monte1
Well-Known Member
OK, so I haven't posted much for a while, we have been bumbling away doing a few things and making very slow steady progress, but still so much to learn, so thought i would fill you all in on where we are.
We went out and did a couple of dressage tests two weeks ago, a prelim and our very first novice test -novice 34! (maybe should have chosen a simpler one for starters)
I completely forgot to ride him in the novice test as soon as I went into the ring , we did everything but it wasnt pretty or fluid, so got to carry on working on my brain being properly engaged when we go out !
not proud of the score, but it was all good practice and he was super well behaved all day, despite travelling there with another horse and didn't fuss about leaving her to warm up.( so I count that as a win!)
Last Thursday we went XC schooling at Tweseldown, my lovely eventer friend came along to teach us, we haven't done any xc schooling since about this time last year, so I had no expectations, just wanted a positive day, jumping some 80 or maybe even 90 fences..
Well he was a complete superstar, friend had us warming up really long and low and stretching down, to get him to work over his back, something we are struggling with still.. then got me to think about producing a good canter and keeping him working in between the fences
she sent me off over a couple of simple log jumps in the new schooling area field to warm up and he was great just popped over making no fuss, so she pointed to the triangle things on legs ( not sure what you call them??) and said pop over those, off we went, i approached thinking they look quite big, he just popped over with out a fuss, it was the most wonderful feeling.
anyway I asked her were they the 90 (intro) fences and she told me they were probably novice and pre novice fences - I was quite frankly amazed- he made it feel so easy.
we moved on to do some drops practicing slipping my reins and keeping him straight with my seat and legs.
then jumped some corners including the novice ones-then on to the houses, jumping downhill then curving uphill to a skinnier house, again he was super, listening very focused and just popped over.
i had a bit of a wobble when popping a set of rails with some brush on top, as i felt nervous and started to fidget about with my reins- but approached second time and he popped over beautifully.
we finished with the water, popping the ducks into and out over a log
I can honestly say he didn't put a little hoof wrong all morning, I am so proud of how he has matured and grown up in the last year.
I am going to keep plugging away with the flatwork, as it seems to be making all the difference in all aspects and just trying to muster up the courage to pull on my bravepants and enter the UA ODE held there on 15th October!
will try and post some photos and the video links below , kindly taken by my friend
https://www.facebook.com/julia.hoskins.549/videos/10155239904242729/
https://www.facebook.com/marie.a.slater/videos/10154271363772529/
We went out and did a couple of dressage tests two weeks ago, a prelim and our very first novice test -novice 34! (maybe should have chosen a simpler one for starters)
I completely forgot to ride him in the novice test as soon as I went into the ring , we did everything but it wasnt pretty or fluid, so got to carry on working on my brain being properly engaged when we go out !
not proud of the score, but it was all good practice and he was super well behaved all day, despite travelling there with another horse and didn't fuss about leaving her to warm up.( so I count that as a win!)
Last Thursday we went XC schooling at Tweseldown, my lovely eventer friend came along to teach us, we haven't done any xc schooling since about this time last year, so I had no expectations, just wanted a positive day, jumping some 80 or maybe even 90 fences..
Well he was a complete superstar, friend had us warming up really long and low and stretching down, to get him to work over his back, something we are struggling with still.. then got me to think about producing a good canter and keeping him working in between the fences
she sent me off over a couple of simple log jumps in the new schooling area field to warm up and he was great just popped over making no fuss, so she pointed to the triangle things on legs ( not sure what you call them??) and said pop over those, off we went, i approached thinking they look quite big, he just popped over with out a fuss, it was the most wonderful feeling.
anyway I asked her were they the 90 (intro) fences and she told me they were probably novice and pre novice fences - I was quite frankly amazed- he made it feel so easy.
we moved on to do some drops practicing slipping my reins and keeping him straight with my seat and legs.
then jumped some corners including the novice ones-then on to the houses, jumping downhill then curving uphill to a skinnier house, again he was super, listening very focused and just popped over.
i had a bit of a wobble when popping a set of rails with some brush on top, as i felt nervous and started to fidget about with my reins- but approached second time and he popped over beautifully.
we finished with the water, popping the ducks into and out over a log
I can honestly say he didn't put a little hoof wrong all morning, I am so proud of how he has matured and grown up in the last year.
I am going to keep plugging away with the flatwork, as it seems to be making all the difference in all aspects and just trying to muster up the courage to pull on my bravepants and enter the UA ODE held there on 15th October!
will try and post some photos and the video links below , kindly taken by my friend
https://www.facebook.com/julia.hoskins.549/videos/10155239904242729/
https://www.facebook.com/marie.a.slater/videos/10154271363772529/
