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.
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