Lolo
Well-Known Member
Reg has had a very busy week, with a dressage lesson and then an HSBC training day with the PC, hosted at Soham for people on intermediate and open teams.
The day started with some talks, one by a sports psychologist and another by a nutritionist. Al was really looking forward to them, as she has to work hard at her own mentality and how she deals with nerves to stop them affecting her performance. Unfortunately it wasn't that great, but it's made Al think about going to a different session some time and seeing if she can up more there.
In the afternoon, they rode and Al was very apprehensive as she was with an instructor who has told Al she needed to find a more suitable mount which destroyed her remaining confidence at the time. However, Reg was on his best behavior and they found it really interesting. Their group were all Open teams people, so once again Reg and Al had to raise their game. In the SJ session they did lots of exercises with low fences working on distances and things and Al has added them to her arsenal
Finally they got out into Reg's favourite bit- the XC! He was very happy to be there and jumped very well. It was hosted at Isleham, which is normally closed for schooling, and Al really enjoyed that opportunity. They jumped sparingly because of the ground, but Reg was on fire!
[youtube]9TyC575VSBo[/youtube]
So on Sunday they set off for Burghley PC ODE, for the 1m class... All in all, a day to forget
In the dressage, Reg wasn't playing and Al ran out of time to try and persuade him to. It resulted in a fairly inattentive and grumpy test, where he was never through or working well and Al thinks it would have got a mid/ late 30s score (depending on the judge). I have pointed out less than 4 months ago this was a good score, but have been ignored
[youtube]4f7cpVDmSFQ[/youtube]
Onto the SJ, which Al was seriously happy with. The score isn't great on paper, but the round itself was good.
The canter was a bit too cute into the first 2 and when Al tried to fix it she instead let him dribble to the double Whoops! Reg said no (clever boy, he scares himself jumping out of trouble SJ). Al calmed him and then re-established a punchier canter and off they went and he pinged. Al thinks she feels a bit too razzed up in the second canter, and she struggles to really keep him ride-able but hopefully experience for them both will help them find the perfect SJ gear! So another positive SJ round for them, which is great. Al reckons it was the highlight of the day!
[youtube]g_4_DlStEsE[/youtube]
Finally, the best bit! Or not
Reg set off very well, and stormed through the first few testing combinations including a big step on a turn to a skinny log and a half coffin. The flew out into the open to fence 6, which was a brush to a skinny, and he said no at the brush. Al represented and he jumped it easily and flew the skinny without a glance, and she then left him to it into the corner to see how he reacted, to try and see if he really wasn't feeling it. It's a novice-type corner, unforgiving and narrow, and he jumped it perfectly on his own... They carried on and had a generally really easy round. One other blip at a triple step down into the dark, where they jumped the fence before a little too keenly and the turn to the steps meant they were there quicker than was ideal. Reg slammed on the brakes, had a gander, and then plopped down sweetly and jumped the decent house fence out of the quarry on his own as Al was one handed on the buckle
He did the water combination beautifully, and finished strongly with his ears pricked and keen despite going XC at 2, the hottest part of the day. Al's a bit unsure why he stopped- maybe she stopped riding that last stride thinking about her line to the skinny... He has been funny about brushes before, despite his NH career meaning he's jumped considerably bigger brushes at much high speeds for most of his life!
[youtube]YRtj5jCwSkw[/youtube]
Please enjoy Team Reggie's commentary
Finally, Al passed her HGV theory so is saving frantically for her practical. We also have some very exciting news in the pipeline, so keep your ears peeled!
The day started with some talks, one by a sports psychologist and another by a nutritionist. Al was really looking forward to them, as she has to work hard at her own mentality and how she deals with nerves to stop them affecting her performance. Unfortunately it wasn't that great, but it's made Al think about going to a different session some time and seeing if she can up more there.
In the afternoon, they rode and Al was very apprehensive as she was with an instructor who has told Al she needed to find a more suitable mount which destroyed her remaining confidence at the time. However, Reg was on his best behavior and they found it really interesting. Their group were all Open teams people, so once again Reg and Al had to raise their game. In the SJ session they did lots of exercises with low fences working on distances and things and Al has added them to her arsenal
Finally they got out into Reg's favourite bit- the XC! He was very happy to be there and jumped very well. It was hosted at Isleham, which is normally closed for schooling, and Al really enjoyed that opportunity. They jumped sparingly because of the ground, but Reg was on fire!
[youtube]9TyC575VSBo[/youtube]
So on Sunday they set off for Burghley PC ODE, for the 1m class... All in all, a day to forget
In the dressage, Reg wasn't playing and Al ran out of time to try and persuade him to. It resulted in a fairly inattentive and grumpy test, where he was never through or working well and Al thinks it would have got a mid/ late 30s score (depending on the judge). I have pointed out less than 4 months ago this was a good score, but have been ignored
[youtube]4f7cpVDmSFQ[/youtube]
Onto the SJ, which Al was seriously happy with. The score isn't great on paper, but the round itself was good.
The canter was a bit too cute into the first 2 and when Al tried to fix it she instead let him dribble to the double Whoops! Reg said no (clever boy, he scares himself jumping out of trouble SJ). Al calmed him and then re-established a punchier canter and off they went and he pinged. Al thinks she feels a bit too razzed up in the second canter, and she struggles to really keep him ride-able but hopefully experience for them both will help them find the perfect SJ gear! So another positive SJ round for them, which is great. Al reckons it was the highlight of the day!
[youtube]g_4_DlStEsE[/youtube]
Finally, the best bit! Or not
Reg set off very well, and stormed through the first few testing combinations including a big step on a turn to a skinny log and a half coffin. The flew out into the open to fence 6, which was a brush to a skinny, and he said no at the brush. Al represented and he jumped it easily and flew the skinny without a glance, and she then left him to it into the corner to see how he reacted, to try and see if he really wasn't feeling it. It's a novice-type corner, unforgiving and narrow, and he jumped it perfectly on his own... They carried on and had a generally really easy round. One other blip at a triple step down into the dark, where they jumped the fence before a little too keenly and the turn to the steps meant they were there quicker than was ideal. Reg slammed on the brakes, had a gander, and then plopped down sweetly and jumped the decent house fence out of the quarry on his own as Al was one handed on the buckle
He did the water combination beautifully, and finished strongly with his ears pricked and keen despite going XC at 2, the hottest part of the day. Al's a bit unsure why he stopped- maybe she stopped riding that last stride thinking about her line to the skinny... He has been funny about brushes before, despite his NH career meaning he's jumped considerably bigger brushes at much high speeds for most of his life!
[youtube]YRtj5jCwSkw[/youtube]
Please enjoy Team Reggie's commentary
Finally, Al passed her HGV theory so is saving frantically for her practical. We also have some very exciting news in the pipeline, so keep your ears peeled!
