black_n_white
Well-Known Member
Quick intro to my horse and I as I'm more of a lurker than a poster, but I'm after a bit of advice from all you proper competition riders.......
I lack experience and confidence XC and get really nervous to the point that I struggle to breathe in the XC warm-up and my legs and arms turn to jelly! I've owned my horse Kuba for 3 1/2 years and hes the first one Ive brought on myself. Weve done the 80cms at Aston le Walls several times. But this is not up to height and we're ready to do a bit more now. However, the thought of an intro scares me to death! It seems like a massive leap to go from a small 80cms to an up-to-height 90cm! The idea was to have a few outings that would act as a stepping stone in terms of height and technicality.
Weve always had the same problem XC in that he is always very sticky to start but then is generally ok once he gets going although we have had some truly disastrous rounds where he just hasnt wanted to play at all. We did a team chase a few weeks ago which he really enjoyed and did wonders for our confidence we ended up leading the whole way round few sticky moments but generally he was really brave (even though it was up to 3ft3) so I decided to take the plunge and up our game a bit.
I entered the 2ft9 at Elmwood thinking that it would be perfect as that stepping stone we were looking for. Arrived on Friday evening to course walk and promptly had heart failure! Course was up to height and much trickier than I was expecting. Gulp!
So onto my actual report... Dressage was intro 95. He was a bit onward in the first canter so I felt that I had to haul him back to trot but was a nice enough test. We were just about to go into the SJ when I found out Id done a 30.5 and was in the lead in my section! We didnt get the best warm up but he jumped like a star taking me into the fences and was very careful with his toes for a change. He is very lazy but weve been working really hard to get him more responsive and off my leg and that has really paid off.
Got to the XC a bit early but then ended up hanging around for ages. I was in the first section of my class so there was a delay in swapping over judges etc from the first class. I felt the usual nerves start, but managed to control them which was a huge step forward for me. He jumped well warming up and seemed quite up for it.
He shot out of the start box then did the usual trick backing off the first two fences from about 5 strides out, setting his neck and dropping his shoulder. I managed to hold him straight and ramble over them. We turned back towards home for fence which he flew, then it was a left turn to fence 4 which was a skinny double of hanging logs. I lost his right shoulder on the turn and had a run out at the first part. Had another run out at fence 5a which was a house at the bottom of a mound. Part b was a left turn over the top of the mound to another house at the bottom. I trotted down the hill and he jumped perfectly. After this it was like his attitude changed. 6a & b were a double of narrow boxes on a bending line which he locked on and just flew. He was slightly hesitant jumping 7 which was a log before the water but rambled over and slashed through the water fine. He locked on and flew the next five including the corner which was off a sharp left turn.
Had a quick look in the ditch at 13 before jumping theyd put sand down on take-off and landing and there was a lot to look at. Flew the pheasant feeder at 14 heading towards home. Then we had to turn left and jump up a step at 15a again I lost the shoulders on the turn and sailed on past the fence! Id been having nightmares about the skinny brush part b at the bottom of the mound. Came back to walk then kicked on from the bottom of the hill and he locked on and flew it and launched himself over the ditch at 16 causing me to drop my reins! Then we turned for home again and he didnt bat an eyelid at the big scary palisade with ditch in front and the box with brush. I fired him at the trakhener as he was a bit lookey at one when we schooled the week previously but jumped this beautifully. The last fence was on a right turn away from the warm up. He thought he was heading home and this time I lost the left shoulders on the turn and was too knackered to have the strength to get him back (note to self- must work on my fitness).
So we finished with XC jumping faults and about a million time penalties not a great result on paper but I was pleased that firstly it was a big step up for both of us and Id kept my nerves in check. I was delighted to have a good dressage and SJ and I also felt Id ridden much more positively XC than I have in the past.
Im just pondering what our next step is I think the only way to deal with the XC stickiness is by getting out and competing. He doesnt do it when schooling even when going away from a group of other horses. Hes not a nappy horse hacks out like a dope by himself and will stand on the lorry on his own. He does get a bit tense leaving his friends for the dressage but seems to really enjoy the SJ and is dead honest. He is very lazy so we did wonder if he just couldn't be bothered with the thirs phase! He is fit and gets ridden every day - sometimes twice as I have a sharer. He was blowing a bit after finishing XC on Saturday but had recovered by the time we got back to the lorry and was barely sweaty.
Sorry for the massive essay. Has anyone had similar issues? Any tips on exercises to improve control of the shoulders? How can I improve my reaction time is it just practice, practice and more practice?
I lack experience and confidence XC and get really nervous to the point that I struggle to breathe in the XC warm-up and my legs and arms turn to jelly! I've owned my horse Kuba for 3 1/2 years and hes the first one Ive brought on myself. Weve done the 80cms at Aston le Walls several times. But this is not up to height and we're ready to do a bit more now. However, the thought of an intro scares me to death! It seems like a massive leap to go from a small 80cms to an up-to-height 90cm! The idea was to have a few outings that would act as a stepping stone in terms of height and technicality.
Weve always had the same problem XC in that he is always very sticky to start but then is generally ok once he gets going although we have had some truly disastrous rounds where he just hasnt wanted to play at all. We did a team chase a few weeks ago which he really enjoyed and did wonders for our confidence we ended up leading the whole way round few sticky moments but generally he was really brave (even though it was up to 3ft3) so I decided to take the plunge and up our game a bit.
I entered the 2ft9 at Elmwood thinking that it would be perfect as that stepping stone we were looking for. Arrived on Friday evening to course walk and promptly had heart failure! Course was up to height and much trickier than I was expecting. Gulp!
So onto my actual report... Dressage was intro 95. He was a bit onward in the first canter so I felt that I had to haul him back to trot but was a nice enough test. We were just about to go into the SJ when I found out Id done a 30.5 and was in the lead in my section! We didnt get the best warm up but he jumped like a star taking me into the fences and was very careful with his toes for a change. He is very lazy but weve been working really hard to get him more responsive and off my leg and that has really paid off.
Got to the XC a bit early but then ended up hanging around for ages. I was in the first section of my class so there was a delay in swapping over judges etc from the first class. I felt the usual nerves start, but managed to control them which was a huge step forward for me. He jumped well warming up and seemed quite up for it.
He shot out of the start box then did the usual trick backing off the first two fences from about 5 strides out, setting his neck and dropping his shoulder. I managed to hold him straight and ramble over them. We turned back towards home for fence which he flew, then it was a left turn to fence 4 which was a skinny double of hanging logs. I lost his right shoulder on the turn and had a run out at the first part. Had another run out at fence 5a which was a house at the bottom of a mound. Part b was a left turn over the top of the mound to another house at the bottom. I trotted down the hill and he jumped perfectly. After this it was like his attitude changed. 6a & b were a double of narrow boxes on a bending line which he locked on and just flew. He was slightly hesitant jumping 7 which was a log before the water but rambled over and slashed through the water fine. He locked on and flew the next five including the corner which was off a sharp left turn.
Had a quick look in the ditch at 13 before jumping theyd put sand down on take-off and landing and there was a lot to look at. Flew the pheasant feeder at 14 heading towards home. Then we had to turn left and jump up a step at 15a again I lost the shoulders on the turn and sailed on past the fence! Id been having nightmares about the skinny brush part b at the bottom of the mound. Came back to walk then kicked on from the bottom of the hill and he locked on and flew it and launched himself over the ditch at 16 causing me to drop my reins! Then we turned for home again and he didnt bat an eyelid at the big scary palisade with ditch in front and the box with brush. I fired him at the trakhener as he was a bit lookey at one when we schooled the week previously but jumped this beautifully. The last fence was on a right turn away from the warm up. He thought he was heading home and this time I lost the left shoulders on the turn and was too knackered to have the strength to get him back (note to self- must work on my fitness).
So we finished with XC jumping faults and about a million time penalties not a great result on paper but I was pleased that firstly it was a big step up for both of us and Id kept my nerves in check. I was delighted to have a good dressage and SJ and I also felt Id ridden much more positively XC than I have in the past.
Im just pondering what our next step is I think the only way to deal with the XC stickiness is by getting out and competing. He doesnt do it when schooling even when going away from a group of other horses. Hes not a nappy horse hacks out like a dope by himself and will stand on the lorry on his own. He does get a bit tense leaving his friends for the dressage but seems to really enjoy the SJ and is dead honest. He is very lazy so we did wonder if he just couldn't be bothered with the thirs phase! He is fit and gets ridden every day - sometimes twice as I have a sharer. He was blowing a bit after finishing XC on Saturday but had recovered by the time we got back to the lorry and was barely sweaty.
Sorry for the massive essay. Has anyone had similar issues? Any tips on exercises to improve control of the shoulders? How can I improve my reaction time is it just practice, practice and more practice?
