Digby's second ODE (+opinions please) photos and vid too

[I_A_P]

Well i shall try to keep it brief,.....but i would really like some opinions if possible

Set of this morning and i felt so so sick with nerves....just how i used to suffer; which meant i couldnt eat anything

Makes me wonder why on earth i am doing it

Really do not think there will be any BE soon

Had decided to use my instructors Amerigo dressage saddle and give it a go as he seemed to go fine in it the night before. Had a very open mind about the dressage after him being so so wooden last week- and today there was far more look at.

Warmed up well and went in -all i can say is he felt fantastic...we were bending with a nice soft neck and swinging paces and we were going into the corners...and were accurate . The worst part was the canter but in fairness it doesnt look as bad as it felt....and tbh i was more wanting to get the trot right today. So was very pleased as i came out.

Had nearly 2 hrs to wait....went into the SJ warm up and he went nicely although quite excited for him!! Went in popped over the first as i landed i felt him oomph off and i thought "bloody hell this isn't like him" and he was quite strong...i know he hasn't sj since his last ODE, and hes only jumped onece before on grass but he seemed very fresh and babyish. He was also very very wiggly as if he had never sj'ed before...but got him over the first 5.

This is the first opinion i would like..... as i was riding him into the double he ran out left..i circled him \nd then he ran out again.....he has never spooked at a filler before ever he just doesnt seem to mind....and this wasnt a "proper" filler anyway. I am going to try and SJ him in a full cheek from now on as he locked one way and then i couldn't steer at all.

However when i watched the video back about 2 strides before this fence a horse let out a really loud neigh/scream and it is so coincidental with what he did....i do not want to make excuses for him running out...but its just seems very very strange and wondered if it could have been a reason?....if you watch the video and turn the sound right up you shoudl hear it.....let me know what you think.

Anyway i was elimated so that was that!

Went to see my dressage scores....and i was pleased the whole class ranged from late 30's to late 40's with two people on 31, two on 34, three on 35 and two on 36 and i was on 38

so i was really happy...there was about 4/5 scores to go up. Also if you watch the test do you think that mark is fair? too generous?? just purely out if interest

So i was chuffed with the dressage. Anyway i would appreciate your opinions on both things so here are the videos (and some stills )

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http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y268/fr...=Dressage38.flv

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http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y268/fran123t/Digby/GT%20WItch/?action=view&current=SJ.flv

 

[catembi]

Well, I think you're very brave competing on grass - braver than me!

If you can't eat, have you tried a (non fizzy!) sports drink? I find them really good. Not being able to eat before sj used to make me ride with only 25% of my brain, which is never good, & I used to feel really sick coming out of the ring.

 

[hotellie]

i bet he was terrified of that whinny...it terrified me i was happily watching and then agggghhh...probs because i did as you said and turned my sound right up! sorry my comment is not of much help but i hope whatever the problem is that you sort it.

ETS- i forgot to say just how beautiful he is though! he really is lovely and his dressage test looked really nice.

 

[I_A_P]

catembi- thanks i thought i hd got over it whether or not it was because it was on ODE and i knew some people there (my instructors etc) that mde me like it as i used to be nervous all the time but i havent at all until today

I used to have non fizzy lucozade drinks etc which were better but i really could only stomach water today. I was fine once i was riding its just as soon as i get up until i get riding...so all the travellling time......and then all the waiting in between it seems.

I had a drop of alcohol before i did my dressage

(well just a small mouthfull)

My only thought about the whinny was that he wa s alittle bit aware of everything around him anyway and whether it just frightened him or not i don;t know :s

 

[wizoz]

Ok here goes!

First of all, well done, sorry about the showjumping but we have to remember he is still a baby.

The dressage, I felt, was a nice test, he keeps a nice even rhythm BUT he is not round enough. You need to set him up for his turns a bit more as he rather free wheels the corners in both trot and canter. I would like to see him slow a little be a bit more balanced and between hand and leg. I know he's still young so that will give you plenty to work on. Overall though, it wasn't at all bad.

The show jumping, the same really, his wobbles are just greeness, it's deceiving but you need more leg, he needs leg to move him on but half halt to collect him back at the same time. His stop was very odd, but you could see him back off and i'd have kicked like buggery as the fences were only small but 2nd time round you should have changed your whip to the side he ran out, smacked him on his shoulder to let him know he couldn't run out again and driven him with those leggies.

These are just my opinions.

He is looking well and he's jumping nicely.

 

[I_A_P]

Thanks...the dressage he was far rounder than last weekend when he was a complete plank....obviously i know he is not at all perfect and there is a long long way to go but its a massive improvement. He can be very behind the bit at times so if anything i try to push him "up" a bit more. His canter is awful-not really anything to say about that!!

The show jumping took me by suprise he was pulling -which he doesnt do and to be honest i was just trying to hang on and steer( which didnt really work). To be honest by the time i felt him back off it was too late...he set himself left and then i can not do anything...even the second time around when i was just circling to regain control.

After that i did actually give him a smack but he launced off and again set himself so that i just could not turn him. I had ridden him xc last time in a full cheek which had helped....and nearly did today (which i really think would have helped) but i didn't want to risk him acting up in that (as he leans on it on the flat) without having tried it out beforehand! So will definatly put that in next time out.
The first thing my instructor said when i came out was "he needs a full cheek"

I do not blame his wibblyness at all as i said he hasn't show jumped since his first ODE which was ages ago now...nor has he jumped at home either...and there was a lot to look at.

I am desperatly trying to find somewhere to take him next weekend to have a practise but having trouble

As i said i think im going to completely forget about BE this year at least.

 

[Eccles]

His flatwork looks heaps better and in time no doubt he will become rounder and will do a really lovely test.

Def try a bit with cheeks, it really helps with W's steering. Sounds as if the SJ was just a bit of greeness on his part and his enthusiasm taking you by surprise. I know how you mean re. the hanging on and steering bit and it never does work because they can just latch onto the bit and away they go!!

He looks bigger and stronger since I last saw some piccies of him as well.

 

[I_A_P]

thanks.
His dressage is a massive improvement and hopefully i can set that as a benchmark to improve on

The SJ i just want to move on from and take him out more now

I have ridden him in cheeks XC but did notuse it SJ as i havent tried it SJ yet and didnt want to potentially ruin the whole day if he didn't go well in it...which he doesnt on the flat.

 

[KatB]

He is looking great, the dressage is getting better and you are going down all the right routes, you are betterhaving him how you have at the mo until he learns to be truly off the leg and forward into the contact, THEN you will get a truly "correct" outline.

Sjing is just purely lack of match practise. I dont think he is as confident as he makes out, and he was prob just feeling a bit "whoa hang on a minute". The fact he was bowling into the fences and then chipping in shows he isnt quite as brave as he lets on

If in doubt, in future come in in trot and keep everything relaxed and loose and just let him amble over the fences a bit more. It saves you geeting into a wiggly pulling match, and just means he can register exactly what he is doing. Don't worry, he is going to be a superstar, but you just have to go step b step...and unfortunately sometimes those steps are backwards!!

Well done