BD Crofton Manor 27-11-13

Schooled yesterday evening working on similar to last week - he's always a bit worse schooling first time after he's been jumping so initially was quite down on my hands in left canter but then moved onto working the right trot in sitting trot and it felt brilliant.  Moved onto right canter and he was awesome - so light in my hands but connected and through.  Went back to left canter and he was much better.  Sitting trot so much easier to ride these days - feel like it's all coming together :)  Jumping at the weekend opened up the little crack in the left corner of his mouth again so possibly that was affecting him taking the contact a bit though so must get that sorted.  Next step is to try my hanging cheek with the bit guards and see if that is any better.  Also thinking I might try a sheepskin noseband on him for jumping to see if it gets him to drop his head a bit.  Also going to get him a smaller bit for dressage - his is coming out of the sides of his mouth too much an I'm worried it's the central link catching the corner of his mouth.   Expensive bloody bit but should be able to sell the old one on ebay.

So, today we went off to Crofton Manor to do some BD - first time there - they were using indoor for warmup and huge outdoor arena for 2 long arena tests.  Quite spooky as lots of advertising boards on the fencing and full white dressage boards - great experience for championships for him.

He warmed up nicely thinking of all the work I've been doing to get him to lift his shoulders - leg yield, circles, etc.  Out to arena past car park and decided to have a napping, rearing effort as could see his way back to lorry and didn't fancy a dressage test.  Pushed him through it though and avoided needing to be led into arena - it was nothing like the protests we get at leaving a XC warmup.  Arena was spooky as predicted but he coped pretty well considering first centre line is straight towards scary judges box and lots of advertising boards.  Couple of random spooks at nothing which judge ignored thankfully.  It was a pretty safe test but wasn't expecting huge scores.  Pretty chuffed to win by a large margin on our highest score ever of 72.17%.  8's for canter to trot from right canter and 8 for 20m circle canter left and an 8 for my riding :)  Otherwise all 7's.  Final points for Regionals done :)  Collectives 7778 "A consistent and well presented test.  Well done"  Rosemary Ablitt

Half hour break then back on for the next warmup.  Really thought of working the shoulder fore this time which helps connect and engage him and he felt super.  Had him much better connected in the test but we did make some costly mistakes.  He went quarters-in in the rein back which was a shame as otherwise he was super soft and obedient and took lovely big strides back.  He then jogged 3 times in the FWLR which is a double marked movement and one he can get 8's for so that was pretty expensive!  His medium trots didn't happen anywhere near like they did in the warmup which was a shame but not unexpected as still a work in progress.  Medium canter was a bit naff and he felt really crooked although doesn't look too bad on video.  He somehow then got an 8 for his G&R over the centre line and another for the counter canter - he poked his nose in the G&R but she put "well shown" and I thought the line I took was terrible and didn't make it back to the track on time and then wobbled down the long side in counter canter.  He did do a nice transition to trot and back up into canter.  Got 6's for both 20m circles and told on the forehand which we really need to sort if we're going to move on to Elem successfully.  Then a 6 for 2nd G&R as he did a giraffe impersonation followed by another 8 for the CC which was much better (got a well done!) and an 8 for his final centre line and halt which was beautifully straight and square - all our hard work on square halts paying off!  Collectives 7668. "Super partnership - flowing, rhythmic moments but needing clearer work from behind especially in canter for better self carriage"  Angela Cardiff.  He won the Restricted section on 66.07% and was 4th overall.  The super stunners in the class got 70% so he really wasn't that far behind given the glaring mistakes.  If we gave him his usual marks instead of the mistakes he'd have been on about 69%.  Such a clever pony!  And that's the points we needed for Winter Regionals qualification sorted!

A week of schooling and jumping

Gave him a couple of days off after the Hunter Trials last weekend.  Then did 3 schooling sessions in a row with him and he was on fire by the 3rd one.  3rd one we did lots of work on trot-walk-trots minimising the amount of walk until just thinking walk then moving on in trot again to increase the expression.  10m circles in canter and canter squares really helped lift him off his forehand.  Tried some trot HP thinking of travers on the diagonal and got some passable attempts and his trot was beautiful to sit to after all the other work.  Then did a little work on square halts in hand, getting him to step up into a square halt.

Saturday went down to Merrist Wood to do the indoor SJ/XC - bit like unaffiliated version of JAS.  Warmup cut short as they were running early and the 4 after me didn't turn up so I was last to go.  Meant it was all a bit rushed and didn't do as much as I wanted to do to get the quality of the canter.  Had entered the 1m class as that height not an issue for us but didn't really think about how technical they would make the XC section so in hindsight 90cm might have been better!  Really pleased with how he jumped the SJ section - he went off a lovely long one into the double but unfortunately then got a little close to the next one and just tapped it in front.  When he gets a bit forwards he just doesn't snap up quick enough - annoyingly if you get him there on a nothing stride he pings them from right underneath the base but although the jump feels much better on a longer stride he gets a bit careless.  Then moved onto XC section - started ok with simple rustic then turnback to an arrowhead.  Then I got a bit lost so had to take a dodgy wiggly line to a skinny stile with flowers under it which he jumped fine.  Then round past the double and cut across the school to a skinny roll top which he looked straight at and then just ducked sideways - naughty boy!  I probably could have ridden it more positively and had him more between hand and leg but still, he was naughty not to attempt it.  He just grabbed the bit 2 strides out and ducked out to the left (not even out through the shoulder I might have lost round the corner).  Jumped it fine 2nd time but landed on wrong lead and then went disunited trying to change so lost the canter when should have been riding forwards round the corner to the corner, got right under the corner so then tried to ride 3 strides to another skinny flower stile but again he ducked out to the left - it's not really like him to run out but he can be a bit cheeky and I paid for not riding forwards.  Got it together to ride the seriously acutely angled double of verticals on 2 strides and he wobbled a bit but popped them nicely, then onto the viaduct wall fine, forwards round the corner to a skinny stile with brush in front of it no probs then kicked on to final skinny flower stile and he just put in a little one and got right under it but I think I'd let the canter get a bit flat again.

Video:

Yesterday went to first BSJA as a member at Royal Leisure.  Got there in a bit of a rush for the British Novice but managed an ok warmup although difficult to do circles and transitions in such a confined space.  Course was simple and not big but still managed to fluff it up.  He wasn't forwards at all and was lucky to clear some of the back bars of the spreads, got disunited before corner to double so didn't have a forwards canter and he got right in deep, took the front pole then put 2 strides in a 1 stride distance.  I then forgot there were 10 fences in the first round and stopped after fence 8 before remembering about 9 and 10 which I then kicked on for and he did beautifully!

I had put my number down at the beginning of the 95cm amateur but it did make it a rush to walk the course and learn it and warm him up all at the same time.  He was jumping much better in the warmup though and took him in determined to ride more forwards.  He did a lovely round, just still not quite managing 3 strides in the related distance and tucking in a short 4th then just got a bit long round the corner for number 3 and just touching it with the front of his cannon bones on the way up - very unlucky.  Rest of round was beautiful and especially the kicking on round the tight right hand bend which meant we met the vertical and then the double perfectly.  Disappointed not to get to do the 2nd phase due to having one down as he was jumping so well.  All over far too quickly.

Larkhill ARAHT Intermediate Hunter Trials 17-11-13

Back again to Larkhill for 3rd time in 4wks.

Entered the Intermediate Hunter Trials as the Open was at Novice speed and suspected would contain most of the Novice BE fences although the Intermediate was only advertised as being BE90 height and speed there was nothing in between.  As it was the Open was a mix of the Novice and the BE100 and he'd have been quite capable of all of it and I wished I'd been doing it!  Still, our course was a good mix of the 90 and 100 fences including the big 100 ditch brush, the 100 sunken road and a chance to do the 90 table to corner again.

Mission not to go too fast failed yet again.  He just cruises too quickly for 90 speed.  Came in 13secs under the time which left us in 4th place - lovely prize money went to 3rd.  Grrrr!  Had a good ride though and it was a nice, confidence giving easy run to finish the season.  He made it feel easy and there wasn't the grunting and little short strides we'd had at the RC Open 2wks previously.  He seems to lack confidence at 100 and make more of a meal of it - maybe because I'm lacking confidence too but lots to work on there for next season as would really likely to be competitive at 100.

Much smoother run than in the RC Open - we got the table to corner spot on which was a nice feeling as table was full up height and width but rode really well.  Got the brushes right this week as well - lovely forwards 5 strides.  Made him canter through the water and he got nice strides to the brushes before and after.  He was a bit looky at a few again so every XC run is good for him.  Warmup was a nightmare - he was rearing before we got in there so I kicked him and he bucked!  He then nearly wiped out one poor girl several times napping in the actual warmup.  He did settle more the longer we were in there but was very silly about being led over to the start box again.  He's fine once he gets going and never even thinks of napping on the course so I don't really understand it.

Interestingly looking at the schedule the original plan seems to have been for the Open course to exactly match the BE Novice course and the Intermediate to be the BE100 course so they must have decided to soften it after the schedules were printed and probably after it got postponed due to the weather.  Must remember that if feel cocky and get tempted to enter the Open next year!

Last XC run of the year done - 6 runs in total - not exactly the year I had planned but hey ho.  Next XC run will be 2mths before Badminton - eeeeek!

http://youtu.be/A64aCwcrXls

BD - Merrist Wood - 16-11-13

Back at Merrist Wood again on Saturday morning.

Started with the Prelim qualifier - P13 - trying to get last points for Regionals.  Warmed up with everything from our lesson the previous day fresh in my mind.  He has got a little split in the corner of his mouth at the moment and just as we were about to go down the centre line the bit must have caught it as he threw his head in the air and chucked it around for a few strides.  Fortunately he settled just in time to get straight onto the centre line.  Test was ok - nothing super special but accurate and obedient.  He won it on 67.5% which was just 0.5% of the score we needed to finish our qualification - rather frustrating!  Got 7's for all his right canter stuff, 7's at the beginning but 6's for left canter which is a bit back to front!  Only 6's for his walk work too - very odd for him.  8 for final trot across diagonal and 8 for final centre line which was ridiculous given the god awful totally unsquare final halt he did.  Comment for trot across diagonal was about keeping good swing in the corner though so lesson work paying off!  Final comment still involved needing to lighten the forehand - booooring!  Judge was Yvonne Huber.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeEDO1biaz0&feature=c4-overview&list=UU84ZsxKlBNYDqKLZi2Fjl0Q

Next test was N28 - judged by Mary Robley.  Managed to go wrong straight off the centre line by trying to start serpentine straight away when it actually starts at A - doh!  Then he broke into trot in the canter to try and have a poo!  His 2nd counter canter to trot was terrible as he tripped.  Medium trot wasn't great as he started spooking towards the end and then he did a tiny weeny jog in the final walk down the centre line.  Came out thinking it was totally terrible.  Totally gobsmacked to see our highest ever Novice score of 68.75%.  We basically got straight 7's with a 6 for medium trot and 8's for the 2 walk movements.  He got a 7 crossed out to a 5 for the break in canter and a minus 2 for my error - without losing those 4 marks he'd have got over 70%!  Gutted to have messed it up but optimistic for the future if he can score that well with me feeling it was awful!  She said he needed to lighten the forehand still, especially in the canter so homework is to get that sorted as fed up of that comment now!  He came 4th out of 16 in the Restricted and 8th of 21 overall.  Not bad!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8JjAmVQYHs

SJL clinic - MW 15-11-13

Friday afternoon saw us back at Merrist Wood again.  This time for our 2nd lesson with Sara Jane Lanning.

We worked on the walk piris - she had to take over in the right one and do some work to convince him not to run her over and to turn properly and then once it seemed to click in his head he did some really good ones.  Have to really make sure get him soft and round in the walk first before asking for the turn.  Not easy when he decides to be a wiggly worm in walk.

Trot we worked on keeping up the impulsion through the turns - have to make sure don't ask for too tight turns in the corners of the school which make him lose impulsion and rhythm, keep the hindleg stepping through and the power up.  Did lots of leg yield from track to 3/4 line and then straight on - she said he was lazy - not through not going forwards enough but not putting enough effort into moving sideways so need to make sure always get the reaction I want.

Canter we warmed up and did a 5m loop which she loved and said would get an 8 definitely.  Then we worked on getting more jump into the canter.  On the left rein this involved shoulder-fore, then try to keep that on the circle and into the walk transition.  Right rein had to have him rounder - not deeper, but rounder and softer - this had to come first before more power or he just ran onto his forehand.  Once we established that we managed to bring him in onto a 10m circle and for the first time ever he made it feel easy!  Normally I find it so hard to do smaller circles on him on the right rein.  Must insist on the extra roundness though - he needs to be soft and round before asking for transitions.  Did some super stretching down to finish.  Really pleased with him.

I asked about flying changes but with a competition the following day she didn't feel then was the right time to work on them which was fair enough!

More schooling - flying changes (or not!)

Flatwork session at home.  Tried to work on flying changes exercise.  Counter canter on the circle, change the flexion to the inside, get the weight in the outside rein like it would feel if you were on the correct leg then big change of leg aids and keep niggling till they do something.  Make the circle smaller if needed to make it harder for them to carry on.  Sadly Monty was fairly oblivious to what I wanted.  Couple of times he attempted something which felt like a change behind but never followed through in front.  Couple of times he changed through trot.  And a couple of times he got really pissed off and ran sideways and then just stopped!  He is quite sensitive and also can be very explosive so it was a little nerve racking and not very successful.  He did some very nice work other than that though!  Really starting to be able to sit to his trot better now but still needs a lot of work.

Busy week - Carl Belson BSJA clinic - MW - 13-11-13

Was in the 1m-1m10 clinic which was good as wouldn't have wanted to jump any smaller.  As it was, only a couple of fences were at 1m05 and the rest around 1m and I wanted them bigger - yay for confidence!

Started with an exercise over 2 small uprights (as in 18inches small) like this \   /  - had to jump one and then tight circle away from direction of travel, back and jump the other which was good for control and getting bum underneath them.  Then had to jump both in same direction.  Monts found all this fairly easy so then worked our way round a course.  Main things to think about were outside aids to keep his bum underneath him, his shoulders travelling in the right direction and to keep him straight over the fence.  He jumped really well though and apart from getting in too close to an oxer when he fell asleep waiting for his turn to jump and an upright when I chased for a stupidly long stride in a related distance he jumped really well.

Schooling/feed

Feedwise have been slowly introducing TopSpec Turbo to his diet with the aim of that replacing the Baileys Endurance Mix/Outshine.  Hoping to simplify his diet to TS Turbo and TS Comp Feed Balancer at full rates as compared it to Farriers Formula and mostly contains same stuff for feet and more balanced overall.  Will carry on feeding a bit of Power and Performance as I like him to have a bit of soaked stuff as he's not a huge drinker esp at shows.  Apparently if he gets too fiery on Turbo I can mix in Performance cubes as needed so should hopefully be able to come up with a suitable diet combining those.  He's been on small amounts during his week off and now building up amounts.

Short schooling session today as had 8days off.  He had plenty of energy.  Had to re-establish the seat aids a bit but he remembered quite quickly.  Really need my body to be a bit more flexible though. No probs moving inside hip forwards on left rein for canter transition but does body want to do it on the right rein?  No, it does not!  Probably why have more problems keeping him round on the right rein in the canter transition.  Pleased with how he remembered that when I put legs on at the girth in halt he has to lift his back and round over his topline - he was really good at this considering only started it the week before his time off.  He has started charging down the centre line though - not sure what's worse - dying on me or running away with me!  Did some walk piris which were ok on left rein although must keep inside hind marching through but crap on the right - just don't seem to be able to get flexion and turning - sure it's all down to my one sidedness again.  Did some lovely sitting trot, esp on right rein - he was very easy to sit to which felt lovely.  Did some on and back in canter and a couple of canter to walks, lots of walk to canters and canter to trot, trot to canter concentrating on scissor legs in canter and normal leg position in trot which is helping with transitions being prompt.  Kept it fairly simple given he hasn't schooled in a while but lovely to have him forwards and willing and also soft and happy.  He puts such a big smile on my face when he's like that.

Watched video this evening of friend learning changes with Damian Hallam - worked on counter canter on a 20m circle, then introducing inside flexion and then taking the weight into the outside rein before very eliberately and obviously changing over the canter aids and the scissor position to ask for the new canter lead.  Then just keep asking - not harder if they don't respond, just keep niggling away and annoying them, tap on the bum if needed to keep annoying them (might not try that with Monty as likely to get orbited!), can make the circle smaller if needed to make it harder to stay in counter canter but just keep niggling and annoying them until they do something.  Sounds like a good method to try with him.  Have previously got him to change by doing leg yield back to the track and he's occasionally given me a clean change but he finds the leg yield quite hard and tends to resist and come above the bit and if he doesn't change when you reach the track then you're just stuck on the wrong leg and can't do much about it other than try again.  I like this way as you can just keep cantering and niggling.  Damian said it could take 10 circles but normally eventually they will get it and offer you something.  SJ lesson tomorrow but might give it a go on Thursday before my lesson on Friday.

Things to work on in lesson on Friday with Sara Jane Lanning:
walk piris esp to the right
stopping him diving into the final halt on centre line
getting canter off the forehand
walk to canter right
changes - simple and flying
medium trot

Larkhill - BVRC Open Hunter Trials - 03-11-13

Got down to Larkhill about 1pm on Sunday and went off to walk the course.  It was basically the same as the BE100 from the week before except they were using the BE90 brush combination at 5 which was slightly disappointing as was looking forwards to tackling the huge steeplechase shaped fences in the BE100 but also slightly relieved as they were huuuuge!  They had also taken out the table before the corner which again was half disappointment and half relief as that was pretty big too.  They were also using the BE90 rail at the top of the hill at 9 and had taken out the first brush at 10abc. Strangely though they'd used the Novice rolltop at 6 and the huge Novice chair at 8.  I didn't walk up to those ones!

Wasn't really sure how best to warm him up for a hunter trials as only ever go XC after dressage/SJ and just do minimal warmup.  Decided to lunge him in trot for 10mins as I knew he'd be silly once we got up to the proper XC warmup.  As predicted he napped his way up there and was a complete pleb in the warmup - prancing and leaping around and charging over the warmup fences.  I knew we'd come home only 4secs off BE100 time at the BE90 2weeks previously so assumed if I just let him flow on and try to kick on for the last fence we'd be pretty close to the optimum.

Got a lead straight into the start box with 5 secs to go and he was off like a rocket.  Over the nice hanging log at one, he was a bit looky at the house at 2

 and again at the parallel at 3.

Onto the palisade at 4 (still looking), got in close to the brush at 5a and then managed to put in 6 strides before part b when we'd done it nice on 5 strides 2wks previously.  Onto the Novice rolltop at 6 which made sure to kick on at and he jumped it well.  Up to the corner at 7, got my line but ended up rather deep to it.  He wasn't thinking about running out though which was something as it was twice as wide as any other corner we've done and only the 2nd open corner we've ever done. He did have to work to clear the back bar from that spot though.

On down the hill to the huge chair at 8 which he was looky at but jumped well.  Fence 9 the rails he popped.  Then downhill and back up again, spooking wildly at what was 10a but managed to get him off to the left again to get straight for our 10a the step up to 10b the brush.

On up the hill to the easy square topped thing and then onto the sunken road.  This walked 2 strides in the bottom then 2 long strides to a skinny rails.  I predicted he would land short up the step and struggle to make 2 strides so elected to hold him for 3 short ones rather than risk 2 and a half strides.  This worked perfectly :)  Then on down the hill and round to the skinny hanging log which he got a little close to.  Then onto the water.  As usual he was backing off - really need to practice jumping into water more as any jump before water where he cant quite see where his feet are landing he backs off and at Badders we will have to jump right into the water so need to make sure he's ok with that.  He tucked in an impossibly small stride before the brush in and then trotted through the water, put in one canter stride and he was a little way off the wide skinny part c but popped it sweetly no probs - wish he'd go off a long one more often!  Then up the hill to the carved fence which we met perfectly.

On down the hill to the ditch brush - I saw a longish one, he started backing off so I growled at him and he went on the long one and flew it.

Re-composed myself to try and set up nicely for the sharp right hand turn, lined up with gap in the trees on the horizon but typically got in way too close to first hanging log on the angle and so again was forced to just sit quietly and let him pop in 3 strides and pop over the skinny brush at part b.  Kicked on for final fence and we were home.

Chuffed to go clear as lots of skinnies and the couple of Novice fences.  Not so chuffed with how looky he was but I guess it was our first course at that height for 2yrs and definitely more technical than anything he's seen in the last couple of yrs.  The ground was pretty holding and I underestimated how much of an effect that and his lookiness would have on his speed.  We ended up 13secs off the time which was worked out on BE100 speed of 475m/min.  Bit disappointed as hoped we'd be closer to the optimum but still came 5th out of 30 odd so not bad for a step up.

On the back of that decided to try and get a place in the Intermediate Army Hunter Trials which is BE90 height and speed as only other option was the Open which was Novice height and speed and I know we can't make the speed and don't want to push him to try Novice level XC just yet.  Looked at BE calender for early year and realistically likely to only have about 4 runs before Badminton so need to get as much practice judging speed XC as possible as important to get as close to the optimum at Badders as possible as likely to be close scores.

Course pics