chester1234
Well-Known Member
Finally sitting down to do my report from Moreton Morrell today, had a 6am start and got home at 7.30
Long day!
So, today was MM Novice. We took P off to the saddlers the other week to get saddles checked, and looks like we're in line for a new DR saddle. It was bought 6yrs ago for Mummy's bottom, and my bottom is considerably smaller [my mum freely admits this, I am not being rude!!]. Needless to say my size 8 derriere swims around in an 18in seat
Therefore I've been doing a lot of work with P in sitting, as it's easier to keep said derriere in the same spot. He also has quite a big movement anyway [certainly bigger than I'm used to] so it's easier to sit to.
Decided to do my test in sitting, as he seems to go much better in it than rising. He'd come with me to work on Monday / Tuesday and Hannah had had a play. She worked on getting him to release the right rein rather than holding it like a security blanket. Seeing him go for her gave me the confidence that he could do it, and I think him doing it gave him some confidence too.
ANYWAY. Onto the test [sorry for waffling!
] Did it in sitting, and he warmed up really sweetly, despite there being horses all over the place. Went down for my test, and got a little worried as we had a little spook at the haylage bales in the fenceline. He settled quickly though, and went in. It felt FANTASTIC. Well, fantastic for us
I was so pleased with him, his med trots were good, he wasn't tilting his nose, and he kept the same rhythm. His canter trans were so much better, as was the canter in general. Broke after the first 12m half circle to counter canter, and I didn't recover otherwise it'd have been a bit messy [D to B-M in counter didn't seem worth it]. He also jogged a few steps in his med, but the rest was sweet.
How chuffed was I when he got 39.5?!
He's done this test twice this season - 46.5 & 47.5 [although the latter v. undeserved]. He got a 7 for his counter canter [the one he did] a 7 & 6 for the two med trots, a 7 for paces, 7 for CL and first serpentine, 7 for final centre line and 7 for halt, infact mostly 7's and 6's
Onto the SJ, the course didn't seem to be riding particularly well, the only clear I heard was Sarah [Cohen] on Treason so
It was very twisty turny, and P didn't really like the surface, and kept getting deep [jumped well in the warm up though.] Was very lucky to escape with just two poles. The ones he jumped properly, he gave a foot. I know he can SJ [ 3/5 clears this season, 2 @ Nov] so I'm not too worried tbh.
XC - well, was fairly meaty, with a few questions coming up early on. The ground was quite hard despite being aggravated, and a few WD before XC. 7AB was a step up stride decent step down, on a curving two to a skinny box at 8. 11 and 12 was a corner on two straight to a skinny brush. After the first couple of fences, I realised as long as he was straight to everything he would jump. Decided to circle at the bank, and he popped the skinny sweetly as a single element. Put one stride in the two stride angled double at 10 A / B. Wasn't a yeehaa moment, I'd taken him on an inside line and he jumped big over the first so landed short for the second. Took the long route at the corner to brush as he was iffy with the corner at Oasby [has jumped them all fine since though...!] Popped everything else really sweetly, including the ENORMOUS skinny arrow head in the hedge which seemed to come out of nowhere on the turn ... Jumped the step up to the hedge like a seasoned pro, flew the trakehner, and popped the step / bounce / ramp on 3 to skinny box perfectly
. At this point was clear, and just had the water and brush at the last.
Water was a big boathouse in, through the water, rail in the middle, then out over a skinny box with a hedge. He jumped in beautifully, then took a long one to the rail in the water. This meant I had to let my reins slip and use my legs and seat to get him to the skinny. I really had to trust him here as skinny's aren't his forte really, and ended up grinning from ear to ear as he went "Oh, that one mum? Okay!" and jumped it on pretty much his own!
I knew he'd pop the last really sweetly, but didn't bank on him seeing the open 5 bar gate and lining up for that too
Meant we were a bit wonky over the finish but I couldn't care because the "dangerous" horse had just jumped clear like a proper event pony. I was so so pleased, and couldn't stop grinning....Dead chuffed with the pony, it all seems to be slotting in to place with him. For the first time he actually felt like he wasn't overly dependant on me to set him up, and I didn't have to do that much setting up anyway.
So, piccies....ADMIN : I have bought these pictures and therefore the copyright, and I checked with the photographer and she was adamant it was acceptable
Into Water :
In Water
Huge mug of tea & Viennese fingers if you get this far, but knowing you lot you'd prefer the G&T and peanuts
So, today was MM Novice. We took P off to the saddlers the other week to get saddles checked, and looks like we're in line for a new DR saddle. It was bought 6yrs ago for Mummy's bottom, and my bottom is considerably smaller [my mum freely admits this, I am not being rude!!]. Needless to say my size 8 derriere swims around in an 18in seat
Decided to do my test in sitting, as he seems to go much better in it than rising. He'd come with me to work on Monday / Tuesday and Hannah had had a play. She worked on getting him to release the right rein rather than holding it like a security blanket. Seeing him go for her gave me the confidence that he could do it, and I think him doing it gave him some confidence too.
ANYWAY. Onto the test [sorry for waffling!
How chuffed was I when he got 39.5?!
Onto the SJ, the course didn't seem to be riding particularly well, the only clear I heard was Sarah [Cohen] on Treason so
XC - well, was fairly meaty, with a few questions coming up early on. The ground was quite hard despite being aggravated, and a few WD before XC. 7AB was a step up stride decent step down, on a curving two to a skinny box at 8. 11 and 12 was a corner on two straight to a skinny brush. After the first couple of fences, I realised as long as he was straight to everything he would jump. Decided to circle at the bank, and he popped the skinny sweetly as a single element. Put one stride in the two stride angled double at 10 A / B. Wasn't a yeehaa moment, I'd taken him on an inside line and he jumped big over the first so landed short for the second. Took the long route at the corner to brush as he was iffy with the corner at Oasby [has jumped them all fine since though...!] Popped everything else really sweetly, including the ENORMOUS skinny arrow head in the hedge which seemed to come out of nowhere on the turn ... Jumped the step up to the hedge like a seasoned pro, flew the trakehner, and popped the step / bounce / ramp on 3 to skinny box perfectly
Water was a big boathouse in, through the water, rail in the middle, then out over a skinny box with a hedge. He jumped in beautifully, then took a long one to the rail in the water. This meant I had to let my reins slip and use my legs and seat to get him to the skinny. I really had to trust him here as skinny's aren't his forte really, and ended up grinning from ear to ear as he went "Oh, that one mum? Okay!" and jumped it on pretty much his own!
So, piccies....ADMIN : I have bought these pictures and therefore the copyright, and I checked with the photographer and she was adamant it was acceptable
Into Water :
In Water
Huge mug of tea & Viennese fingers if you get this far, but knowing you lot you'd prefer the G&T and peanuts
