Sorry, just had to gush about what a great SJ practice I had last nigh

B

BeckyD

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 September 2004
Messages
4,213
Location
Milton Keynes
Visit site
I'm so pleased with Ronnie, I got him in April and he'd only just turned 4 so we've been doing loads of gridwork in my lessons, and lots of flatwork. He did jump courses in his previous home but when I got him he knocked all the fences down so the gridwork was to sharpen him up and just to help him learn as he's such a baby.

Last night we went out and jumped all the show jumps in our show field, not more than 2 foot. But he jumped them all, just popped over from a lovely canter
smile.gif
I'm so proud of him! I know it's only tiny but it seems like a really big step...
 
You seem to be doing things the right way, grids to get him stapping up his front legs & the height of the jump is not important at his stage of training. Don't forget the importance of your flatwork though, Do lots of transitions, leg yielding & shoulder fore. This will get him better balanced. Many riders don't seem to realise that when jumping a course you spend 90% of your time on the floor & only 10% in the air so good flatwork is paramount. Good Luck for the future
smile.gif
 
Thank you for the advice! I do lots of transitions and school flatwork 2-3 times a week. Leg-yielding is coming along fine, great in walk, improving in trot. Shoulder fore is almost there but I don't always think quickly enough to use those tools to correct other things, if you know what I mean. We are improving though, he's working in a nice outline 95% of the time, but I can't get him to stretch down. He does a sort-of giraffe stretch and hollows his neck and the back end slips away from me again. I'll learn how to fix it in the end I'm sure. He doesn't stretch on the lunge either.

Thank you again
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top