Training report

Tue - orange ones have a punch up slightly upsetting plans for the week.

Wed - light hack on Monty who felt fine, raring to go and do more.  Nasty wound on the front of his left hind cannon though.  Llewi big fat swollen right hind, nasty deep cut to lat hock.  Cold hosing, no work for him.  Start abs for both of them.

Thur - light hack for Llewi, didn't feel 100% but v v footy (trimmed on Monday) so difficult to tell.  More cold hosing.  Monty - John Smart clinic at Pachesham,  Meant to be group lesson of 4.  One other bloke turned up and that was it.  Unfortunately said bloke was obviously a fair beginner at jumping so not great - he kept demolishing the grid!  We did have a good lesson though - v confidence building which we needed after last week and I think I'll go back again.  We built up a grid until we were doing pole then jump x 3, trotting into it then picking up canter.  then took out the poles in the middle and just kept the first placing pole, building up the last fence into an oxer with a cross in front of 2nd and 3rd jumps to keep straight.  concentrate on keeping straight after the grid, keep going if correct lead otherwise back to trot before round the corner.  Then we did a single jump with a pole in front of it, then took pole away and worked on cantering to it keeping the rhythm. We did it well with a short run up so he made us take a longer one but he did it spot on again - I just concentrated on sitting there keeping the rhythm, concentrate on the jump and dont fiddle.  We then did that jump and then round to the final part of the grid with all the other bits taken away.  I managed to just sit quietly and he popped it fab!  John said couldn't see what the problem was with him - he had a great jump and shouldn't knock anything down!  Probably means it's all me then!

Today - schooled Llewi - his leg seems fine and much less filled after working him although did some more cold hosing to be sure.  Ran through N38 for next Wed and practised the 1/2 15m circles for N28 on Sunday.  Need to work on keeping lower legs still for the riding test from last week's sheet.  Tense as usual - he is such hard work.  He has the potential to be great, but he just doesn't have the brain.  Contemplating hunting him again this winter and if he stands up to it then loan/sell him as a hunter.  He just doesn't enjoy dressage, it's all too stressful for him :(

Was gonna take Monty SJing at Langshot but couldn't be bothered with another late night with work tomorrow so just schooled him.  Put the POW spurs on to try and get him a bit more forwards as he's so lazy at home!  It did help although it also highlighted the lack of stability of my lower leg in trot-canter transitions as I could feel them coming into action when I didn't really need them to - must stretch leg down, not grip up and in.  Did get some nice trot work though and we got our right canter transition without giraffe impression when I asked correctly.  Ran through N34 for Sunday - changes of rein in canter through 2 1/2 20m circles not really our thing yet but the rest ok and the 1/2 15m circles and back to track in N28 went fine.

Hacking for Llewi with sharer tomorrow.  More schooling for Monty.