January catch-up

We seem to have made it to the end of January with no blogging so going to attempt a round-up of the entire month.

In summary, he is feeling great, jumping really well and his dressage is really coming on too.

4th Jan - Chris Burton SJ lesson

He had us trotting over a small x-pole in a steady trot then 4 even strides down to an oxer which got bigger and bigger and bigger and then halting in a straight line afterwards.  He was pinging - such a fab feeling.  Then worked on a course - he said I had a good eye for a distance which was nice.  Needed to open my inside rein to get the right lead on landing.  Also need to get him more off my leg - he seriously told me off for nagging him with my leg/spur every stride.  He is just such a lazy bugger - minimal effort is definitely his style.  He minced down to this 1m20 oxer and just pinged it like it was nothing, clearing it by a mile and still dangling his feet over the top - the only time I've seen him really tuck his legs up was over a 6ft hedge!

Wed 8th Jan - Carl Belson SJ lesson - Merrist Wood
Mostly worked on jumping on a circle which is my weak point so good practice.  Had a circle of plank uprights and a circle of oxers going up to 1m10 and he was pinging - even when we got in a bit deep he really powered over them.  He felt fab!  Just have to remember to keep that canter going somewhere and use my leg on takeoff.

Fri 10th Jan - Sara Jane Lanning lesson - Merrist Wood
More work on half pass and flying changes.  He didn't really get the changes on a circle.  Ignored me mostly.  If I tapped him with the whip he changed in front, bucked and changed back in front.  Once he changed in front and then several strides later behind but generally it was a bit of a disaster.  He got the idea a bit more if I asked him after the half pass but still not changing properly behind.  Decided he wasn't really round enough and soft over his back which was causing probs in the half pass too so then worked on getting him rounder, especially in the walk as if not soft there then can't get the canter transition soft.  Generally the quality of his canter had come on massively though - lots more homework to do though!

15th Jan - evening eventers dressage - Merrist Wood
Warmup in half of the indoor arena with the mirrors - excellent - worth going just for that!  He warmed up beautifully.  Came 2nd in the BE102 with 70% and 2nd in N111 with 66.5%.  Very happy with that.  Even got an 8 from judge in BE102 - wasn't sure she knew what 8's were as without fail we've only ever got mid 60's from her before no matter what level test we've done.

19th Jan - BE JAS - Merrist Wood
Felt like we had a nice, forwards canter from the off in the warmup.  Warmed up nicely, awake from the start, no chipping in, jumping really well.  First round - BE90, really nice and rhythmical - moved him on for the XC section and he never hesitated.  Awesome result of 6th out of 60something on a style mark of 13 - got told not to rely on hands too much.  Even won £20!  Hour's rest then onto the BE100 - again, warmed up nicely but SJ section not quite as fluent as not sure he was 100% awake for first few fences so got  few distances a bit wrong.  Really woke him up for XC though as knew time was tight and he flew.  One of only 3 double clears inside in the time out of 65.  Style mark of 15.  Finished 11th.  Great day!

25th Jan - Dan Jocelyn SJ lesson - Ecchinswell
Told to put my stirrups up a hole and really think about stability of lower leg.  He warmed up easily over a fence on a circle but I was probably cheating by squaring off the turns a bit.  Then we moved onto a angled fence on a squewy circle and totally mucked it up and asked him to go on a long stride from a nothingy canter and he hesitated, tripped over the top pole and nearly went down.  Stupid rider.  Moved onto a course which went well until the dreaded angled fence where I did the same thing again - idiot.  Dan walked a better line with me and after that we did it right.  We did some curved lines on a related 6 strides, a related 3 strides - oxer to plank and a 1 stride double and he made it feel easy.

26th Jan - Royal Leisure BSJA
Torrential rain but fortunately all indoors there so worth the trip.  Warmed up nicely, taking me forwards and no iffy jumps - yay!  Started with British Novice and he jumped a nice rhythmical clear round - I think he was a little lucky with a couple of rubs but it felt great.

Think I let the excitement go to my head slightly in the jump off and chased him down what was already a long 5 stride distance to push him flat and knock the 2nd fence.  Then it got a bit wild, nearly topped off round the corner and only just made the last fence - oops.  How not to ride a jump off!

Nice pic though:

Short break before the 95cm amateur - course was full of curved lines, uprights off corners and all the things we've been practising.  Felt like a really nice round so no idea how we ended on 8f.  He was slightly long to the first part of the double and just touched the pole on the way in - it rolled back and forth a bit but went and then came down with his back legs on the final fence which was all of about 80cm!!!  Was looking forwards to doing the jump off - grrrr.  Walked the course for the 1m Open afterwards and definitely looked doable so planning a 1m class next time!

Was meant to go to more evening eventers dressage this evening but it was raining very cold rain and he was coughing a bit in my schooling session yesterday so didn't think it was the best idea to take him out in that weather, given he detests getting wet so much.

So, that was January.  February starts with more BSJA on Sunday, some BD the following week, more JAS (crazily entered the BE100 and the Novice!), 3 classes at the BD Winter Regionals, a couple of SJ lessons, a dressage lesson, some fitness work and hopefully a bit of XC schooling as first event is on 1st March!!!  Phew!