BSJA...just when I think we're getting somewhere...

catembi

catembi

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Oh well, it's back to the embarrassed face today.
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Took Adrian to Manor Farm today. He did a good dr lesson yesterday where he actually behaved himself, & the last 2 times out bsja, he's placed so I was hoping for a reasonable result. I'd planned to ride him before we left to take the edge off, but didn't because I washed his tail instead.

So we started warming up & managed a canter on both reins without any bucking.
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Popped a x pole a few times without drama, then tried a // ...& that was our undoing. He basically got hugely excited & ran off, & luckily I saw a xc kind of stride from a gallop.
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Tried it again & more or less the same thing happened. Managed to jump an upright once or twice, then it was our turn.

(Warming him up for longer doesn't help - I've tried it & he gets more & more wound up cos he's desperate for it to be his turn.)

He was really, really up for it, was locking onto the wrong jumps the whole time & I just couldn't hold him. He had no 1 down as he was looking at a different jump & one of the last jumps down cos by that stage I was getting a bit flustered. I overshot the last line of double + related distance cos it was *me* locking onto the wrong jump
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There was a photographer there, but I may or may not post the link depending on how embarrassing they are... I suspect I'll have a face like people have when they're on a rollercoaster cos that's what it felt like...
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But he does have a lovely white tail
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Lessons to be learnt:

1) RIDE OR LUNGE BEFORE I LEAVE HOME!!!!!!!
2) Take him with a dirty tail if I have to
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3) Get some poles for the manege so he gets used to the idea that it *isn't* mega exciting

Positives:

1) He is mega honest & did actually give me some help twice when he was at a bad angle (altho if he hadn't run off, we wouldn't have ended up at a bad angle)
2) He jumped a stile kind of jump which he hasn't seen before at that level
3) No bucking - well, only a half hearted one on one canter trans, which I can live with
4) Got to say hello to Crazyhippo1 again

So I'm now going to book Thurs off work to go back there & see if we can't jolly well get it right!!
 
And again, he looked so chilled when I saw him! Ah well, I'd certinally give lunging a go and see if that makes a difference.

Another positive for your list - at least you remembered to jump the last fence
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I was so concentrated on getting that double right that I just rode straight past number 8
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Was the dressage you were doing in a few weeks the stuff at MF? or else where?
 
Jumping at Manor Farm again on Thurs & hoping to improve on today's dismal performance, then College next w'end jumping again then trailblazers dr the week after at Lordsbridge.

Wanted to do some BD really but can't find a lot on at any venues that I can be bothered going to.
 
My old boss, an olympic dressage rider always used to lunge the night before and the morning of a competition, it worked for her.
I used do it with Axey, but lately I haven't been for some reason!
 
Have you tried not going in the warm up ring at all? Just warm up with a hack around the car park/roads around the venue, a canter on each rein in the w/u and then go in and jump?
 
maybe try doing some work at home with poles and just get him walking round over them, then progress to trotting over, this can be a tireless task but everytime he tries to rush take him down a pace ie if he tries to canter from trot into them make him come back to walk etc, that may help him realise he can't just go at whatever pace he wants to and has to listen if he wants to jump!
oh and please can you send some of his bouncyness to h as he is mr laid back and needs a rocket uop his arse!
 
Seahorse - I think I need to be more disciplined & get my fat a**e out of bed in time to ride/lunge first. But he was sooo good last time out that I was hoping he'd chilled.

Prittstick - I was thinking that today re warmup. The thing with the warmup is that there are only 2 jumps so he can charge at them & not have to think about where he's going next, which encourages him to go faster & faster.

Lizzieuk - I'm trying to get o/h to buy me a set of plastic poles & jump stands from e bay so we can do some polework/schooling. I don't want to bash him over big jumps all the time cos I don't want to stale him & he's only 5, but I think that a flatwork based session as you've suggested could work. You are welcome to as much bounciness as you want cos I've got faaaaar too much!! We need the opposite to a rocket...maybe one of those parachute things that racing cars use to slow down???
 
An old instructor of mine advised me to warm horse up for 30 minutes well before my class then put back on the lorry. Follow this by second short warm up just before class. certainly seemed to work as horse always warmed up second time in a much more chilled frame of mind.
Might be worth a try but will require getting bum out of bed earlier
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Timefaulter - that actually does sound like a plan. Would rather get up earlier than have another day like today. One should really *NOT* jump BN from a gallop...

You going to the college next week?

Ottinmeg - I think I'd agree with you that more warmup jumps = less control. They don't require enough brain & I can't circle away if he's being a prat (as you would in lessons) cos I'd cause a pile up.
 
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You going to the college next week?


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Not planning to. Ginger one is still at the stage where I need to be able to jump him form a standstill if he grinds to a halt in front of scary fillers (getting much better). So I will take him to Highcross EC for unaff on sunday then to Moulton BSJA the week after.
Might pop over to watch the ams at keysoe though.
 
Oh pants
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Sorry it went tits up again Catembi. I agree about the warm up - hack round the car park and then go in - he is perfectly capable of jumping a BN cold, so see if that works.
 
We were there for every class except the Brit Nov and didn't notice an 'unruly grey' at all so perhaps it felt worse than it looked ??!!
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Keep up the good work and I'm sure you'll get there - he sounds very honest too
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