nikkimariet
Well-Known Member
Hi ho hi ho....off BD'ing we go 
Pootled off up the road to Brooksby today for N30 and N34.
Little update - made huge progress last week...I was going to wait until over Winter...but since he already offers changes...and regularly...thought it best to teach him them so he has less of an excuse to chuck one at me whenever he wants!!! Worked on figure of 8, changed the bend and my legs/seat and hey presto. Change!! Straight, clean and off the aid! Clever
Not perfect, but already better than some 'proper' dressage horses working at a higher level 
Then we worked on 20m circle picking up true canter/counter canter and single change back again. Discovered that counter canter with an inside flexion is a tool that really helps to open up his shoulder. We haven't played with changes this week as didn't want to give him brain strain 
Onto today - warmed him up at home today due to limited warm up space at BMC. Yeah....really can't sit at all at the moment... Felt like my entire pelvis was in a pincer grip
So painful. I used the equissage last night and felt okay, but was clunky creaky stiff this morning; using the equissage again did help but I still felt awful. Took me a good 45 mins at home to feel like I was actually sitting *with* Fig, and being of any help/use I was mostly happy with how he warmed up, contact was best it has been all week and once he was off my leg the trot felt brilliant.
He warmed up for the first test really lovely. No offerings of canter when not asked, no chompy/snatchy in practice free walk, and medium steps felt really on the ball. Stayed relaxed and soft the entire time Test was sweet, I felt like I could have sat him up round the corners a little more, he tried to drop me in the second medium so I chased after him (which I knew would result in a hurried comment but :shmeh: ). Halt/immobility was spot on - halt is fine...staying still....another question!!! He will halt square. Then fidget forward to square up again. And then try and creep forward again 
Something we've been working on and improving at home and definitely making progress Oh, and I remembered to trot after the last medium canter and NOT continue to canter merrily down the center line this time!!
Second warm up was pleasing also, a quick 5 minute stretchy session and then I picked him up. Didn't do much with him as he did feel a little tired by this stage (as did I!!!). Was probably on him for 20 minutes and then went into the test as person before was a no show. Had a huge EEK moment as trotting round the arena...Fig got his tongue over the bit! Then the bell rang!! Que PS sprinting up the side to sort us out before my 45 seconds were up. Our entry at A was not the best! Really proud of him for listening the whole way through. Esp when I didn't change the bend during 20m half circles with trot/canter over X, felt him pause and then realized he was probably asking 'are you SURE you want counter counter now??!" :durrr: So, well corrected Fig I fluffed the first canter transition, but he came back to me nicely and didn't get het up about it Our free walk was pants 
Steps forward and through, but his head was tucked somewhere up his arse!
Pics:
HALLO 'the' trot!
Medium trot to be proud of! (partic chuffed I'm not mimicking the leaning tower of Pisa like usual)
Scores: 69.23% 1st/7 (only R section so 1st overall) for N30 and 68.75% 3rd/7 (as before) for N34. SO.... we only need 2 more qualifying points and then we'll be off to the Winter Regionals!! :excited:
Very well done for a very clever boy, love my little not-a-WB ponce machine, he tries ever so hard (even when Mum gets it wrong!). Next stop Kingswood Area Festivals, hope to see a few of you there
Sunday roast and orange juice with a side of codeine on offer
Pootled off up the road to Brooksby today for N30 and N34.
Little update - made huge progress last week...I was going to wait until over Winter...but since he already offers changes...and regularly...thought it best to teach him them so he has less of an excuse to chuck one at me whenever he wants!!! Worked on figure of 8, changed the bend and my legs/seat and hey presto. Change!! Straight, clean and off the aid! Clever
Not perfect, but already better than some 'proper' dressage horses working at a higher level Then we worked on 20m circle picking up true canter/counter canter and single change back again. Discovered that counter canter with an inside flexion is a tool that really helps to open up his shoulder. We haven't played with changes this week as didn't want to give him brain strain Onto today - warmed him up at home today due to limited warm up space at BMC. Yeah....really can't sit at all at the moment... Felt like my entire pelvis was in a pincer grip
So painful. I used the equissage last night and felt okay, but was clunky creaky stiff this morning; using the equissage again did help but I still felt awful. Took me a good 45 mins at home to feel like I was actually sitting *with* Fig, and being of any help/use I was mostly happy with how he warmed up, contact was best it has been all week and once he was off my leg the trot felt brilliant.He warmed up for the first test really lovely. No offerings of canter when not asked, no chompy/snatchy in practice free walk, and medium steps felt really on the ball. Stayed relaxed and soft the entire time
Test was sweet, I felt like I could have sat him up round the corners a little more, he tried to drop me in the second medium so I chased after him (which I knew would result in a hurried comment but :shmeh: ). Halt/immobility was spot on - halt is fine...staying still....another question!!! He will halt square. Then fidget forward to square up again. And then try and creep forward again Something we've been working on and improving at home and definitely making progress Oh, and I remembered to trot after the last medium canter and NOT continue to canter merrily down the center line this time!!Second warm up was pleasing also, a quick 5 minute stretchy session and then I picked him up. Didn't do much with him as he did feel a little tired by this stage (as did I!!!). Was probably on him for 20 minutes and then went into the test as person before was a no show. Had a huge EEK moment as trotting round the arena...Fig got his tongue over the bit! Then the bell rang!! Que PS sprinting up the side to sort us out before my 45 seconds were up. Our entry at A was not the best! Really proud of him for listening the whole way through. Esp when I didn't change the bend during 20m half circles with trot/canter over X, felt him pause and then realized he was probably asking 'are you SURE you want counter counter now??!" :durrr: So, well corrected Fig
I fluffed the first canter transition, but he came back to me nicely and didn't get het up about it Our free walk was pants Steps forward and through, but his head was tucked somewhere up his arse!Pics:
HALLO 'the' trot!
Medium trot to be proud of! (partic chuffed I'm not mimicking the leaning tower of Pisa like usual)
Scores: 69.23% 1st/7 (only R section so 1st overall) for N30 and 68.75% 3rd/7 (as before) for N34. SO.... we only need 2 more qualifying points and then we'll be off to the Winter Regionals!! :excited:
Very well done for a very clever boy, love my little not-a-WB ponce machine, he tries ever so hard (even when Mum gets it wrong!). Next stop Kingswood Area Festivals, hope to see a few of you there
Sunday roast and orange juice with a side of codeine on offer
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YP is a noob about them and I only want jumping ones!
