_jetset_
Well-Known Member
Well, after a bit of a disaster last weekend I was a bit dubious about taking Grace today. She was so hard to ride last week, really heavy in my hand and not working through. This is not like her at all, she is usually very sharp from my leg and easy to get moving from the leg with a few exercises.
I had dropped her feed last week because the mares were moved onto a really lush field. However, when she was so quiet last weekend, I put it straight back up (she is on Endurance Mix) and what a difference it made today!!!
We were a bit late
(I over slept this morning) so I only had around 15 mins to warm up for the Prelim. I warmed her up as much as I could, but she was still a bit tense in the neck when we went in and a little hyped up. But, she went in and did a pretty decent P17. There was one moment when she tried spooking across the arena as someone opened the door and it closed, but inside leg was firmly clamped on and apart from a few steps of canter she seemed to come back really well. For that trot circle we got, "A bit tense through the neck", hmmm, if only they knew the half of it
Anyway, she came 3rd with 65%. It is not our best result ever, but I was pleased because with only 15 mins warming up time she would normally still not be listening.
We warmed up for the Novice after walking around for 20 mins, and she warmed up really well. I felt her canter was really coming under me, and her shoulders were more proud. We went in to N38 feeling pretty good, and came out with 64.19%. Again, it is not the best mark she has received but I was pleased with how she went, especially in her canter work. Our medium trot was a bit hit and miss, but we have not done much work on this and it is something we are just starting to do a bit of in our lessons. She gets a bit tense and inconsistent.
She has been placed 3rd in the Novice (there are two above us joint 1st)... Once we have our medium work more consistent, hopefully we can start getting some higher marks. I am hoping to concentrate more on the Novice tests now though, I think she is ready and seems much more 'up' in the tests than in the Prelim. But that is probably more how I ride her than anything else
I had dropped her feed last week because the mares were moved onto a really lush field. However, when she was so quiet last weekend, I put it straight back up (she is on Endurance Mix) and what a difference it made today!!!
We were a bit late
Anyway, she came 3rd with 65%. It is not our best result ever, but I was pleased because with only 15 mins warming up time she would normally still not be listening.
We warmed up for the Novice after walking around for 20 mins, and she warmed up really well. I felt her canter was really coming under me, and her shoulders were more proud. We went in to N38 feeling pretty good, and came out with 64.19%. Again, it is not the best mark she has received but I was pleased with how she went, especially in her canter work. Our medium trot was a bit hit and miss, but we have not done much work on this and it is something we are just starting to do a bit of in our lessons. She gets a bit tense and inconsistent.
She has been placed 3rd in the Novice (there are two above us joint 1st)... Once we have our medium work more consistent, hopefully we can start getting some higher marks. I am hoping to concentrate more on the Novice tests now though, I think she is ready and seems much more 'up' in the tests than in the Prelim. But that is probably more how I ride her than anything else
