Crap Day

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LEC

LEC

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Well contested my first Novice - Dressage shocked me and I had a 34 which is better than I have ever done at PN. I think a busier test and one where he gets to have a bit more flair helps my horse where as PN is very rigid.

On to SJ always my weakest phase and I made some vital mistakes. I arrived too early so had too long a wait which does not help my horse as he switches off and I probably warmed him up too much. In the ring he jumped the first few fine fence 4 was planks we had run away after fence 3 and I did not have him back in time so tipped them. Onto the triple he just touched last part. Over the spread down the hill to an upright where he was too free again so knocked it flying and lost his back end so the turn into the related and double was not good nor was the canter fine over first part of rel. distance and then he bottled out of the first part of double. Took him round and he was then naughty to stop turned again and he popped through knocking a pole down. So I was CR which was really annoying as XC was big but straightforward.

So what have I learn't?
Just because you are finding PN easy does not mean you are ready for Novice. All the issues we have at PN are there still but made worse in increased technicality and height. So out jumping Newcomers in next couple of weeks.

Height is the easy part its the rest of it in particular quality of canter that let us down. Especially when he gets too long I do not check him quickly enough. He is not an easy horse to SJ as his canter is not yet steady and easy - its very up and down as he finds it hard to be balanced. XC is not an issue as to him galloping is the easiest thing in the world.

Do not warm up for too long or arrive too early.

So next week PN at SLM and then go BSJA and then Novice at Pontispool.
 
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But very good dressage
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His jumping had improved so much the 2 times I've seen him and if he is getting 34 at dressage you should be able to sort the canter out pretty easy. Good luck at SLM.
 
How did Cath get on - I saw her at start of XC. I heard the XC was giving a few people grief.
 
argh no im really sorry about that....doesnt look a good weekend for all of us HHO's this week i was also CR in the sj yesterday
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Doesn't sound a good day but your dressage scores are improving so that's good.
I reckon I see more people lose competitions by over warming up than anything else.
I can never understand why they do loads of warm up and jump the jump more than four or five times. I'm not saying you do that, more an observation from standing by the collecting ring a lot.
When my husband was doing BSJA he never did more than a ten min warm up, once the horse realised his next job was to be jumping, he stopped and stayed in walk. He reckoned so many horses had already jumped the course twice in the collecting ring, and were bored/tired before they went in otherwise. In his 16 outings he was always placed bar once, so it obviously worked for him!
I agree your canter has to be a proper "show jumping" type canter or the horses find it hard. Pehaps revert to the trick of the side reins between the legs and lunge on a small circle at canter may make a difference, I know it's not everybody's idea of how to do it but we have found it worked wonders on several horses, and it does sort the canter out.
I hope your next event goes better, sadly we didn't get into SL despite even trying to go in Open PN, sad as it's our favourit event.
 
Oh bugger
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Great dressage though
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A few runs at NC should sort him out technicality wise, but you are right, the canter is the most important thing. Having ridden him it does not suprise me at all that he finds it easier to get long and I am like you, too slow to check and end up in all sorts of bother
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Some collected canter up hills will help to start building a big arse and maybe get his hocks right under him - maybe
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Best of luck in the coming weeks xxx
 
What an absolute pain and how dissapointing to not get to run XC. Did that look inviting?
At least you know what to work on........
I shall reg fattie in June and come and join you for the 2nd half of the season. Then you'll see some horrible sights in the SJ arena
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You going to do the RC areas, we should have another try to qualify again.
 
I do exactly the same, never jump more than a few fences in the practice arena. Just enough to let her know what's coming next.
 
XC looked fine - its the damned canter he is very hard to ride either in front of your leg and bombing off after the jump as so long and free or as you saw at Belmont drops right off it and gets in very close. Indoors I am fine though as I have no choice but to ride him really forwards to make up for his inability to get round corners but this goes against us outdoors where we get to long and flat.

I will be going for RC! Do not hold much hope and feel totally depressed about horses at the moment. It is a lot of hard work to fit in around a very busy job and just wondering if it is worth it. I would have a better social life and be far better off!
 
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I will be going for RC! Do not hold much hope and feel totally depressed about horses at the moment. It is a lot of hard work to fit in around a very busy job and just wondering if it is worth it. I would have a better social life and be far better off!

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Oi you!
No thinking like that, you'll get there and if it means staying at pre-nervous and jumping loads of BSJA for a while then oh well, at least you may win some money back in sjing!!
 
You sem to forget that you are supposed to be doing this for fun. If that means you have a load of PN runs and really consolidate your (still fairly green) horse at that level, and heaven forbid, enjoy yourself then do so. There is nothing in the rule book to say you have to move up the grades asap, it's only May, you will have some fantastic runs before this season is over.
You had better run at Pontispool, we're planning on having fun!!!
 
Cheer up,I was really down after two crap events but knuckled down and got it really right this week and qualified for intro final, which I know is easy against novice but it is in all of us.
I had two great lessons which gave me the advice and boost I needed.I am usually early to sj and hate to upset anyone by altering the jump.Get down there work in by yourself in a corner do a few good fences keeping the horse into your hand and go in and be positive. I tend to panic and give my contact away if he comes off the bridle instead of pushing him back up to it and keeping the contact.
Tomorrow is another day, a good day to be positive and know what we want to achieve
 
I will not let this beat me! It has taught me a valuable lesson about reacting before its too late and also I am never normally early for SJ and there was no one there while I was walking XC.
I will be at Pontispool think I will do the 1.10 class! Sod it!
 
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How did Cath get on - I saw her at start of XC. I heard the XC was giving a few people grief.

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Bad dressage - he got confused with lengthed trot strides and canter, 2 poles jumping
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and a run out XC as Cath still hasn't got any brakes at all.
 
Naughty Spot! Do not envy having a lack of brakes there as its quite hilly!
 
Well done on your dressage. You'll get there with the SJ it has improved so much from last year. Have to admit have taken a step back with Rags at the moment BE wise and doing loads of BSJA to get his SJing better before I upgrade him. It is frustrating when they are capable in the other phases.
 
OMG!
Brilliant, i bet you were delighted
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Really pleased about Rags - hes such a cool dude.

Rain is coming down here hard
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lets hope Chepstow isnt a wash you like last year
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