Started with the usual x-pole to oxer. He wasn't very impressed with Chris picking up the lunge whip and standing alongside and we had a rather wobbly approach - turns out he didn't need a reminder anyway, was picking his toes up fine. We had the fillers in quite narrow after the fence to keep him straight which he didn't like much as he likes to veer right straight away on landing so a few times we halted him in a straight line to remind him to stay straight. He didn't knock it once even when it got up to 1m35 or so and even with me pressing him deep to it - clever boy.
Moved onto a course - started with vertical then water tray which he did beautifully. Then again with a halt after the water tray, then into canter and straight down a big double no probs. Then back up a 4 stride distance easy and down over an oxer, 6 strides to a skinny upright which he was a bit wobbly to but jumped well. Then changed the course around to include some curved lines, water tray to oxer, vertical to vertical all on 5 strides and kept not being quick enough to think on landing when we'd got in deep to the first fence to remember to either really kick on for 5 strides or make the curve slightly wider and ride for 6. If going to stick to strides walked need to stay straight to the fence - if let him drift will struggle to make distances. Finished with oxer to vertical on 6 strides with the vertical up at 1m20 and it being skinny so looked even bigger and he just pinged over no probs. Think the only time he knocked one was the front rail of the oxer once but otherwise pinging round a Novice height course no probs. Just hope he keeps on pinging for Badminton!
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