Nickymac
Well-Known Member
For anyone who remembers me being mahoosively over-excited when I found out Hector was on the 2012 Equine Pathway List, yesterday we had a training sesh at Addington.
Not very appreciative of the 5am start, Hector dragged his heels out of his cosy stable and onto the lorry, only cheering up when we got to Addington and he saw other horses; his idea of a fun day out is just meeting lots of other horses but not necessarily doing any work, so he was a bit miffed when I put his jumping tack on and got on him. The first session was with Kenneth Clawson and Peter Murphy; I've been taught by Kenneth before and I was soon reminded of how he never misses a thing, and with Peter there as well there was no scope for getting away with anything. H behaved like he'd never seen a pole on the ground, never mind two poles (8 strides apart, to be ridden in an even rhythm, from middle to middle). We then progressed to a fence with a pole before and after, then from that to a double on a curving 5 strides, then did the double to the single fence, still with the poles before and after. Then we moved onto an oxer with a bright blue water tray (the one that looks like a bouncy castle), 4 (or 5) strides to some planks, then 5 (or 6) strides on a turn to an upright. H did a "OMG" at the water tray (bit embarrassing considering I've got one at home that he never bats an eyelid at!), went v high and so we went on 5 strides, then did a motorbike turn to the upright. He got better next time and we did manage it on 4 and 5 quite smoothly. Then we added an oxer to an upright on a dogleg of 6 strides which he did really well first time (hurrah!) It was really useful and Peter and Kenneth both gave me some handy hints. Ideally I would have liked to have been in a group with other intermediate horses as H could have done with a bit more height-wise to show himself off (he is Mr Economical until you whack them up a bit), but it was useful nevertheless.
An hour later he was doubly miffed to see the dressage saddle come out (not his favourite bit of kit by any means), and off we went to a session with Tracie Robinson. After a quick warm-up and chat about what he's done/what I plan to do this season, we worked mainly on shoulder-in in walk and trot on the circle, working on getting him really using his inside hind leg and crossing over huge amounts. Interestingly it looked like she did the same exercise with everyone (and Kenneth had said they were using the same jumping exercises for the whole day) - maybe to make it easier for them to compare everyone they had seen. It was a really simple exercise that improved H's trot no end and when we went came off the circle and went floating off in the most amazing trot I must have been grinning from ear to ear. Tracie has got masses of enthusiasm and energy, and it was refreshing to be taught by someone who seems to get as excited about stuff as I do!
H was suitably tired by this point, so we put him away with a big haynet and went to watch some of the others. There was only really one horse I wanted to steal, a 6yo iron grey gelding that Bumble Thomas was riding (owned by Ann Stratton I think) - it was v cheeky and fresh early on but OMG does it jump - it was like a rubber ball - so watch out for that one next season (iron grey gelding).
Cookies and a nice cup of tea if you've managed to get through my attack of verbal diarrhoea.
Not very appreciative of the 5am start, Hector dragged his heels out of his cosy stable and onto the lorry, only cheering up when we got to Addington and he saw other horses; his idea of a fun day out is just meeting lots of other horses but not necessarily doing any work, so he was a bit miffed when I put his jumping tack on and got on him. The first session was with Kenneth Clawson and Peter Murphy; I've been taught by Kenneth before and I was soon reminded of how he never misses a thing, and with Peter there as well there was no scope for getting away with anything. H behaved like he'd never seen a pole on the ground, never mind two poles (8 strides apart, to be ridden in an even rhythm, from middle to middle). We then progressed to a fence with a pole before and after, then from that to a double on a curving 5 strides, then did the double to the single fence, still with the poles before and after. Then we moved onto an oxer with a bright blue water tray (the one that looks like a bouncy castle), 4 (or 5) strides to some planks, then 5 (or 6) strides on a turn to an upright. H did a "OMG" at the water tray (bit embarrassing considering I've got one at home that he never bats an eyelid at!), went v high and so we went on 5 strides, then did a motorbike turn to the upright. He got better next time and we did manage it on 4 and 5 quite smoothly. Then we added an oxer to an upright on a dogleg of 6 strides which he did really well first time (hurrah!) It was really useful and Peter and Kenneth both gave me some handy hints. Ideally I would have liked to have been in a group with other intermediate horses as H could have done with a bit more height-wise to show himself off (he is Mr Economical until you whack them up a bit), but it was useful nevertheless.
An hour later he was doubly miffed to see the dressage saddle come out (not his favourite bit of kit by any means), and off we went to a session with Tracie Robinson. After a quick warm-up and chat about what he's done/what I plan to do this season, we worked mainly on shoulder-in in walk and trot on the circle, working on getting him really using his inside hind leg and crossing over huge amounts. Interestingly it looked like she did the same exercise with everyone (and Kenneth had said they were using the same jumping exercises for the whole day) - maybe to make it easier for them to compare everyone they had seen. It was a really simple exercise that improved H's trot no end and when we went came off the circle and went floating off in the most amazing trot I must have been grinning from ear to ear. Tracie has got masses of enthusiasm and energy, and it was refreshing to be taught by someone who seems to get as excited about stuff as I do!
H was suitably tired by this point, so we put him away with a big haynet and went to watch some of the others. There was only really one horse I wanted to steal, a 6yo iron grey gelding that Bumble Thomas was riding (owned by Ann Stratton I think) - it was v cheeky and fresh early on but OMG does it jump - it was like a rubber ball - so watch out for that one next season (iron grey gelding).
Cookies and a nice cup of tea if you've managed to get through my attack of verbal diarrhoea.
