End of July Weekend Thread

[SaddlePsych'D]

Great lesson today! I'm looking forward to writing up a little report later. It was just the thing I needed to feel a bit more prepared for dressage test next week. I rode a new horse and I have no idea if that will be the one they allocate for me for the actual test but at least it increases my odds of being allocated a horse I have at least sat on once before! I'm looking forward to having a comp to report back on next week's thread

 

[HuggyBear]

Just had a lesson and another tomorrow morning.

Everything without stirrups. Loving being back in the saddle.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Another new hack

 

[Ambers Echo]

Well if ‘you win or you learn’ then today was definitely a day for learning! The HT course was well built with some tricky lines. I was pleased with how I attacked the big galloping fences and delighted with how fantastically Lottie responded. Got horribly left behind at 2 which she took a flyer at and ballooned - safe to say she answered the ’can she cope with the height’ question . But I struggled with 2 of the more technical combinations and was eliminated at the 2nd of them into the water. So I’ve learned that I need more practice at this level to be consistent. In lessons I can look at the lines, plan how to ride them, get coaching advice etc. And if I mess it up, just correct and have another go. On a course everything comes at you so fast, and though I do plan how to ride each fence or combination when I walk the course, my instinct just aren’t yet good enough to execute the plan consistently. So I become unsure/indecisive and passive. But I’m super happy (and not a little amazed) that a 100 course felt pretty rideable and comfortable most of the time. Onwards!!

 

[LEC]

It sounds like you need to be training better. It isn’t xc schooling which prepares you for moving up the levels, it’s the technical arena xc stuff. Jumping all the jump for joy skinny’s and lines set up by trainers. This is the training which teaches horses about staying on their line and turning quickly and getting back on their line. IMO nothing matches it. Arena lines also come up twice as fast and rely on you riding positively from the start.

 

[Ambers Echo]

There was nothing on the couse that would have caused me an issue in training. We are ready for 100. But at some point you have to get out there and deal with the nerves and the 21-jumping-efforts-in-a-row without making a mistake. Which you cannot replicate in training. Or I can't anyway because my biggest hurdle is my own head! And nothing helps that except exposure. I do agree though that the balance between training and competing needs to be heavily leaning towards training. Which I think mine is. I have not evented much at all this season x

 

[Ambers Echo]

PS I do love area eventing. I think it's fab. And very good training. The problem I had was on a very steep downhill to a big box a couple of strides before the water. I was shortening the canter but forgot to keep enough leg on. Twice! The one thing that Somerford lacks I think is the opportunity to jump down-hill.

 

[Accidental Eventer]

We had a really great lesson on Friday, which I think I say a lot but Henry and I keep getting better and better at the moment. Henry jumped well and he's getting so much stronger and forward and so am I. Really pleased where we are and looking forward to some comps.

I've been sick but managed a ride yesterday, though nothing else very exciting.

 

[LEC]

.

 

[RachelFerd]

Went to South View for BS today to try and erase my memory of riding like a Muppet at Kelsall last weekend. South View is perennially unlucky for me, but at least I jumped 3 pretty ok rounds today - double clear for Isaac in the 95, but one place behind the prize money. Then he jumped a decent round with one down in the disco - but felt much improved from some of his terrible eventing rounds. He was using his brain and trying to coordinate himself a bit. Video below - am pretty happy with that (obviously the British team selectors aren't exactly going to be banging on my door yet... But still )

And then Simon came for the ride to pop round the 105 as I couldn't stay late. We winged around very happily with a winning time - but we had a very unlucky rub of the front rail of an oxer - so that put paid to that. Nevermind - at least no full-on disasters this time at a venue which often provides them for me

 

[Irish Sally]

Dressage went well. Our walk and canter has improved from last time. Still need to concentrate on our bend and softening over the back. Absolutely delighted though!

 

[Kunoichi73]

Lesson this morning was on RS baby pony. He's pretty green so needs a lot of supporting. He has a bit of a headshaking thing going on at the moment and will try to nap towards the exit. His brain seems to get fried quite easily, so we gave up trying to get a canter and just worked in trot, did some figure of 8 poles and halt transitions. He's a bit of a challenge at the moment which is quite nice, because get to learn more about dealing with babies.

 

[blood_magik]

Not the best weekend for us score-wise, but it was at least educational.

Cas was in the warmup but this time I managed to ride him through it. He then dropped me in my test *but* I managed to get both sets of tempis so that was a win in my eyes.

Jack didn’t put a whisker out of line all day on Saturday. Zero expectations as there were some seriously classy combos in our class and he’d only been back in work for 10 days following an nasty abscess and cellulitis. Very proud of how he coped given that he’s a bit of a stress head and there was a lot going on.

And finally, the baby… started off really positively bar one tiny spook in the warm up (someone popped out from behind a girder just as we were passing).

He wasn’t too sure about the judges box so things at the C end got a little messy but we made it through the first test in one piece.

The second test, however, had to be abandoned as he’d just had enough and completely downed tools. but hey, at least he’s pretty…

Needless to say, I’ll be sorting a judges box of some sort for at home tomorrow.

 

[Ambers Echo]

@LEC i was going to look at those exercises when I had a minute - so scrolled back to find them. They looked good. If you don’t want to post them publicly would you be willing to pm the link?

 

[Pick and mix]

Worked yesterday and went to dressage today , which I hate but do it so gets him used to more collecting rings and more shows inbetween jumping , was very good all day even in this wind

 

[Alibear]

I had a lovely hour-and-a-half hack in company on Saturday, but Sunday morning discovered she'd lost a shoe in the field overnight Found it, so just waiting for Farrier to re-unite it with her hoof. Have ordered Le Mieux Pro-shell over-reach boots, which seem to be just a cone rather than shaped, so I will see if those are better at stopping shoe loss.

 

[nikkimariet]

I’ve had a few busy weeks. A little holiday following by a little flu followed by another little holiday.

Horse wise, Rooni has qualified for BD nationals at advanced medium silver after a super outing at the regionals with me feeling half dead. He has then pulled it out the bag at his first AF of the season (and his 7th test at the level) by qualifying for the PP champs at PSG bronze too and I’m still not 100%. Really pleased as made a few whopper mistakes BUT got both lines of tempis without issue.



So winter nationals, summer nationals and PP champs all in one year. What a lad.

 

[Cloball]

Today's 'training' (hack) involved a chain saw, twice, and a Landover with a trailer and a loose shouty dog in it whilst going down a steep hill without issue and without getting off. Also tried our new turn on the forehand skills in anger with success

 

[oldie48]

I'm so pleased that Mr D seems fully recovered and is working well. I had a lesson last Friday with owner and she also helped me today. She suggested a new exercise to use in the warm up which worked really well. After the first stretchy walks, make a 20m in walk moving into 12-15m circle, then shoulder in for a half circle to going straight for half the circle. Once he's happy to do that on both reins without losing rhythm do it again in trot. He's a horse who gets to know exercises and then will give you what he thinks you want but in a slightly half hearted way (IYKWIM). Main part of lesson today was a chunk of Elem 59 which I think both horse and rider enjoyed! He's such a star and all this while a hedge cutter was in the lane and the water board men were digging a trench!

 

[Cloball]

Lesson today punctuated by some very low flying jets and a flying squirrel the squirrel of cause was the most concerning. Can you say your pony is bombproof when she doesn't move a muscle for jets

Any hoo was really sweet today nicely forward without being stressy or rushing. Left canter transition coming on nicely, right one involved a spontaneous yet elegant flying change! Rein back is getting pretty good. Turn on the forehand right is also pretty sweet. Her left hind doesn't quite step under on the left so she offers a walk pirouette instead but it's nice she sort of gets the idea and tries to solve it
I think she's come pretty far from the beginning of summer when any leg meant rushing around with legs and feathers everywhere, good little pony.
Post lesson roll.
Monday's hack view