed into the arena who had stonking paces so quite chuffed with that. Judge: Jenny Gillett
Next test was N39 and I think just one test too much - we have done an awful lot in last couple of weeks in the need to qualify for Areas. He went into the indoor arena and died on me. Because he wasn't forwards I didn't have the connection, there wasn't much contact in my hands and therefore impossible to ride that test well. He got mostly 6's. Managed 7 for entry and halt, the medium walk, FWLR, the G&R in canter (which is a huuuuuge improvement on last yr when he might have managed a 5), the canter-trot-canter on L rein and his final halt. Got a 5 and a 4 for his medium trots - ouch! And a 5 for breaking in the 2nd medium walk. Deserved his score of 61.03%. 766 66 66 66 for collectives. "Willing horse who needs to work with more impulsion to aid connection and develop paces further" Judge: Sally Price
Had his hocks injected later on that day so a quiet week this week and then pick him back up for Area Festivals and hope the hock injections help with getting a bit more push from behind.
Somehow either on our hack on Thursday or walking across the stones in the car park on Friday he managed to bruise both heel bulbs again - this is getting quite ridiculous. Still 2.5wks more before we go back to farrier at Liphook and get to chat to him and Eamon again but still not convinced we've sorted this issue and wouldn't surprise me if I ran him XC again at the moment (if the ground was soft enough) that he'd probably be lame again afterwards. Feel like we're not really any further on since March :( Really really need to try and sort him so can go to Grassroots Regionals even if nothing else :( Seems ok if stay on a surface but not really a future life for a horse who lives to run.
