Gleeful Imp
Well-Known Member
Well, after the cob based shanannigans last week we toddled off to Church Farm to do the 75cms Arena Eventing, see if the beggar would actually canter in his dressage test this week 
Dressage was a very simple test, but every time he hit the dip at the bottom of the warmup in canter he demonstrated to everyone how far a large cob bottom can extend itself upwards. Lets say we had to work rather hard on alot of 10m circles to get some softness and forwardness instead of back off and buck!
Test ok (I am a bit super critical) but got 67.4% and judge remarked on how supple he was through the turns! Very pleased with his springy canter transitions. 2nd after dressage - whit woo!
Onto the jumping ..... lack of forwardness too in the warm up (not usual for George any time but January!), used x poles in trot to get him lifting his shoulders. After getting a reasonable canter and decent couple of jumps over a spread in we went. My lower back and hips feel like they've no give, so stiff, wonder how much that's blocking him?
The minute we hit the arena the big cob bum went bunny hopping along. Rightly or wrongly (cc please - ALL comments welcome) I held onto him over the 1st to stop his head disappearing between his knees
The interval between 2 and 3 was interesting, not really a 3 time canter, more of a tigger approach ...
But decent no 3 think I'm still not giving enough
No 6 got left behind a tad ......
The photographer missed (honestly!!!!!) the landing, and the fact that he jumped no 7 from a standstill after a good old buck. Ladina B eat your heart out.
But as we turned to no 8, the real George appeared and he was off - whole canter got bigger and more forward
only issue was the tight dog leg jumping into and out of a corner but my poor riding (Ipresented the poor git at the wing) caused that - there were 4 tiny skinnies and flew them all - accuracy not an issue then!
Lets just say we had 1 or 2 time penalties
So plan of action
Chiropractor for me Tues
Sylvis Schorn flatwork torture session in eve
Physio check over for george
Flipping good gallop at Crow Wood on Sunday to open the beggar out!
Move up to 85cms as a matter of course because he was clearing a metre over some of these and to be honest 75cms feels small now.
Given just over 2 years ago an 18inch course brought on an asthma attack I think if we can do it, anyone can!!!!!
Many thanks to Ken Etteridge for his kind (and express) permission to post all the pictures
Dressage was a very simple test, but every time he hit the dip at the bottom of the warmup in canter he demonstrated to everyone how far a large cob bottom can extend itself upwards. Lets say we had to work rather hard on alot of 10m circles to get some softness and forwardness instead of back off and buck!
Test ok (I am a bit super critical) but got 67.4% and judge remarked on how supple he was through the turns! Very pleased with his springy canter transitions. 2nd after dressage - whit woo!
Onto the jumping ..... lack of forwardness too in the warm up (not usual for George any time but January!), used x poles in trot to get him lifting his shoulders. After getting a reasonable canter and decent couple of jumps over a spread in we went. My lower back and hips feel like they've no give, so stiff, wonder how much that's blocking him?
The minute we hit the arena the big cob bum went bunny hopping along. Rightly or wrongly (cc please - ALL comments welcome) I held onto him over the 1st to stop his head disappearing between his knees
The interval between 2 and 3 was interesting, not really a 3 time canter, more of a tigger approach ...
But decent no 3 think I'm still not giving enough
No 6 got left behind a tad ......
The photographer missed (honestly!!!!!) the landing, and the fact that he jumped no 7 from a standstill after a good old buck. Ladina B eat your heart out.
But as we turned to no 8, the real George appeared and he was off - whole canter got bigger and more forward
only issue was the tight dog leg jumping into and out of a corner but my poor riding (Ipresented the poor git at the wing) caused that - there were 4 tiny skinnies and flew them all - accuracy not an issue then!
Lets just say we had 1 or 2 time penalties
So plan of action
Chiropractor for me Tues
Sylvis Schorn flatwork torture session in eve
Physio check over for george
Flipping good gallop at Crow Wood on Sunday to open the beggar out!
Move up to 85cms as a matter of course because he was clearing a metre over some of these and to be honest 75cms feels small now.
Given just over 2 years ago an 18inch course brought on an asthma attack I think if we can do it, anyone can!!!!!
Many thanks to Ken Etteridge for his kind (and express) permission to post all the pictures
