Chris Burton SJ lesson 11-02-15

Started with some canter work while Chris finished schooling a rather nice 4 year old having his first time over jumps and making it look easy.  I was working on having him nicely in self carriage, soft in my hands and popping in a few flying changes as well.  Chris' first comment was how much softer and rounder over his back he was looking - only taken a year but perhaps we are finally making some progress!

We started with working over 3 poles on a large curve with 4 strides in between, first 4 and 4, then 4 and 5, then 3 and 4.  It really is a brilliant exercise for engaging their bums, seeing a stride and altering the canter.  And it's harder than it looks!

Then we did a bit of work on the changes.  Making sure to do them on a straight line with him straight.  I had to push the canter on, then bring it back on a small circle trying to use more outside rein to turn him then across the diagonal, straighten and wait for him to be wanting to offer the change before just asking quietly.  He was late behind when I didn't have him straight enough.  And now he is getting the idea of the changes I can start to be more subtle with my aids and just allow him to come through from behind whilst staying soft in front.  He was being really good with this, staying in self carriage nice and soft in my hand.

Moved on to jump a couple of smallish fences then get him back to me, circle with hands high using outside rein and soften as soon as he steps through more from behind and softens in front.  Then go on and jump a couple more fences, then circle and soften.

Then we jumped a couple of courses finishing with a good one with a skinning then a curving line from vertical to oxer, a straight line from vertical to oxer on a long 4 strides followed quickly by a skinny upright and a difficult curving line to a one stride double with a big oxer coming out.  Got a little close to the first skinny but after that it just flowed beautifully, strides came up like magic and he was ballooning over them.  It felt like I could get him back to me much quicker and sit him on his hocks better round the corners which meant he was more controllable round the course.  Chris gave it the magic "Super!" and said what a cracker Monty was.  Happy days!  He said if the pole work helps him that much then try to do some of that the day before an event.  Have done the x pole to oxer exercise the day before and that always gets him jumping well so maybe will try a few pole exercises and the x pole to oxer for next event and see how that works.

Let's see if we can keep any semblance of that going tomorrow at indoor arena eventing at Wellington.  Praying for nothing too skinny or left handed corners!