Today's session focused on work towards canter piris - very exciting!
Initially worked on being able to collect the canter right back to walk speed then move it on and back again keeping the softness and suppleness. Really good on the right rein, not quite so good on the left.
Then we did shoulder in and travers on a circle. Again, better on the right where we got some really nice feeling steps of a working pirouette.
Moved onto another exercise where we did HP across the whole school, then turn across the school at the final markers in counter canter, ride right towards the wall and then turn into true canter and turn again along the short side. The HP was really flowing lovely - made it across the whole school really easily which is great progress. Need to try and keep the softness and keep him into the outside rein in the sharp turns, especially on the left rein - outside rein is key or he just over-flexes to the inside and comes above the bit.
Then had a try at the move in A102 where you HP to the centre line, canter down the centre line, do a half 5m circle with the quarters in and HP back to the track. Not bad for a first attempt.
Plenty of homework to do on this stuff but reckon we're still on track to be aiming for an Advanced by the summer.
First BE Arena Eventing qualifier of the year. First time jumping indoors since this time last year. Monts isn't a big fan of indoor jumping, he gets quite spooky and backs off which isn't much fun. Arena eventing is really good practice for him though - tighter turns, riding against the clock, lots of jumps in the arena, skinnies, angles etc. I didn't get there in time to walk the 90 so just learnt it by watching. There were sunbeams on the floor which I thought might prove interesting but he was pretty good, jumped a lovely smooth SJ round. XC was a bit haphazard - I kicked on but didn't keep him balanced enough and think he was a little surprised to be asked to move on and that there were XC fences in the arena so he chipped in to a few of them. Did a double clear though, just a bit too fast, ending up 2.5secs under the optimum time and finishing 7th out of a class of 70 odd.
2hr break with a chance to walk the 100 - same SJ course with a few changes for the XC section and a skinny brush plus a really tight turn from the house to the hanging log. For some reason just as I turned to the first fence he decided he needed to stop for a poo! This really interrupted my rhythm, circled and tried to set up again but it messed up our approach and we got too close so had that down, then made a bad turn to the 2nd and had that down too! Not a good start. Saw a nice stride to the 3rd until he decided to really back off and chip in - he cleared it with a cat leap but not nice! After that I gave him a slap down the shoulder and he jumped the rest of the course fabulously! Only scrappy bit was the tight turn from the house to the hanging log as I missed the tight turn so had to go wide and just didn't ride the corner very well at all. Something for us to practice as I'm really not great at looking at the next fence while I'm still jumping the one before so always miss the turns. Wasn't really trying for time after the two SJ down so ended up 5.5secs off the optimum time. Disappointing as know he is more than capable of a double clear but as we haven't jumped indoors for so long it was educational for him, it was causing loads of problems, he jumped fab after the rubbish start and there are a few more qualifiers coming up at LMEQ/Coombelands which are both outdoors so should be more his thing.
Not great weather for dressage! It was blowing a gale with sideways rain whipping at my face so I could hardly see where we were going. There were also puddles in the corners which he hated. He has been feeling rather fresh recently and I possibly underdid the warmup a bit, basing it on our usual routine but he's pretty fit right now and hadn't quite softened over his back by the time we went in. The weather didn't help so it was all a bit tense. This meant our medium trots didn't happen in the slightest - think 5 was generous! For a first go at M73 I was pleased enough as it's a busy old test but he was quite strong and not as soft and supple as I know he can be now. No probs with forwards though - for once I wasn't having to kick every stride! Was gobsmacked to score 67.05%. There were only 5 in the class thanks to the weather. We came 3rd overall, winning the bronze section by virtue of being the only ones in it. Only one mark behind the winner of the silver section though, gaining the same technical marks, just one less on the collectives. Our highest score at this level by 2%. We got 7.5's for our shoulder in left and half walk piri left plus an 8 for our final halt. 7's for our entry, shoulder in right, 10m trot circle right, 10m trot circle left, half wak piri right, left canter HP, simple change left to right, medium canter, 10m canter circle right, medium canter, turn down centre line and final medium trot. So many fab marks! Just dropped to 6's with the left trot HP, 10m canter circle left as I didn't ride it accurately so was too small and the right canter HP for losing the rhythm at the beginning. Final collectives 7.0, 6.0, 6.5, 7.0. 7 for my riding - yay! Comment was "Horse with pleasing attitude - always active and willing but at times tending to drop onto forehand affecting balance. Needs to stay active behind and to work towards developing a more uphill picture" Judge: Linda Waller.
Had a short break then back on to warmup for AM85. He immediately felt more on side, softer and more relaxed. Into the other arena which was rather dark as half the floodlights weren't working. There were more big puddles in the corners which upset him and meant I couldn't use the corners to rebalance him as well as I would like but generally it felt really secure and everything happened as it should. Really pleased for the judge to say in her comment "Familiar with the work. Needs to be more engaged and supple to lift the steps and for greater fluency and ease" This was Helen Clark. We got 7's for the entry, the medium walk, the collected walk, the counter canter left and the final centre line/halt. Dropped to 6's for shoulder in left/right, 10m trot circle right, transitions in and out of medium trot, medium canter, HP canter left, extended canter (quickening), transitions in and out of extended canter and the 2nd flying change (said skipped through but looked late behind on video). 6.5's for both trot HP's and extended walk (good as double marks on these movements) Managed to maintain both counter canters to nail the simple changes this time. Collectives: 6.5, 6.0, 6.0, 6.5. 63.67% - pleased with that! We came 3rd in the bronze section, 4th out of 6 overall. Only 6.5 marks behind the overall winner who was on 65.588%. Interesting that the overall winner came from the bronze section, the silver riders ending up 3rd, 5th and 6th overall. Yet to be convinced by this new structure.
Gridwork with a twist. We had one grid across one diagonal building up to 4 verticals with a stride in between each and on the other diagonal another grid which started with 3 canter poles then a 90degree left or right turn on 3 or 4 strides to a small vertical. This certainly proved challenging especially once it built up to a bounce to the sharp turn. We then came round the other way and just did one vertical, sharp turn to a small vertical which was 3 big strides or 4 short ones. First time we missed it, second time he just ended up in the base of it and stopped, then we managed it better but I had a real issue with riding forwards round the curve which was weird as I did it ok after the grid in the other direction to a slightly smaller vertical. Definitely something I need to practice. We then rode straight from the vertical, 4 short strides to the bounce then 1 stride to another upright. First time didn't ride positively and he was spooking so backed off and stopped. Had to ride pretty strongly to get through it second time. He made the long grid with 4 verticals feel easy peasy every time though.
In canter need to be able to change the flexion without getting a flying change. Keep the inside hind coming through and work on being able to change the flexion, keep the softness and keep him going forwards.
Need to constantly be asking is he soft enough, could he be more supple, am I using one aid more than another.
In the canter HP keep the flow, don't let him get stuck bouncing up and down going nowhere. Think travers on the diagonal and get him taking me more forwards.
In trot HP keep the strongest feel in the outside rein. Do HP to LY to HP in a zig zag.
In the changes need to keep hold of the new outside rein to prevent him changing early in front as the front escapes away from you. Keep coming forwards to stop him sucking back and anticipating.
In the walk don't be tempted to keep urging him on with my seat, sit still and make him take me forwards. Don't accept his arguments about moving from free walk to medium walk.
