Rather a warm day today. Not really Monty's cup of tea. First test was E59. Kept the warmup to a minimum but he was still a bit behind my leg throughout the test. He was obedient but it just lacked sparkle and he stuck his bum out in protest at being asked to do medium canter. Leg yield is currently missing in action after spending so much time working on the half pass. Need to rediscover the leg yield in time for Regionals! I tried to keep him in a more uphill outline than at Pachesham but certainly wasn't hopeful of any mega score. Shows how much I know! 69.2% and he was 2% clear at the top of the class, Restricted and Open combined. The test got mostly 7's. We had 7.5's for the canter-trot-canters and the final halt and also my riding. Dropped down to 6.5's for the first medium canter and most of the trot work but 6.5 for both medium trots is progress and even got a 7 for the final one down the centre line. One 6 for the leg yield left. Frustrating as he was getting 7.5's and 8's for them at the beginning of this year. Final marks 7, 6.5, 7, 7.5. "Well presented test. Lots to appreciate"
Quick 10mins cool down and then 5mins warmup for M69 - first time riding this test and first Medium since January. Still only our 4th one. Started well with a 7.5 for the entry. Chuffed with 7.0 for half walk piri right and 7.5 for half walk piri left as these can be a bit hit and miss. 7 for trot HP right, left got a 6 as needed more energy. 6.0 for medium trots - totally ran out of steam on the long diagonals - they're a flipping long way! 7's for his walk work. 7.5's for his counter canter. Canter HP left 7.0 and right 6.5. 7.5 for final halt. Final marks 7, 7, 6,5, 7,0. "Lots to like. More energy needed in some of the trotwork but some lovely canter work in a pleasing balance"
Have just included the walk/canter work on the video. Still need to keep my hands stiller in the trot and not ready to reveal it to YouTube yet. Really pleased with 67.73% for our first go. Highest score at Medium to date. We won the unafilliated section out of 4 and also beat one of the Open riders - it was a mixed class of Open, Training and unaffiliated. Monts thought it was quite funny :)
We're doing the same tests again next week at Sparsholt as warmup for the Suumer Regionals on 23rd July. Another lesson this Friday to work out a new floorplan for my Medium freestyle ready for Pachesham the following week. He is ready for something a bit more challenging than the last Freestyle I did last December. Getting quite excited planning my Advanced Medium freestyle too - so much more fun than Novice - here a change, there a change, everywhere a change change! Even allowed to do 5 time changes, changes on a curve and changes one handed for increased degree of difficulty. Got to make up the marks in the canter work as his trot work is still lagging behind. Definitely my next mission is to make the trot catch up with the canter now. I know he can do it :)
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