Baydale's Back in the Groove - Arena UK training show with vids

Baydale

Baydale

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Or almost, driving's still a bit painful but riding's ok, so off we went to Arena UK on a wet and windy day (don't ask me why I used the
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smiley) with Marty, HH and Hector. The training shows give you the chance to jump courses with help from Matthew Wright and/or dressage with Robyn Weatherall; my lot needed jumping practice so I was a bit disappointed to see a working hunter course.....skinny poles.....outdoors.
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Hmmm, not quite what I'd envisaged, but we added a few (equally skinny) coloured poles and Matthew said the two related distances were 3 and 4 strides.

Hector first who, other than a couple of hours hunting last week which he was delighted about, hasn't been anywhere since Isleham in March.
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He's been back in work two months now and is feeling good. I asked Matthew to put them about 1.10m, so here's his first round in his usual airy fairy terribly polite way:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W73UhhvrOnM

Please note that whilst we did the second related distance in 4 it's actually a very long 3.
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In fact they both are - more of that later.

Matthew commented on his way of going and said he'd like to see him rounder with a more powerful canter - I think he's developed his jumping style through his Kissing Spine problem, thoughts please - and that I was going forward with my shoulders and lightening my contact the last couple of strides causing him to come off the ground a bit flat.

Here's the more powerful, punchy version, still polite but more pingy (if I may use the "P" word, TableDancer?):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfElyB6th2Y

Then it was Marty's turn. Mr Don't-Tell-Me-What-To-Do has been more than a little challenging lately, not all his fault but I didn't think hunting him with a broken arm would be one of my better ideas
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, so I hoped an outing to Arena UK would sweeten him up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Diw7wrGfLE

Yes, he has a very unique style, but Matthew wanted to work on him taking charge the last few strides. He's in a Happy Mouth snaffle, anything stronger exacerbates the problem and anything with leverage is a big no-no - Marty makes his feelings very clear on all matters.
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Matthew very bravely stood in front of the second fence and had me pulling up after the first; that worked fairly well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aNA39y6-98

And then he let me carry on to the second fence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeiFVvNSh8k

It's not perfect, but much better than it was, so I'll be working on that at home. He suggested lots of cantering around my arena with fences up and randomly jumping them, never in the same order, just so he can't be such a smartar*e and has to listen to me. He agreed that it's likely Marty will always be willful so it's finding a way to get the most out of him without being heavy-handed. Tactful diplomacy, methinks.
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I've saved the best till last, yep, your favourite and mine, HH.
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He needs no excuse to make an occasion fun, so my warm-up was punctuated with bucks, squeaks, airs above the ground and monster alerts.
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All well and good but could he concentrate on the skinny poles? And you'd think he'd make the distance easily, wouldn't you? Nope. Have a laugh at my yee-ha at fence 2.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvcj2JztfRY

Matthew's opinion was that he cramps his back end over a fence and that the distances set weren't great for a horse that needs to be dared to the base of the fence more. Again he wanted a more powerful canter, but on those distances all that seemed to happen was that the jump went flat.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3N5rzem4nc

He also said I'm losing him inbetween the fences - as you can see by our motorbike impressions and my need to circle to get things back together. Also, to support him off the ground in front of the fence; JP's said this before but it worries me that I'll then go back to being backward with my hand (I think you see me "pick him up" at one on that second clip?) He suggested doing grids on short distances, especially with an oxer coming out, widening it to make him throw his back end away.

All in all I do feel he's improved a lot and therefore my/our confidence has grown, so I'm happy with where I'm at and was very
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about it all. I thought HH was too, but while we were about to untack him he loaded himself onto the lorry as if to say "if you think I'm jumping any more you've got another think coming!"
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Coffee and custard creams if you've made it this far. CC welcome and any gentle mickey-taking also. Offers for Hector are welcome, but I'm fine for wine/chocolate at the mo, ta very much.
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Great report and vids
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All looking really well, LOVE HH as he gives me hope of my very own humungous horse turning into something that can connect the front end to the back
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And Hector is sooo sweet, he looks very well
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That looks like a super-useful thing they run, wish we had something like that round here! It must feel great to be back in action....again....!
 
LOVE HH, as usual
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I think if Hector is happy with the way he goes, why try and change it? My old eventer never used to jump on the bit, but man he could jump. I stopped battling with him about it and accepted that that was his preferred way of going. Of course we'd all like to see our horses looking pretty between the fences, but some just can't do it. But it was so nice to see Hector out and about
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And Marty, well, you got your work cut out with him me thinks
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All in all, your boys look fab and you look like you're coping with your arm.
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Aw, lovely - loving Hector's little head shake at the end of the 2nd! Shoot me down but would a standing martingale do anything for Marty do you think? Our huntsman is hunting his grouchy-but-scopey mare in one and it seems to stop her being so 'dominant'...
 
Wizoz - on that same vein I have been told by a v experienced trainer to ignore anyone who tells me my horse needs to be round to the fence (which is not that same as saying his canter should not be round and up through the back - it's a head carriage thing mostly) - he told me I'd ruin his jump because as the fences go up, he becomes more 'classical' to them.

Whether this was a comment on my riding ability (i.e. I am not good enough to keep him round between/to a fence without ruining him) or the horse's way of going I have never dared to ask!
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I have the coffee, but I have a Lindor chocolate instead of a custard cream.

Hector looks a star, as always. He looks tight just infront of his wither area, almost as though he is tensing it. As you say he is just so polite though. Hopefully he will find a level where he is comfortable, even if he does have to develop his own style.

Marty reminds me of Floss, the same mouth/bitting problems and the same solution. She has attitude too.

Poor HH you can see just how hard he is concentrating trying to get those great long legs in the right order, and jump, and pose and squeal and head toss! I can see what MW means about the back end, it's almost as though he is trying to get it over the jump and back on the ground as quick as poss.

Have you tried the bounce grid exercise with the very very wide low oxer out. You put up 3 or 4 X pole bounces then a short stride to the oxer. put a diagnol top pole across the oxer though as I have seen a horse try to bounce that too. The whole exercise is kept below 1m.
 
Those poles look like match sticks! how evil!

I like the big chap is that Hector?... he looks lovely and the last boy looks like a hand ful I know it's not helpful but I like the way he bounds up to one of the fences and almost reaches out over it like a cat batting a mouse! He looks to be so keen to eat up the fences it's lovely to see
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Thanks booboos. It was very windy, hence why I'd hoped we'd be indoors.
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H_J - Doog will get there, I'm sure, as long as you're patient like me.
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Grumbledor - you're welcome! I thought it may be useful as well as redressing the balance (Matthew had had less than glowing reports on here a few days ago).

wizoz - interestingly JP had originally suggested modifying how Hector went, then changed his mind the last time he saw him. Marty is definitely going to keep me thinking, isn't he?
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kit - you're right, and Matthew did suggest that but I forgot to mention it. Hector's very camp, isn't he? That's just his way of reminding you what a good job he's doing.
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S_C - It's fab to be out and about again.
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You do have to whack a fence up to 1.30m or thereabouts to make Hector look more stylish; conversely, my already iffy style goes downhill as I do my impression of a headless chicken.
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Cant see the vids properly cos work computers dislike Youtube!!
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Sounds fab though, and who'd of thought MW could be a useful eye on the ground?!
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Funny about the wide oxer at the end of a grid thing, a friend mentioned it to me the other week, and I had never thought of it as being good for the backend technique.... but as soon as I heard it can "open them up" I thought of HH..... though can we fit you with a parachute if he starts to "Throw" his back end away?!!
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Would be akin to being on a rocket launcher?!!
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Marty is a dude, pure and simple... him and Jupiter are going to be battling for reminding you who really is boss
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jules - I thought he was good and appreciated what he was advising and why. But, and it's not much of a but
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, he'd be a much stronger rider than me so I might struggle to get them as round as he'd like, so it's finding what works for me but has the same effect.

Thistle - Hector was a bit agog and gazing around the place at first, he did get looser and I'm sure next time out he'll soften more. You should've seen him out hunting last week - his ears were in my mouth.
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I haven't done bounces with HH lately as they make him hollow, but any short distances to a wide oxer will help, I think. The "cramping" is fixable, and I'm happy that at least he's getting them up and over as before he was so weak behind he could barely manage that.

Chloe - which big one, they're all over 16.3 or were you thinking I'm 5ft tall?
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The mouse-batting technique (aka his Superman impression) is what I need to get him out of by using shorter distances but you're right about him being keen.
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Kat - after watching sj_mummy's vids of her lovely Orange One and his technique, I live in hope that I might one day have to be defensive as I land over a showjump on HH.
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If you're looking to get him on his hocks more have you tried the extension of the exercise JP (or was it KC - cannot remember - the EHOA thing anyway) was getting you to do with the poles and fence?

You have a grid of 3 fences each 6 BSJA paces apart (this is probably a proper distance but i only work on paces!), with a pole in between at 3 paces - so it looks like pole, 3 paces fence pole fence pole fence pole - I guess you may need to set it slightly longer for your guys?! Anyway, the point is that it elevates the canter and makes them work hard! Obviously you start with one fence and build up...and then you can swap oxers in etc too. I like it for engaging long horses who have a tendency to have their backsides in another county - mine is only 16.3 at a push but a bit long and I am stupidly small at 5ft so it helps me engage him (and also feel the canter I am looking for when the poles are not there - but I am guessing you need less help than me in that aspect since you clearly have a clue, whereas I am rather all the gear no idea!)
 
Yes, but it does not work out like that - they don't put two bounce strides in that distance, they land, do one elevated 'true' stride over the pole then takeoff for the next fence - not land bounce pole bounce fence - does that make sense?
 
Armchair viewing of Baydale is almost as good as riding myself - although far more daring than any thing I would try!

I was riding every stride with you - bloomin Youtube freezes though and upsets my rhythm though
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My fave - HH of course! You could tell he was dying to let rip but should be commended for controlling himself very well
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More of the same to pass the hours please
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Ok, I am hopless at remembering actual distances, and have no idea how people can say 'set that on 21ft' and then do it (or whatever) - but what I can do is pace an accurate BSJA 1 stride distance, which is 8 of my 'BSJA paces' - I then set this on 6 of my BSJA paces with a pole after 3 strides. Any clearer? Thought not! I tend to set a bounce marginally longer than this - 3.5 paces usually - otherwise it feels uncomfortably short to my horse.
 
Great to see Hector back - i was wondering how he was going the other day. Do you have any plans for him for next season or just see how things go?

HH looks gorgeous as usual! He has such a massive presence in the area, a real super star in the making.
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What a dude Marty is!!!
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S_C you confused me good and proper there, that's easily done though.
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So you mean poles on the ground inbetween fences that are one horses stride apart? If so, yes that's a good exercise, anything to keep the canter stride round and the stride pattern even.

I could have done those distances at Arena UK on 4 strides tbh, which would have been beneficial for HH but probably made Marty stick his head up even more
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and teacher's pet Hector could have minced through to his hearts' content.
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Yes, but they are set on a 'short' one stride, i.e. 6 paces not 8. Any clearer?! It doesn't feel as short as it 'should' on a big horse because the pole elevates the canter so much.
 
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Armchair viewing of Baydale is almost as good as riding myself - although far more daring than any thing I would try!

I was riding every stride with you - bloomin Youtube freezes though and upsets my rhythm though
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My fave - HH of course! You could tell he was dying to let rip but should be commended for controlling himself very well
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More of the same to pass the hours please
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You're very easily amused, aren't you? I'll put that down to you being housebound and pregnant, not shameless flattery in the hope that I'll send HH down to you as a dressage pony.
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(*whispers* I've got cute Baby Baydale vids if you'd like them?)
 
Thank you for posting the vids, lovely to see the boys, love them all
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Really good to hear his thoughts and compare to the vids. Marty reminds me of Saf the way he likes to take control, S Hadley has had me pulling up after the fence too, does seem to help but have to do it a few times first, trouble is with me is that I have started adding in strides
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Wish somewhere near me would run training days, fab for the closed season
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Great to see Hector back - i was wondering how he was going the other day. Do you have any plans for him for next season or just see how things go?

HH looks gorgeous as usual! He has such a massive presence in the area, a real super star in the making.
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What a dude Marty is!!!
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Thanks TeaBee, Hector thinks it's great being back too, he's soooo full of his own self-importance and thinks the world starts and ends with him. Sadly I'm trying to find him a new home where he can have an easier life and be appreciated for his many talents, camp head-shaking being one of them.
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I've had him since he was 3 so it'll be a tough day for me when he goes.
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