Yesterday we did some flatwork - he wasn't overly up for it - suspect a bit tired after his running round the ranges the day before! Kept it fairly basic - just a stretchy session really.
Today I set up some exercises in the school - had some trot poles raised at one end, had 2 canter poles followed by a raised canter pole. And I had a tiny x-pole made out of planks on a 20m circle at X.
We started with some work on direct transitions, halt to trot and walk to canter then canter to walk - getting him sharper off my leg. Then we did the trot poles - he is prone to hopping over the first one which gets quite frustrating and he likes to go all giraffy over them - might try putting more than 3 out to try and get him to lower his head and look more. Then we moved on and trotted over the canter poles/raised 3rd pole just to make sure he was happy before cantering it - the distance was a little short and at one point he managed to jump the pole and the raised pole in one - oops! Generally he did it nicely though.
So then moved on to trot over the x-pole on the L rein - came round on the 20m circle and he threw a big tantrum - leapt in the air, spun to the left and reared. Naughty horse! Think being faced with a jump just took him by surprise. Walked him up to it and he was really looky at it. Turned round and came at it on the right rein as the plank are plain wood not painted on that side. He launched over it huuuuuge! Did it a few times from trot and canter on both reins and he was pinging! Thought that was quite enough for his first time jumping again!
Will do another little session of the same sort of thing next weekend and keep building on that. Aiming to do 2ft6 clear round in 2.5wks time.
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Friday, 28 December 2012
Falling off - ouch!
Bastard orange horse.
Was having a nice hack - it was a bit blustery but not that bad. Had a nice canter around the ranges but he is just so mental out there and it's my fault for letting him canter everywhere but he needs to canter lots to be fit enough. Cantered up to the top and then set off along the top. Suddenly he jinxed at a puddle - it wasn't even anything massive but just got me off balance and then the bastard set off on a rodeo display. I would have stayed on no probs if it wasn't for that. I hung on for ages but just couldn't get back in the plate well enough to pull the bugger up. He was getting faster and faster and I just knew it wasn't going to end well. In the end just let go as it was gonna hurt more the longer I hung on. Hit the ground with quite a thud and my head hit the ground pretty hard too. My lovely Champion Ventair has a big hole in the cover and no doubt is crushed inside too given the impact. £90 down the drain - grrrr.
So, had the pleasure of watching my horse gallop off into the sunset, literally. No point running after him - he's well faster than me. Caught sight of fluorescent up by the gate so thought he had stopped with the other horses I'd met earlier. Got closer and the lady comes towards me calling my name (no idea who she is!) and my heart sinks into my boots - I thought if she doesn't have him he must be stuck in the cattle grid :( But nope - thank god he wasn't. Turns out she had him for a while but he wouldn't wait - why she didn't get off and lead him around I dont know but I bet he pulled back and he hates pressure on his poll so would have taken off after that. She said initially he went left but then guess he figured that wasn't the way home - apparently he then turned around, measured up the cattle grid and then galloped at it and flew it taking off from 3ft out. Never again shall I doubt his scope!
He then galloped flat out down the hill and then I guess he got stuck at the bottom as he knew the way home was left but there was a large fence in his way. Thank god he didn't attempt to jump it as he is quite capable and then he would have crossed that main road by himself which doesn't bare thinking about. I saw his reflectives from halfway down the hill so started calling him and could see his ears go up and him start trotting around. He wouldn't let any of the dog walkers catch him but I called him and he came to me - silly horse. They had called the police as guess he'd been down there a while and no sign of me. Got them to call again pretty quick - I'm not meant to be on the ranges! Checked him over and seemed ok so got back on him and then had to get him home asap as was pretty much dark. He was wired. He was a right sweaty mess when we got back so left him in for a couple of hours to cool down. Went back to check on him, brushed off the mud and no sign of any swelling on his dodgy tendon thank bloody god. His monster windgall on his right fore had swollen up again but hardly surprising given his galloping on the gravel road.
Fingers crossed he is still ok tomorrow. Fecking horse. He's so nearly had me off so many times over the last few months I suppose I should be greatful it was at least on the right side of the fenceline. He's just so flipping sharp. I think I'm going back to hating hacking and avoiding it at all costs from now on.
Was having a nice hack - it was a bit blustery but not that bad. Had a nice canter around the ranges but he is just so mental out there and it's my fault for letting him canter everywhere but he needs to canter lots to be fit enough. Cantered up to the top and then set off along the top. Suddenly he jinxed at a puddle - it wasn't even anything massive but just got me off balance and then the bastard set off on a rodeo display. I would have stayed on no probs if it wasn't for that. I hung on for ages but just couldn't get back in the plate well enough to pull the bugger up. He was getting faster and faster and I just knew it wasn't going to end well. In the end just let go as it was gonna hurt more the longer I hung on. Hit the ground with quite a thud and my head hit the ground pretty hard too. My lovely Champion Ventair has a big hole in the cover and no doubt is crushed inside too given the impact. £90 down the drain - grrrr.
So, had the pleasure of watching my horse gallop off into the sunset, literally. No point running after him - he's well faster than me. Caught sight of fluorescent up by the gate so thought he had stopped with the other horses I'd met earlier. Got closer and the lady comes towards me calling my name (no idea who she is!) and my heart sinks into my boots - I thought if she doesn't have him he must be stuck in the cattle grid :( But nope - thank god he wasn't. Turns out she had him for a while but he wouldn't wait - why she didn't get off and lead him around I dont know but I bet he pulled back and he hates pressure on his poll so would have taken off after that. She said initially he went left but then guess he figured that wasn't the way home - apparently he then turned around, measured up the cattle grid and then galloped at it and flew it taking off from 3ft out. Never again shall I doubt his scope!
He then galloped flat out down the hill and then I guess he got stuck at the bottom as he knew the way home was left but there was a large fence in his way. Thank god he didn't attempt to jump it as he is quite capable and then he would have crossed that main road by himself which doesn't bare thinking about. I saw his reflectives from halfway down the hill so started calling him and could see his ears go up and him start trotting around. He wouldn't let any of the dog walkers catch him but I called him and he came to me - silly horse. They had called the police as guess he'd been down there a while and no sign of me. Got them to call again pretty quick - I'm not meant to be on the ranges! Checked him over and seemed ok so got back on him and then had to get him home asap as was pretty much dark. He was wired. He was a right sweaty mess when we got back so left him in for a couple of hours to cool down. Went back to check on him, brushed off the mud and no sign of any swelling on his dodgy tendon thank bloody god. His monster windgall on his right fore had swollen up again but hardly surprising given his galloping on the gravel road.
Fingers crossed he is still ok tomorrow. Fecking horse. He's so nearly had me off so many times over the last few months I suppose I should be greatful it was at least on the right side of the fenceline. He's just so flipping sharp. I think I'm going back to hating hacking and avoiding it at all costs from now on.
Thursday, 27 December 2012
Schooling at Merrist Wood 27-12-12
Monday - did a lunging session
Tue - good old leg stretch up the ranges - did about 7mins of cantering in total with one 4.5min canter which got rather fast and out of control - was too weak from hunting Llewi on Sunday to argue! Considering we've still got a couple of months before eventing starts he is plenty fit enough already!
Wed - Boxing Day - shite weather - day off
Today - off to Merrist Wood to use the school.
Warmup in trot/canter
Then moved on to some walk-sitting trot-walk followed by some trot-halt-trot transitions on the centre line. Also some trot-walk-halt to keep the back legs stepping under into halt. Did some nice halts in front but always leaving a back leg behind. Not overly bothered about that for now though - straight and square in front is good enough with one judge! He was moving forwards into the trot quite nicely - occasional head toss but generally going straight into trot, forwards and straight so that was nice..
Did some LY and SI in sitting and rising trot and was really pleased given we hardly ever attempt lateral work due to shite school he did some really passable attempts.
Medium trot - hmmm, Not as good as it was last week. Need to work out what I was doing then to make it so good! Definitely need to make sure he is straight before asking for medium and must must keep him round and connected. Need to work more on the on and back in the trot to get this sorted.
Canter work - left rein - spiral in to small circle then leg yield out to large circle then move on into medium canter. careful to keep him up in the medium, not let him bare down on hands and run onto forehand. right rein - oh, so much tougher! He really wants to swing quarters in and even more so as circle gets smaller. When try to straighten him with shoulder in he really backs off.
Did some nice counter canter both reins. Totally rubbish at G&R on the short diagonal though - that is not going to go well! Nose poking all the way. Can get it on a circle these days but not quite progressed to diagonals yet!
So, back up there again next Wed then it's test time on Thursday - should be erm, interesting - these 2 tests (N35/37) are a bit of a step up from prelims!
Tue - good old leg stretch up the ranges - did about 7mins of cantering in total with one 4.5min canter which got rather fast and out of control - was too weak from hunting Llewi on Sunday to argue! Considering we've still got a couple of months before eventing starts he is plenty fit enough already!
Wed - Boxing Day - shite weather - day off
Today - off to Merrist Wood to use the school.
Warmup in trot/canter
Then moved on to some walk-sitting trot-walk followed by some trot-halt-trot transitions on the centre line. Also some trot-walk-halt to keep the back legs stepping under into halt. Did some nice halts in front but always leaving a back leg behind. Not overly bothered about that for now though - straight and square in front is good enough with one judge! He was moving forwards into the trot quite nicely - occasional head toss but generally going straight into trot, forwards and straight so that was nice..
Did some LY and SI in sitting and rising trot and was really pleased given we hardly ever attempt lateral work due to shite school he did some really passable attempts.
Medium trot - hmmm, Not as good as it was last week. Need to work out what I was doing then to make it so good! Definitely need to make sure he is straight before asking for medium and must must keep him round and connected. Need to work more on the on and back in the trot to get this sorted.
Canter work - left rein - spiral in to small circle then leg yield out to large circle then move on into medium canter. careful to keep him up in the medium, not let him bare down on hands and run onto forehand. right rein - oh, so much tougher! He really wants to swing quarters in and even more so as circle gets smaller. When try to straighten him with shoulder in he really backs off.
Did some nice counter canter both reins. Totally rubbish at G&R on the short diagonal though - that is not going to go well! Nose poking all the way. Can get it on a circle these days but not quite progressed to diagonals yet!
So, back up there again next Wed then it's test time on Thursday - should be erm, interesting - these 2 tests (N35/37) are a bit of a step up from prelims!
Sunday, 23 December 2012
Llewi goes hunting 23-12-12
woohoo! He had such a fab time. We went with the RMA to Stockbridge Pond, Tilford. Great sandy going, went over Tilford and Hankley common - lovely long sandy tracks where you can gallop forever and perfect little Llewi jumps - will have to go for a hack up there and try and find them again! He was great - towing me into all the jumps and having a strop when I pulled him out from some bigger ones. Jumped everything great and even stood off from a few rather than his default getting in deep. He seemed to absolutely love it. Hope he likes Boxing Day just as much!
End of the week, whatever week of canter work we've got to now
Have blogged about most of the week already.
Yesterday went up the ranges for a bit of canter work. Probably did about 7mins of him pulling my arms out wanting to gallop flat out - pesky fit beast. Not allowed to do fast work until January!
Schooled him this morning before hunting Llewi. He was good - we did lots of round and deep in trot and canter, then some transitions and some on and back in the canter. He can really motor in the medium canter on a circle - hoping that movement goes well in our Novice BD in a couple of wks. Counted strides and he does about 10 in half a 20m circle in medium canter and 14-15 in a slightly collected working canter. 4-5 strides difference in half a circle is quite good I think. Managed a walk to canter on each rein without him blowing up. Have been getting some better trot to canter on the right rein with really thinking about sliding my outside leg back like I do on the left rein so he gets a nice warning that I'm going to give a canter aid - he seems to like a bit of warning!
Really need to work on the halts on the centre line - need to do lots of nearly halts and some trot-walk-trot work I think. He is terrible at just falling into a sudden halt as soon as he thinks I want halt. He just backs off, comes above the bit then yaws into it - horrible! Not a nice lasting impression for the judge!
Got Merrist Wood booked on Thursday so will be really nice to work him in their lovely big arena and do some counter canter and lateral work.
Yesterday went up the ranges for a bit of canter work. Probably did about 7mins of him pulling my arms out wanting to gallop flat out - pesky fit beast. Not allowed to do fast work until January!
Schooled him this morning before hunting Llewi. He was good - we did lots of round and deep in trot and canter, then some transitions and some on and back in the canter. He can really motor in the medium canter on a circle - hoping that movement goes well in our Novice BD in a couple of wks. Counted strides and he does about 10 in half a 20m circle in medium canter and 14-15 in a slightly collected working canter. 4-5 strides difference in half a circle is quite good I think. Managed a walk to canter on each rein without him blowing up. Have been getting some better trot to canter on the right rein with really thinking about sliding my outside leg back like I do on the left rein so he gets a nice warning that I'm going to give a canter aid - he seems to like a bit of warning!
Really need to work on the halts on the centre line - need to do lots of nearly halts and some trot-walk-trot work I think. He is terrible at just falling into a sudden halt as soon as he thinks I want halt. He just backs off, comes above the bit then yaws into it - horrible! Not a nice lasting impression for the judge!
Got Merrist Wood booked on Thursday so will be really nice to work him in their lovely big arena and do some counter canter and lateral work.
Friday, 21 December 2012
Schooling 21-12-12
On a mission tonight. Cant decide if it's the new boots again or that he hasn't done much this week - had Mon/Thur off and only did short hacks on Tue/Wed.
So initially I felt he worked really well. We did a warmup in trot and canter on both reins. First left canter he pretended he didn't understand me so I made it really clear bringing my outside leg back and then he seemed to get it.
Then we worked on walk-sitting trot-walk followed by halt-sitting trot-halt and a rein back to trot on each rein. Am finding sitting trot much easier - think he is softer over his back so just need to gradually build up more of it as everything is so much easier in sitting trot if you're doing it well! Then we did some trot-canters and some canter-trot-canter on a 20m circle as that is in one of my Novices that I've entered BD for after New Yr. Established I am rubbish and cant do a few strides of sitting trot then back to canter with flailing all over the place so need to come back to rising trot then back to canter. Did some G&R in canter and all was good.
Gave him a walk break and then did some walk to canter and he just went la la. Had incorrect strike offs on both reins (normally only the right), couldn't cope with counter canter - got knickers in a right knot - definitely couldn't cope with canter to walk even though he did it quite nicely on both reins eventually. It was dark by this point and had no money on me for school lights so that might have been freaking him a bit.
Gave up in the end, settled him in a stretchy trot on both reins and ended it there. More work needed I think!
Lesson tomorrow cancelled as forecast is hideous - more and more bloody rain. Very frustrating as need lessons! Not got any planned at the moment :(
So initially I felt he worked really well. We did a warmup in trot and canter on both reins. First left canter he pretended he didn't understand me so I made it really clear bringing my outside leg back and then he seemed to get it.
Then we worked on walk-sitting trot-walk followed by halt-sitting trot-halt and a rein back to trot on each rein. Am finding sitting trot much easier - think he is softer over his back so just need to gradually build up more of it as everything is so much easier in sitting trot if you're doing it well! Then we did some trot-canters and some canter-trot-canter on a 20m circle as that is in one of my Novices that I've entered BD for after New Yr. Established I am rubbish and cant do a few strides of sitting trot then back to canter with flailing all over the place so need to come back to rising trot then back to canter. Did some G&R in canter and all was good.
Gave him a walk break and then did some walk to canter and he just went la la. Had incorrect strike offs on both reins (normally only the right), couldn't cope with counter canter - got knickers in a right knot - definitely couldn't cope with canter to walk even though he did it quite nicely on both reins eventually. It was dark by this point and had no money on me for school lights so that might have been freaking him a bit.
Gave up in the end, settled him in a stretchy trot on both reins and ended it there. More work needed I think!
Lesson tomorrow cancelled as forecast is hideous - more and more bloody rain. Very frustrating as need lessons! Not got any planned at the moment :(
Monday, 17 December 2012
Something else to worry about
Monty has a monster tendinous windgall come up on his right fore lateral aspect just above fetlock. Noticed it last week then it went down but it was puffed up again today.
Farrier looked at his foot balance today - was happy with front feet - couldn't see why he would be sore on them. They look good to me - much better than when I got him. He does have road nails in at the moment though so this might be making him a bit more sensitive in terms of lunging him on the hard. They might also be increasing concussion a bit and causing the windgall.
He did say he's rubbing his toes behind esp the RH which I guess fits with that being his dodgy leg - nothing to do with his tendon injury I think, more likely the original problem flagged up in his vettings. I'm convinced it's some kind of mechanical restriction due to old injury as I really hope if it was anything more like spavin/suspensory it would have got significantly worse by now given all the work I've done with him. Anyway, he has shod him with some shoes which are rounded at the front in some way that he thought would be better - they basically look like shoes that have been worn for several weeks already to my eyes!
Farrier looked at his foot balance today - was happy with front feet - couldn't see why he would be sore on them. They look good to me - much better than when I got him. He does have road nails in at the moment though so this might be making him a bit more sensitive in terms of lunging him on the hard. They might also be increasing concussion a bit and causing the windgall.
He did say he's rubbing his toes behind esp the RH which I guess fits with that being his dodgy leg - nothing to do with his tendon injury I think, more likely the original problem flagged up in his vettings. I'm convinced it's some kind of mechanical restriction due to old injury as I really hope if it was anything more like spavin/suspensory it would have got significantly worse by now given all the work I've done with him. Anyway, he has shod him with some shoes which are rounded at the front in some way that he thought would be better - they basically look like shoes that have been worn for several weeks already to my eyes!
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