JustKickOn
Well-Known Member
Little black mare has been behaving herself and working really nicely. She's been putting her brave pants on and hacking out on her own with total confidence which I am thrilled about. She has also been doing some super work in the school, and today we trundled off for an unaffiliated dressage!
Plaited up Saturday evening, rolled them up this morning, quick flick over and we were off! Straight up the ramp rather than the usual 8+ run offs! So we were well ahead of schedule.
Quick tack up, on board and walked her round the fields opposite the arenas, "nice and chilled" I thought, "GRASS IS EXCITING" thought K... So we had a little bouncy bouncy before going into the warm up, and she just stayed lit up from then on. Her trot was lovely, nice and punchy. The canter was a little downhill to begin with and then I sat up and she lifted her shoulders, sat her bum down and kicked out objecting to me putting my leg on asking her for a little more bend, leg on again and she obliged. The walk was lovely, didn't feel dead or backwards, so improvement there also which is pleasing.
Prelim 4 - to me, it felt all a bit rushed and not very nice. Those spectating said I looked cool as a cucumber, the trot had knees coming up, really pushing from behind and she didn't go downhill once! And I actually sat up and got my bum in the saddle properly! It still felt messy to me, and we had a little objection about canter to trot at H, which meant we missed that transition, and did canter to walk at C instead. Came away with two 8s on the sheet, mostly 6s and 7s, a 5 and 3 from the canter/trot whoopsie for 65%. We were 4th, but score wise 3rd as there were two on equal 2nd! Very pleased, but wishing I felt a little more in control!
Novice 27- not much to say. She just got very onward bound, wasn't listening to me much, I then rode like a sack of potatoes for most of it, got a bit out of puff and almost had an asthma attack (incredibly dusty warm up wreaking havoc
). Not fun. Horse quickly taken off my hands and walked as I squeaked and wheezed, stupidly didn't have my inhaler... Anyway, she still did some nice work in the test, but it felt like she had a rocket up her backside! I just need to learn to channel that energy now and learn to ride her paces when they really open up.
Few pictures and videos..
Trot work http://youtu.be/HI6Gvv3jAC0
Canter work http://youtu.be/kyHctqUdlx0 she went a little bit "rocking horse", but ho hum!
And her medium trot! Leaning toward as she set off a cracker, and I couldn't quite ride it!
We're slowly but surely getting there... :biggrin3: :biggrin3: :biggrin3:
Plaited up Saturday evening, rolled them up this morning, quick flick over and we were off! Straight up the ramp rather than the usual 8+ run offs! So we were well ahead of schedule.
Quick tack up, on board and walked her round the fields opposite the arenas, "nice and chilled" I thought, "GRASS IS EXCITING" thought K... So we had a little bouncy bouncy before going into the warm up, and she just stayed lit up from then on. Her trot was lovely, nice and punchy. The canter was a little downhill to begin with and then I sat up and she lifted her shoulders, sat her bum down and kicked out objecting to me putting my leg on asking her for a little more bend, leg on again and she obliged. The walk was lovely, didn't feel dead or backwards, so improvement there also which is pleasing.
Prelim 4 - to me, it felt all a bit rushed and not very nice. Those spectating said I looked cool as a cucumber, the trot had knees coming up, really pushing from behind and she didn't go downhill once! And I actually sat up and got my bum in the saddle properly! It still felt messy to me, and we had a little objection about canter to trot at H, which meant we missed that transition, and did canter to walk at C instead. Came away with two 8s on the sheet, mostly 6s and 7s, a 5 and 3 from the canter/trot whoopsie for 65%. We were 4th, but score wise 3rd as there were two on equal 2nd! Very pleased, but wishing I felt a little more in control!
Novice 27- not much to say. She just got very onward bound, wasn't listening to me much, I then rode like a sack of potatoes for most of it, got a bit out of puff and almost had an asthma attack (incredibly dusty warm up wreaking havoc
). Not fun. Horse quickly taken off my hands and walked as I squeaked and wheezed, stupidly didn't have my inhaler... Anyway, she still did some nice work in the test, but it felt like she had a rocket up her backside! I just need to learn to channel that energy now and learn to ride her paces when they really open up.Few pictures and videos..
Trot work http://youtu.be/HI6Gvv3jAC0
Canter work http://youtu.be/kyHctqUdlx0 she went a little bit "rocking horse", but ho hum!
And her medium trot! Leaning toward as she set off a cracker, and I couldn't quite ride it!
We're slowly but surely getting there... :biggrin3: :biggrin3: :biggrin3:
