Sunny April Weekend Thread

[Nicnac]

Home yesterday after 4 days at the BRC Champs.

Had a great time. No placings in the dressage classes, but could not have been more delighted with my little pony. She tried her heart out in every class. Melted a little in the heat at times.

Then the best of fun in the Quadrille. Thanks to @Flowerofthefen for all her amazing help over the 2 days, really could not have done it without you!

Well done! The standard was insane.

We were due to go but couldn't face 7 hours travel and 2 days off work for my daughter as she was early on the Friday for one individual dressage test. If it were team then that's different.
Everyone said it was a great show.

 

[palo1]

Relatable as hell

I said to mine that Sadie got cast but was FINE and you'd think I'd tipped her upside down myself.

YES @palo1 !!! Well done you and Alw, that sounds amazing!

Thank you! I'm so chuffed to have got back to a point where I feel confident to take up lovely training opportunities.

I've been reflecting on the clinic over the last day or so. It was genuinely inspiring and brilliant for us. There were horses and riders working at Grand Prix and beyond...and us working in walk and trot . We weren't the only ones but deffo in a select minority. Even so, the improvement over 3 days in so many ways was fantastic and has left me with real excitement about progression and that is lovely. I'm at peace with so much of what needs work and that is a great feeling. Sofia Valenca is a genuinely brilliant trainer with a forensic eye and a great sense of fun and understanding. The horses love her and they are always her priority. I couldn't have asked for a better experience.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Wow a very productive and successful weekend for HHOers! @j1ffy great report and results. That test was fab to watch. It didn’t look like you were ahead of the music - he was trotting as if he was listening to it himself and keeping time.

And very well done @rara007 & @Nicnac - awesome results.

 

[Britestar]

Well done! The standard was insane.

We were due to go but couldn't face 7 hours travel and 2 days off work for my daughter as she was early on the Friday for one individual dressage test. If it were team then that's different.
Everyone said it was a great show.

It was great.

I had 2 tests Friday and Saturday, plus Quads so made the 460 mile each way journey worth it.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Final 2 days of camp.....

The best part of Day 3 was the Painted Remy demo. It was so cool to see the musculo-skeletal system clearly and have a very knowledgeable person talk through the importance of the thoracic sling, how everything is connected to everything else and how to work the horse correctly on the ground and under saddle for coreect posture and muscle development.




Myka did her proper demo, and thankfully was a lot more relaxed by Day 3. She showed how the energy shifts achieved on the ground can work under saddle too, and was moving between very collected to flicky toes trot just with diaphragm aids.



All the partipcants had 2 more sessions too, with both the youngsters being sat on. One for the first time since retiring from racing 2 years ago. But as is the way with Joe there was no drama and it was all very chilled.



And finally on day 4 we all consolidated gains with a private lesson each. Then loaded and went home. It was a fab experience and I hope the paying guests enojoyed it as much as I did! I figure if I arrange a camp to suit me and my horse, then others have a good chance of also liking it!

 

[Nicnac]

Fascinating. What on earth are diaphragm aids? I think I need them.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Lift the diaphragm to add energy, sink to lower it. Myka is super responsive to that. I’ll try and get video on the ground of her moving between walk and trot based on that.