Mark Phillips clinic yesterday

Bossanova

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Was worried he may not be in a very good mood but he was in fine form as normal
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He is a fantastic trainer and I'm very lucky to have the opportunity to have an sj lesson twice a year. He doesnt miss a thing and really gets you riding to your best which is what I needed (basically a serious kick up the arse!) If anyone ever gets the chance to go to him, it's well worth it and gives you a whole new perspective on showjumping.

Sister wanted me to ride Odin as I was in the top group for intermediate horses, she's never seen Moon jump so doesnt know that she'd have been more than capable but never mind, it's good for me to jump different horses. I've been having an unfortunate contact lens problem and I'm very short sighted so jumping is.... interesting..... It's pretty hard to judge strides when I cant focus properly so little Odin was left to work it out for himself in the main
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Anyway, he was a star. He's so easy, you just sit there and get on with it and he answers every question. Jumped some reasonable size fences and we were practicing turn-backs and related distances which he pinged through beautifully.
We had some people try him on Monday wanting a schoolmaster for a teenager and apparently he was 'too quiet' Well I'm sorry, but how many horses can you find that are capable of intermediate but you can also trust with your granny? Thats a schoolmaster!!

Very self-indulgent, sorry. I will try to get some video from it uploaded later so you guys can rip me to shreds
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At least they told you the reason why and didnt muck you about im always grateful for that!

Glad you had a good lesson, how comes you get 2 lessons every year? Is it block booked?

How comes you dont have more!! He must be great.

Im having a lesson on both of mine with Lucinda Green in August cant wait!
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You lucky thing.
Was that down south again? where it was last year??

Would love to have a sess with him, old trainer was trained by him when she came over from Oz and raves about him.

Look forward to seeing vid. Love Odin, lol about the ppl who came to see him..... most ppl would give their high teeth for a horse like him!
 
He doesnt teach much over here and I get them through the TTT who my sister does a lot with. He spends a lot of time in America too. It is a shame!

Yes was pleased that they didnt waste time by jumping him etc but it's just a bit disappointing as everyone wants the perfect horse.
 
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You lucky thing.
Was that down south again? where it was last year??

Would love to have a sess with him, old trainer was trained by him when she came over from Oz and raves about him.

Look forward to seeing vid. Love Odin, lol about the ppl who came to see him..... most ppl would give their high teeth for a horse like him!

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Yep same place, he really is very good and quite unlike anyone else I've been taught by. And he knows my name now *smug* (he's pronounced it very wrong for the last 3 years but actually recognised me and got it right this time
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I saw it advertised through TTT.

Hes got another later in the year...???

PMSL! when he starts calling you Boss start to worry
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I saw it advertised through TTT.

Hes got another later in the year...???

PMSL! when he starts calling you Boss start to worry
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Lmao!!! I answer to Boss now though, along with many other names.
Yep theres one end of October I think it is, around the 30th. It's worth doing if you can make it.....
 
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Been wondering how to pronounce your name, too....
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Sounds like fun. Is he fierce? Imagine him to be a bit scary
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Hehe, it's pronounced just as it's spelt which is where most people go wrong as they add in an extra syllable *odd*

He's not fierce at all, very friendly but you do obey him for sure. He got on my horse once because he thought I was being weak but soon realised he aint that easy to stop!!
 
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Shame you didn't get to take Moon, but what with not being able to see Odin was prob a better bet
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Glad it went well, am as always supremely envious
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Yes, I think Moon might have taken advantage!!
 
My friend and my trainer went to watch one of his TTT clinics last year - for the next fortnight, all I heard was 'Captain Mark said....' over and over again! Think he made quite an impression, although from the way they spoke you'd think he was then a personal friend for life!!!
 
How was he getting you to do the turn backs? When I was on ponies and actually had lessons (!), from a show-jumper, he would get me to flex their heads to the outside on a turn back. Bear in mind these were not highley schooled dressage horses! With my current lot I don't try anything like the turns I did on ponies, and I try to get them to canter round the turn much as I would like them to if there was no fence.... what's his take on it?
 
Forwards, dont back off the turn, look mid-air and keep your body forwards all through the turn. Watching people do it the first time, most didnt make the turns inside the blocks as they a) werent looking and b) bought their bodies back, creating resistance (these were decent riders)
He is sticks to his principles of the rider being in a forward balance with a very secure leg and keeping the canter very much at a medium length stride.
 
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He is sticks to his principles of the rider being in a forward balance with a very secure leg and keeping the canter very much at a medium length stride.

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that is my nememsis of every jump lesson I have at the yard.

Personally quite like the "monkey on the back" approach too.
 
How fantastic, would love a jumping lesson at the moment. Have to stick to trying to school on the side of a hill instead. The viewers weren't my contacts were they?
 
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How fantastic, would love a jumping lesson at the moment. Have to stick to trying to school on the side of a hill instead. The viewers weren't my contacts were they?

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No, dont worry!
 
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