Started with x pole to oxer in the school. Each time it went up it back pole went up first before making it a square oxer. Wasn't always getting our 5 strides exactly right and had a few interesting differences of opinion over which way we were turning afterwards - fortunately managed to stay in the plate! Reminded to make sure give with hands over the jump in a forwards, smooth releasing way not to counter-rotate or whatever he calls it where I occasionally pull back before releasing. Remember to keep weight down through heels to enable to absorb the movement of the jump and go with him - always go with him and always give him plenty of room with my hands. At one point we were a bit off it and I went proper hunting seat on him - Chris didn't think too much of that! He was clonking the front rail a fair bit so Chris put the fence down slightly and he got a crack behind him with the lunge whip on take off. He would never hit him - he just flicks the whip behind him as he goes to take off - makes him give them a bit of extra height. Next time round put it back up to 1m25 oxer and he flew.
Then out to the jumping field. Nice course set up - Chris popped it down to around 1m05. He said to go in and gallop him - get him thinking forwards, then back into a big, controlled canter and off we went. Started with vertical, landing on the right rein, then tight turn round to an oxer over a water tray which he went to look at but responded well to leg on, then down the hill to a skinny vertical which he charged at, round the corner to another big square oxer and I didn't see the nice, forwards one and held him so he knocked it down in front then had to chase for 6 big strides (Chris had said before to make it on 6 forward, not 7 backward strides) to a 1 stride double of verticals. He is so clever with his feet - despite being way too forwards into it, he shortened and cleared both parts. Then on round to the treble which he had a bit of a look at but had a good stride so leg on and through we went then hold for 4 shorter strides to a skinny rustic vertical which he made easy. Chris said he saw a lovely forward stride to the oxer that we should have taken but having landed short for taking a short one to then think and take 7 stride as he was lucky to get through the double in one piece.
Round again and he put up the final vertical to 1m10 and also made the first part of the treble a square rather than ascending oxer. This time I had to try and hold him a bit better down the hill from water tray to skinny and open him up round the turn to the big square oxer then ride forward for the first 3 strides before just sitting and waiting for the double of verticals. So, we managed to hold a bit for the skinny then opened him up and saw a lovely stride into the oxer and he clouted it which put me off my controlled 6 strides so that was still a bit hairy. Treble then 4 strides to skinny rustic lovely though.
Final time and we just did water tray to skinny to oxer to double. Sat and held and actually got him back and underneath me after the water tray then could ride powerful canter to skinny, big powerful canter round to the oxer and he jumped it brilliantly. I still didn't manage to just woah him for the final 3 strides into the double but it was better.
Definitely biggest course I've jumped on grass with him and well chuffed with the treble. Didn't have any disunited nonsense so need to remember to think round my course so we don't have any landing on the wrong lead as that always messes us up. Remember to gallop him and open him up on entering the ring, then big powerful canter. Get the canter back for verticals, keep it big and powerful for oxers. See the shorter stride into a vertical, go for the bigger open stride into an oxer. Rebalance him after the fences - really sit up and make him come back to me.
Best of all, Chris offered to come and warm us up for the jumping at Badminton - I'd been thinking of asking him but fab for him to offer! 3wks to go!
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