live2ride
Well-Known Member
Apologies in advance for the large photos, don't know how to make smaller..
So unbelievably happy, on Sunday, a full year after getting transport and first thinking about going to dressage, I got us to a competition. Yes it was just a little local riding club UA dfessage competition, but it went so well! I bought him as a 5 year old, who I have now found out was only broken in for a few months before I got him and now finally age 7 we are getting started, and cracking on.
Any one who knows us, will have read over the last few months our sarcoid saga which meant no riding all summer, and then the morning of our original planned debut a month ago, I got to the field to find Tank kicked in the head, resulting in an impressive facial fracture. SO I was very sceptical that sunday would even happen, everyone and myself had been making jokes about what his next injury will be to delay another debut.. with that in mind and being paranoid I decided to barely practice, put no pressure on and was def not going to plait up. We were just going for experience. However, one thing I did need to do was clip him, but he's only been clipped once before, last year with me and he absolutely hated it, was almost impossible to do even with a friend helping. I'd seen on fb people raving about these £10-£30 dog trimmers that were being used for clipping nervous horses, so I took a gamble, and 1.5 hours later with zero stress I had this; Fully recommend them
On saturday, I quickly schooled him before going and spending the day playing polo at Onley, where I promptly had my ankle smashed and caused my cold to develop into a lost voice and bronchitis, perfect preparation for our first competition. I will be honest Sunday morning I did almost pull out, because I was feeling shocking, but decided I'd kick myself if I didn't go.
Im so glad we went as he was amazing, didn't put a foot wrong for only his 2nd time at a new arena with unknown ponies. Warmed up lovely, I'd given myself 30 mins before the first test, as last time we were out he was extremely on edge, however from the get go he was working in nicely and listening to me. I decided not to push for the perfect connection/power as just wanted us to tootle around in a relaxed frame (he has a penchant to start being a bit of a Tank, and just taking charge). We did Intro a (no canter), and pony club introductory (some canter), and came away with 68.3% and 64%, giving us a 1st and 4th.
I was so chuffed, first he stayed relatively soft and through in the trot and canter work, listened to me and most of all we had 2 square halts, for the last 2 years until about september, we had been struggling with halt. He wouldn't listen to my seat, so when I had to reinforce the aid with my hands it would all just result in leaning and no halt. Since he came back from his time off over the summer I've been religiously working on using my seat more and now the majority of the time we can halt from just my seat.
Anyway what is a post without some photos...
This was his facial fracture, which happened about 6/7 weeks ago now, it was a bit swollen so not as big a dent as it is now, he has dent that at its deepest is depressed 2.5cm, very lucky not to have damaged/lost his eye;
Warming up (forgiven my position, I have an ongoing struggle with tipping and get an errant hand every now and then.. all a work in progress):
Our first canter ever in a new arena;
Showing the ongoing struggle with being downhill, my instructor think he has a very active backend which he doesn't quite know how to use and so we end up burying the front end downwards, as you can see he almost looks like he's going to buck as he comes through for the next stride;
And the square halt: (if you look closely you can see his elbow wrinkles where his front legs join the chest, I like to describe him like he was a chubby foal/baby that has given him excess skin, makes clipping fun.)
Thanks for reading
Also if anyone has any tips/ schooling exercises to help bring his hind end under/improve the canter.
I know transitions, transitions, transitions, but he's quite a hot horse and anticipates a lot (way too clever) so any other exercises would be nice, please.
So unbelievably happy, on Sunday, a full year after getting transport and first thinking about going to dressage, I got us to a competition. Yes it was just a little local riding club UA dfessage competition, but it went so well! I bought him as a 5 year old, who I have now found out was only broken in for a few months before I got him and now finally age 7 we are getting started, and cracking on.
Any one who knows us, will have read over the last few months our sarcoid saga which meant no riding all summer, and then the morning of our original planned debut a month ago, I got to the field to find Tank kicked in the head, resulting in an impressive facial fracture. SO I was very sceptical that sunday would even happen, everyone and myself had been making jokes about what his next injury will be to delay another debut.. with that in mind and being paranoid I decided to barely practice, put no pressure on and was def not going to plait up. We were just going for experience. However, one thing I did need to do was clip him, but he's only been clipped once before, last year with me and he absolutely hated it, was almost impossible to do even with a friend helping. I'd seen on fb people raving about these £10-£30 dog trimmers that were being used for clipping nervous horses, so I took a gamble, and 1.5 hours later with zero stress I had this; Fully recommend them
On saturday, I quickly schooled him before going and spending the day playing polo at Onley, where I promptly had my ankle smashed and caused my cold to develop into a lost voice and bronchitis, perfect preparation for our first competition. I will be honest Sunday morning I did almost pull out, because I was feeling shocking, but decided I'd kick myself if I didn't go.
Im so glad we went as he was amazing, didn't put a foot wrong for only his 2nd time at a new arena with unknown ponies. Warmed up lovely, I'd given myself 30 mins before the first test, as last time we were out he was extremely on edge, however from the get go he was working in nicely and listening to me. I decided not to push for the perfect connection/power as just wanted us to tootle around in a relaxed frame (he has a penchant to start being a bit of a Tank, and just taking charge). We did Intro a (no canter), and pony club introductory (some canter), and came away with 68.3% and 64%, giving us a 1st and 4th.
I was so chuffed, first he stayed relatively soft and through in the trot and canter work, listened to me and most of all we had 2 square halts, for the last 2 years until about september, we had been struggling with halt. He wouldn't listen to my seat, so when I had to reinforce the aid with my hands it would all just result in leaning and no halt. Since he came back from his time off over the summer I've been religiously working on using my seat more and now the majority of the time we can halt from just my seat.
Anyway what is a post without some photos...
This was his facial fracture, which happened about 6/7 weeks ago now, it was a bit swollen so not as big a dent as it is now, he has dent that at its deepest is depressed 2.5cm, very lucky not to have damaged/lost his eye;
Warming up (forgiven my position, I have an ongoing struggle with tipping and get an errant hand every now and then.. all a work in progress):
Our first canter ever in a new arena;
Showing the ongoing struggle with being downhill, my instructor think he has a very active backend which he doesn't quite know how to use and so we end up burying the front end downwards, as you can see he almost looks like he's going to buck as he comes through for the next stride;
And the square halt: (if you look closely you can see his elbow wrinkles where his front legs join the chest, I like to describe him like he was a chubby foal/baby that has given him excess skin, makes clipping fun.)
Thanks for reading
Also if anyone has any tips/ schooling exercises to help bring his hind end under/improve the canter.
I know transitions, transitions, transitions, but he's quite a hot horse and anticipates a lot (way too clever) so any other exercises would be nice, please.
