Thankfully, good friend Claire came to my rescue and offered to take us so had to get my act together and get on with it. The weather wasn't as bad as it sounded once we got on board and we didn't get too soaked in the warmup. We started with the Medium but to be frank it could have been better. Monty seemed to be struggling with the new surface and kept losing his footing which meant he lost balance and given he struggles to keep the weight back at the best of times, falling on his nose wasn't very helpful. We seem to have lost left half pass in trot and canter in the last couple of weeks. Annoying given he got a 7 for his canter HP left at Crofton a few weeks ago - not sure why it's gone awol! Also, it's the first movement we do so not a great first impression. Simple changes in the counter canter serpentine weren't great, lost balance down so was a bit progressive - need to collect the canter and have him secure into the outside rein - difficult as he is anticipating changes. Also I think for next time we might just do canter-trot-canter for the final one as already done one each way in the serpentine and should have done a good right to left one at the start of the test. For the trot, he ran in the Medium and could feel him trying but loosing balance as he fell more onto the forehand. The counter change of hand HP didn't really come off as the left HP didn't flow. Tempted to change the floorplan for the Regionals and do SI to HP on each rein and make it a bit easier. If we do SI on the 3/4 line that will still keep reasonable degree of difficulty but better to make it easier and have it flow better. Unfortunately also broke in the final medium trot down the centre line which was a shame as he was really going for it. Ended up on 64.167%. Collectives 6.0, 6.0, 7.0, 7.0, 7.0 - "Would like to see horse work with more suppleness and bend, in a more uphill frame with more relaxation" - James Rooney.
We got 5.5 for medium trot, 6's for the collected trot (needs more suppleness), SI left (on forehand), SI right (tension), collected canter (on shoulders), canter HP left (laboured), simple change right to left (unbalanced), 6.5's for collected walk, extended walk, both halts, both trot half passes (left one laboured), canter HP right, simple changes from left to right. Not one 7 in the technical marks :( Finished 10th of 13 in the Silver section. Very disappointing as know he can do much better than that.
Video here:
Was very tempted to go home but got persuaded to stay and do the Advanced Medium. Went back in the warmup and established the changes button. Sara-Jane came out and gave me a few quick pointers. He felt great in the trot work and did me a really lovely try at medium trot. Canter needed to stop him coming tight in his neck and above the bit. Went in and felt that he did really try for me. SI felt better, HP still not great, most of the changes came off. Annoyed myself at the end of the canter music as messed up the floorplan as was behind the music thanks to him reversing in the first halt so ended up in the middle of a simple change when the music changed to trot which made it look like I couldn't communicate with my poor horse and affected our collectives as judge pointed it out there. Somehow we ended up on exactly the same score as the Medium - 64.167%, 4.6% better than our debut attempt.
First halt got a 5 thanks to the reversing but everything else 6 or higher. 6's for collected trot (needs collection), extended trot (not enough for extension, more suppleness, hurried and to left of centre line), SI right (more collection/suppleness), SI left (too much neck bend, more collection), HP trot right (lacks bend), HP trot left (losing bend to finish). 6.5's for collected walk and extended walk (generous given he grabbed the reins out of my hand at the beginning and threw his head in the air!), medium canters (more ground cover), HP right in canter (more balance needed), HP left in canter (nodding head/lost bend), final halt, 2nd and 3rd flying changes right to left (tight/snatchy) but gave overall mark of a 7.0 (first one got a 7 which is the one from counter canter to counter canter) (2nd one was late behind but on straight line away from judge so she couldn't see) 7's for both changes left to right. Bit confused as test definitely does 3 changes left to right and only 2 right to left but had 3 marks for right to left and 2 for left to right but hey ho! Very pleased that the highest marks in the test are for the changes. Definitely better off doing Advanced Medium than Medium as can make up marks on changes! Collectives 6.0, 6.5, 6.5, 6.5, 7.0. " Needing more engagement and suppleness. Stayed attentive. Very suitable walk music and stirring ending" Sally Merrison. Ended up 3rd of 3 predictably but only just under 65% which is a qualifying score so pleased overall. Just need to convert a few more 6's into 6.5's but at least nothing under a 6 today which is progress. We have now established forwards in the trot work but we've lost any semblence of collection. I prefer forwards to the backwards dribbly going nowhere trot we had but now need to work towards some kind of compromise so we get forwards and collection rather than running on his forehand.
Lovely piccie thanks to Sara-Jane Lanning;
and one from the video:
Video:
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