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.
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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.
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