In hindsight possibly an outing too many this week but as Merrist Wood is on our doorstep it seemed wrong not to enter as they don't hold much BSJA there and the indoor is huge and lovely. Although Monts (and a lot of other horses) do seem to find it quite spooky.
Warmed up outdoors okish although he was a bit behind my leg (a bit like yesterday but not as bad). First class was Discovery Qualifier with 120 odd in the class so I think they made it quite technical. The oxers were certainly max width and everything looked up to height with lots of dog legs and turn backs. I liked the second phase though and really hoped we could get through to it. He jumped the first 7 fences great. I was really pleased with how well I thought out my dogleg lines as these have always been my nemesis, tending to cut corners and end up on half strides which to oxers this wide isn't a good idea but no probs today then we had a long 9 strides down to final skinny and he just got a bit flat and tipped it. Argh! Why is it he always has to have one fence down!
http://www.onlinepictureproof.com/mhphotos/albums/bsja_area_44/456327_173942/browse/360/?w=800&h=468
http://www.onlinepictureproof.com/mhphotos/albums/bsja_area_44/456327_173942/browse/361/?w=800&h=468
http://www.onlinepictureproof.com/mhphotos/albums/bsja_area_44/456327_173942/browse/363/?w=800&h=468
Half hour break for him. Walked the 1.05m and they hadn't really put the fences up much, maybe couple had gone up a hole but the course was pretty twisty as it was an open speed class - one round against the clock. Don't think we'll enter another of those in a hurry! Watched the first few go and 2 fell off and 2 got eliminated - great start! We got the first fence ok but then made a complete mess of the turnback to fence 2 and demolished it - he hates doing that so we were also all wrong to the upright at 3 and demolished that too, shot off into the corner, made an awful turnback to the double with huge oxer going in (that we had made a super job of in the first class) and got right in the base of it - he levitated, landed on the back rail and put 2 strides in the double - what a mess. Down to the skinny he'd had down in the Discovery and he got in a bit close but cleared it fine (why is that - put him on a good stride and he has things down, bury him to a vertical and he'll almost certainly clear it) Round to an oxer to vertical on related 3 strides that he cleared nicely and then it was a nasty turnback to the planks. He had hesitated slightly at these planks in the first class and I'd seen them cause a lot of problems before realising they were the ones that Dan chucked me off at 8yrs ago and put me in hospital with concussion and a broken wrist. This wasn't a good thing to remember and consequently I rode them very hesitantly and not on a good line and he ran out. Gave him a pat as really my fault, not his and came back round in a better canter and on a good line and he jumped them fine, rode a good dogleg to big oxer at 9 and good to the final one stride double. I think after the first crash I just needed to stop and circle and get us back together but you can't do that in the middle of a round so it just got worse and worse. He wasn't really believing me when I said for him to go forwards and take me - not sure if it was Merrist Wood syndrome as does make them back off in there as quite spooky or whether he was a bit tired from yesterday or a bit of both but you really need to both thinking positively forwards to be jumping that height (and especially width).
Getting in far too close to the skinny but clearing it:
http://www.onlinepictureproof.com/mhphotos/albums/bsja_area_44/456327_173943/browse/63/?w=800&h=468
Number 6 - making it look easy:
http://www.onlinepictureproof.com/mhphotos/albums/bsja_area_44/456327_173943/browse/64/?w=800&h=468
The dreaded planks:
http://www.onlinepictureproof.com/mhphotos/albums/bsja_area_44/456327_173943/browse/65/?w=800&h=468
Final double:
http://www.onlinepictureproof.com/mhphotos/albums/bsja_area_44/456327_173943/browse/66/?w=800&h=468
He's having 3wks off now to recharge his batteries as he's been a busy lad since his last break after Badminton. Then it will be more and more SJ practice. I'm going to let our BSJA membership go though as in a whole year we've been to all of about 8 shows and not managed to go clear, let alone win any money so I'll just jump on a ticket. I wan't to keep doing BSJA rather than unaffiliated to get the extra level of technicality and the widths of the oxers though. Would never have tackled a 1.05m at the beginning of this year so we have improved, just not our day today.
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