A little jump the night before and he was pinging.
So, off we went to Hambleden where we won the BE100 last year. Late afternoon times. Walked the course to find it was much the same as last year. SJ actually looked quite small compared to SOE and what we've been jumping with Chris.
Onwards to dressage. He warmed up nicely but some tension in the test again frustratingly kept our marks down again. Finished with 32. He got an 8 for the free walk and I managed to keep the canter energised for 7's but he popped up to canter in each serpentine dropping to 6's and losing a mark for impulsion as well, plus a stingy 6 for a very nice looking apparently not quite square final halt. He is just convinced that the tests must be about to contain something more interesting and can't believe these days I am just asking for simple transitions and serpentines. The disadvantages of taking a horse schooling Advanced Medium to do the equivalent of a basic prelim!
On to the SJ. Got to the warmp with 5 horses to go before us. Perfect. Quick whizz over each fence. People kept walking in front of the fence and putting me off my stride which wasn't a good start but once we got going we were fine. He went in and jumped a super super round. Really smooth, lovely forwards rhythm and met every single fence and related distance spot on. So proud of him!
He just makes it look sooooo easy! Not a small fence and he's miles above it.
Straight onto XC and managed to go 15mins early as they were at the end of the class. Quick warmup, no hanging around - best way for Monts. Set off like a rocket and never stopped. He was awesome, taking everything in his stride. We trotted down the steps, trotted through the water and the coffin and yet somehow managed to be the only people all day to go too fast and collect a whopping 5 too fast time penalities for being 5 seconds faster than Novice speed. Somehow we had gone 30 odd seconds quicker than last year here. Gutted as dropped us from 6th to 10th so missing out on another Regional Final qualification despite another double clear. No-one else came close to that time all day and he really isn't a quick horse. I felt like we whizzed round SOE 2weeks ago and we were 16seconds too slow so rather puzzled as to how we turned into speed demons overnight! Awesome, confidence giving round before Badminton though.
Started with a session on the gallops. It was quite warm which always makes for a lazy Monty. We managed a 6.5min gallop at a consistent 510mpm after some steadier warmup canters though so that was good as that's how long we're going to need to gallop at Badminton.
After a few hours rest we had a shared XC lesson with Philippa and the lovely Jack. Chris was out to test what we were made of. Started with a gentle warmup but then upped the anti with tackling a decent oxer on the left hand angle which he made easily. Then taking the skinny brush on an angle. Right was no problem but he ran out to the left. It was a stupidly acute angle but he did it fine to the right so should have been fine to the left but he was never really straight or locked on so round we went. He then reared vertical when told off for it. Came round and jumped it again with Chris holding the flag out but not quite what we were aiming for. Chris got on and jumped the big saw bench I had refused to jump (serious Novice fence that one!) and then did the brush on the angle. He said as I long as I get straight, put left spur on and commit to going over then he is fine! Easy for him to say.
Moved on to the water. First we jumped the trakehner and then the massive house on an angle then back round, over the 2 houses 4 strides apart then one stride and log into water, 4 strides to step out and he just zoomed into the water without any hesitation - so proud! Then we did the big skinny house and through the water, up the step and supposedly over the big house on 3 strides. First time fell up the step as went on a long one. Second time managed the step but no momentum. Third time lucky, up the step but no way could he make 3 strides so just let him pop to it on 4 and he made it feel easy.
slow mo version:
Then we jumped the corner from left and right and a skinny on the left angle. Not great at the corner - just find them so hard to see a flipping stride to. Is driving me mad at the moment! No hint of a run out though at least.
Finally we did ditch, 3 strides to skinny house and round to our makeshift coffin with a SJ either side of the ditch on one stride. He popped through both ways no problems so finished there. He is a frustrating horse - so much jump but that cheeky left run out keeps coming to get us. Really need to remember to keep him together round the corners, get him straight and channel him forwards.
After a couple of days off following SOE last weekend on Tuesday afternoon we had a SJ lesson with Chris Burton out in his grass arena. Monts likes a bit of grass under his feet and was jumping really well. He didn't knock one pole all lesson. We got the doubles and trebles right stride wise every time - they really are my nemesis as I tend to panic and either kick or pull into them. Also did some tricky doglegs and related distances. Jumped 3 courses and just didn't get anything wrong. Chris had very little to say other than super which was nice! He said he liked how I got his canter motivated again each time after we had a rest and he was pleasantly surprised by us opting for the 7 when he gave us a choice of 7 or 8 strides in a related distance. Monty even felt like he was accepting the bit and softening in his mouth which was fab.
out of treble
into treble:
into double off tight turn
middle of treble
out of treble
first fence of course
out of treble
into treble
out of double
into double
Then Wednesday it was on to Lyneham Heath for some XC. We had arranged to meet Warren Lamperd there. Not had a proper lesson from him before but know he is a well qualified coach and am much better with someone on the ground so thought it would be useful. Was very frustrating to find all the coffins roped off due to the ground as that was the real reason I travelled 2 1/4 hrs and 95miles to go XC schooling!!! Thank god the lesson with Warren was worth it or I would have been rather miffed! Warren said he was into focusing on rider position which suited me as know it is something I need to work on. Told him our issues and then I started with a canter round the field. He called me over and said no point doing that. He needs to learn to focus on me. Pointed me straight at 2 little houses on an angle and said pop over those from where we were stood. This rather took Monty by surprise as he is used to rather a lot more notification about starting jumping! He wasn't very sure about going at all which was quite interesting. Warren picked up on the fact that I lean forward and lift my heels up to ask him to go and when I don't he goes backwards so we practised going forwards from a strong position. Then we popped over some little jumps on turns, a little trakehner forwards and back where Warren said he much preferred my second distance when I was that little bit closed as he had to make a better shape over the jump rather than jumping flat. We did a log to sunken road to another log on a curve and I tried to press for a long one and went forwards so he chipped in and this became the focus of our session. Me needing to keep my shoulders back, leg forward and wait for the stride to come to me but generally looking for more of a pop than a flat out of control launch.
As we couldn't do the coffins we moved on to the water and instead of easing him in gently we canter straight across the field and over a house on the top of a slope down into the water. Kept shoulders back and he popped in a couple of short strides and it was all nicely under control. We then went in and out of the water, jumping a brush before the water and then a log into the water and then our first little log actually in water. All the time thinking shoulders open and keep the engine powering from behind.
Then moved on to a second water. I was getting brave and when given the choice of 2 little logs in I went for the bigger one, sat up, but didn't have quite enough leg on and he stopped. Because I was sat up I was able to hold my position, keep my contact and make him actually stand and look instead of spinning away and dumping me as is more usual when he stops at anything! Disappointed he stopped but hoping he really learnt that I'm not going to let him spin away from something anymore. My position felt so much stronger and more effective. Jumped in over the smaller log, then the bigger log out over a skinny arrowhead, then back in and round to jump in over a decent sized boat. All really good practice for the water at Badders.
Warren then put my stirrups up a hole and said once I was used to that they could probably go up another one too! Finished with popping him over the corners, first right ones on a left curve then back the other way. Kept the canter punchy, shoulders back and there was no hesitation at any of them. Very pleased with that. On the way back to the lorry popped him into the other water over a little brush fence and he pinged in no probs.
Video:
Very useful lesson - just need to try and remember it all now. Most important thing is to remember that when keeping the canter punchy I mustn't kill the engine and I need to let go of the front end enough that he realises I do mean go. Use stick behind saddle if needed at the sticky fences. Can let him jump more open at the straightforward fences but if it's tricky, get the power and keep the shoulders back and the engine running.
Went to the gallops this morning and managed 3 lots of 5mins at 500mpm with 3min walks in between. He was getting tired by the end of the 3rd lot but that's a good work-out session considering he hasn't done anything gallop wise since 4th March! They have released the course map for Badminton and it will be 3.1km long which is 200m longer than last year and a whole km longer than SOE was last week so we definitely need to now up the speed so he gets enough stamina to keep up the higher speed for 6.5mins. 2weeks to go!
So, after a worrying couple of weeks with Monty getting kicked right on his stifle just a few days after our last event at Moreton where we didn't run XC due to my back seizing up we finally got to complete an event. The enforced break was probably a blessing in disguise for my back as it forced me to rest and complete an intensive course of physio which seems to have done the trick and got rid of the pain. Fingers crossed it stays away now! After a quiet week last week this week we popped over a few XC fences at Boomerang on Monday and he was pulling my arms out. We then did a short SJ schooling session at Parwood on Wednesday and he was super keen there too so felt confident in taking him and was just planning on letting him tell me if he'd had enough at any point.
Onwards to South of England today. A new event for us. The course photos made it look fairly straightforward but didn't really give an idea of the ups and downs of the terrain and the angles between fences. I thought it was a pretty full up 100, ramped up further from the event in September. Quite a few combinations, angled fences, turns between fences and skinnies. Thankfully the corner was right handed as it came after a tricky undulating left hand turn. Otherwise the only thing I was really worried about was the water. With home on the left and a turn away from home to an upturned boat then into the water it was reminiscent of Farley where he unceremoniously dumped me twice and got us the big E. It even had an alternative but I didn't think we should be doing alternatives with Badminton in mind. We had a couple of hours of heavy rain in the morning but they had spiked the ground so it sunk in well and the ground really was spot on which was a big relief.
Warmed up nicely enough for the dressage. Couldn't resist practising a few flying changes. They seem to improve his canter and no risk of him chucking one into a BE100 test. They are coming on nicely now! The test was a bit boring - he did everything where it should be - unlike Moreton where he was so tense he kept breaking into canter - but I didn't really ride the canter forwards enough. Finished with a nice square halt though.
Was doing my usual "I'd like to give up eventing and take up dressage" at this point in time. I hate the anticipation of the jumping phases. Wanted to just crack on but had an hour between each phase and they were sticking to number order so a bit of a wait while the nerves mounted up. Fortunately he warmed up very nicely, really taking me forwards over the jumps which is a great feeling. The course looked pretty meaty with lots of related distances and a tricky double going downhill next to the warmup. Went in and the wind was blowing so strong plus a car alarm going off so didn't hear my buzzer. Thought it had probably gone but couldn't take the risk of going before the bell so circled and asked them if they had rung it. Got a rather curt confirmation so feeling like a naughty schoolchild off we went! Saw a flyer to the first, took a stride out of the curved line to the second doing it on 6 instead of the 7 or even 8 I'd seen most do it on. Managed to sort myself out and take a check before the downhill double, got a fraction deep but he just made the back bar on the oxer out. Sharp right corner to an uphill 5 stride related distance that he got spot on. Sharp left, disunited muddle to a smaller upright, 4 strides to another oxer, another sharp left to a humongous spooky white oxer going downhill and then round to an uphill double where I saw one hell of a flyer and just galloped him at it. Not the best plan in hindsight and no idea how he picked up his legs to clear the vertical on the way out but he did so we were clear - yay! The ground was superb, really couldn't have asked for better, which made for a very happy Monty!
2nd part final double:
galloping at oxer into final double:
massive downhill oxer at fence 8:
oxer out of first double:
first fence:
pro pic from Spidge of massive white oxer:
Slow change of clothes and then headed on to the XC. Didn't want to be late as was last in my section so turned up 10mins early to find they were running 10mins late. Have learnt from my mistake at Badminton - Monty doesn't cope with walking round the XC warmup for that length of time so I took him off away from the warmup and just walked him around in the all weather arena. Back to the warmup and he was pretty strong but seemed to be listening and jumping well. Had to have a lead out of the warmup but he was very calm by the start. Stood by the box for the 30second countdown on a long rein then posted in with 4seconds to go, gathered up my reins and he shot off like someone had put a rocket up his bum!
fence 2:
The course continued like that. They announced my dressage score at this point - 34 - rubbish for us and especially considering he got 35 at Moreton and spent most of that test breaking into canter. Anyway, back to the job in hand - he backed off a bit at the house at 3 so chipped in and clonked it, smooth through 4-6, got him back for the hanging log and he jinked over it at the sight of the sand on landing, nearly sending me out the side door, sat up grabbed both hands at my left rein, kicked a lot with my right leg and somehow got over the corner, taking the flag with it - photographer got great series of shots of me and the flag wedged under my boot! Thank god it was a right corner or we'd definitely have had a run out but he is very genuine with right skinnies! On to the step up and turn right 3 strides to turtle which he made feel easy. No hesitation at the ditch palisade. Shot through the road crossing then good stride to hanging log before messing up the related 4 strides to the 2 houses on 2 strides so got in too close to first house and had to tuck in 3 strides to the next meaty house. Eugh! Shot off after that and had to wrestle some control back before the water. Not ideal!
On the way to the water - just love his happy face!:
He did come back to me though and may have had a slight hesitant thought but legs on and a growl and over we went.
Wasted time by dropping back to trot to enter the water cue some more growling and away we went.
Part c was rather large skinny house but got a great stride and he flew it.
Through a gap in the hedge to 2 very angled palisades on a long 2 strides but fortunately saw the bold stride in and he made it on 2 then took great fun in galloping off flat out. Had another wrestle to regain control before turning into the quarry where he popped over a decent ditch without a care in the world, 2 bold strides to a skinny well up to height roll top which he launched so big he then jarred himself landing halfway up a very steep hill which we were up in 2 seconds and flew over the last couple of fences. He had really felt like he was motoring so was expecting to be inside the time as have generally found us to be there or thereabouts at 100 level. Found out that 34 in the dressage left us 5th out of 40 so not so bad afterall.
Had a chance to catch up with super sponsors West Kent Saddles who have been out to check my saddles again recently pre-Badders. Then back to the pavilion to see that sadly they eventually put my time up and we had been 16seconds over time to get 6.4 time pens and drop us from 4th to a frustrating 9th (top 8 qualify for Regional Finals). Did gain us another 4 FP's though and get us our qualification to Blenheim Eventers Challenge so that is something. I hadn't wanted to push him for the time given our lack of preparation so just let him run at his speed but given how fast that felt I am surprised we were so far off the mark. Definitely need to work on not wasting time by doing things like trotting at the water. Not having to fight with him so much would also help. Still, it was a perfect first run for him, he was awesome at all the turns and combinations. If only he would stop spooking at sand on the ground!!! Great to have him back and feeling so awesome. Next stop Hambleden then Badminton!
Went back to SOE this afternoon to watch the Intermediates and boy did that ask some questions. Don't think I'll ever be tackling one of those!
