ecrozier
Well-Known Member
So after a fairly good day out at mattingley last week (went slightly underprepared due to the hard ground in lead up to the event so aim of day was to complete without a big fat E!) I rather rashly swapped my entry for ascott under wychwood BE 80 to Roo from J (who is at the RC areas the week before anyway). Then thought best crack on a bit between now and then and see if we can not only complete but actually look to get a reasonable score this time (silly run out at a skinny little pig fence XC and some time faults meant a quite high score at mattingley!)
So as he will have a few weeks hols after AuW, we are having a busy little time now! Took him to a local evening dressage on Thurs, and again I just LOVE my horse, he's not yet quite 5 but I can quite confidently and calmly load up and go off to a new venue by myself with him, and he doesn't turn a hair. Warmed up REALLY nicely, it's all feeling very relaxed and rhythmical, sadly the test was not quite so good - it must be me though so am now aware of what I need to do - at Mattingley I backed off him too much, and on Thurs kept it on too much I think, need to land somewhere in the middle and ride like we do not in a
test! Still he scored just shy of 60% in what seemed a low marking class - we were 2nd when I left but no results up as yet, test sheet I had a sneaky look at and as suspected we were marked down for some spooky moments, a lack of attention and lack of correct straightness and bend. All very fair. He's got the basics coming well now, just need to transfer to arena. Just started some laterals with him which I think will help with the bend and straightness and canter is still a work in progress! http://www.francisr.co.uk/photo10008334.html
and next two - love his front feet in that pic tho - someone on here said about DAP and think that shows him doing that quite well!
Then yesterday off for the fun stuff to patchetts! SJ, unaffil, it's usually so busy we decided just to turn up and do the clear round once and one class, but was much quieter than normal! Which was nice actually. Again not fazed by big show centre etc, warmed up fine. Popped round the clear round which was a bit tiny, but got a little ribbon for a clear
then went in and jumped. He's definately improving, and I'm trusting his jump now (not used to something with this much scope) and now know if I keep my leg on and get him to a fence, he will get me over. Still have a LOT to work on with the canter, got a series of lessons booked in starting Thursday with ernest dillon so am hoping this will improve canter no end. Anyway, clear round first phase, I messed up a turn in jump off and was probably over cautious and brought him back to trot, and consequently rolled a pole but carried on nicely and jumped the bigger fences in jump off with no problems at all. Annoyingly very few DC so would have been placed if hadn't had pole but never mind, I was really pleased! ETA I am currently working on keeping my legs underneath me not letting them slide back, and also giving more with my hands as again not used to a horse that really bascules over a fence - would say 50% of fences yesterday I managed to properly give my hands right up his neck, the other 50% like this pic, they aren't restricting per se but could be better and when jumps get bigger will need to be, hence working at it over this height (90cm). Think there is a notable improvement from last time out though and that was only 3 weeks ago.
Looking at pro pics and my friend's OH's pics, he's giving the fences miles of space so next time out we will just go in at 90cm I think and not bother with smaller class to warm up. Bought one picture:
and will post some more when friend gives them to me on memory stick
Tea and a galaxy ripple bar on offer
Next outing will be combined training next weekend, then XC schooling (ground permitting) the weekend after, then ascott! Then a fortnight's rest for him (and for me although j will be ticking over too as he will be probably at ascott again in July then borde hill in august!). If Ascott goes well we will try a BE 90 or equivalent in the autumn I think.
So as he will have a few weeks hols after AuW, we are having a busy little time now! Took him to a local evening dressage on Thurs, and again I just LOVE my horse, he's not yet quite 5 but I can quite confidently and calmly load up and go off to a new venue by myself with him, and he doesn't turn a hair. Warmed up REALLY nicely, it's all feeling very relaxed and rhythmical, sadly the test was not quite so good - it must be me though so am now aware of what I need to do - at Mattingley I backed off him too much, and on Thurs kept it on too much I think, need to land somewhere in the middle and ride like we do not in a
test! Still he scored just shy of 60% in what seemed a low marking class - we were 2nd when I left but no results up as yet, test sheet I had a sneaky look at and as suspected we were marked down for some spooky moments, a lack of attention and lack of correct straightness and bend. All very fair. He's got the basics coming well now, just need to transfer to arena. Just started some laterals with him which I think will help with the bend and straightness and canter is still a work in progress! http://www.francisr.co.uk/photo10008334.html
and next two - love his front feet in that pic tho - someone on here said about DAP and think that shows him doing that quite well!
Then yesterday off for the fun stuff to patchetts! SJ, unaffil, it's usually so busy we decided just to turn up and do the clear round once and one class, but was much quieter than normal! Which was nice actually. Again not fazed by big show centre etc, warmed up fine. Popped round the clear round which was a bit tiny, but got a little ribbon for a clear
then went in and jumped. He's definately improving, and I'm trusting his jump now (not used to something with this much scope) and now know if I keep my leg on and get him to a fence, he will get me over. Still have a LOT to work on with the canter, got a series of lessons booked in starting Thursday with ernest dillon so am hoping this will improve canter no end. Anyway, clear round first phase, I messed up a turn in jump off and was probably over cautious and brought him back to trot, and consequently rolled a pole but carried on nicely and jumped the bigger fences in jump off with no problems at all. Annoyingly very few DC so would have been placed if hadn't had pole but never mind, I was really pleased! ETA I am currently working on keeping my legs underneath me not letting them slide back, and also giving more with my hands as again not used to a horse that really bascules over a fence - would say 50% of fences yesterday I managed to properly give my hands right up his neck, the other 50% like this pic, they aren't restricting per se but could be better and when jumps get bigger will need to be, hence working at it over this height (90cm). Think there is a notable improvement from last time out though and that was only 3 weeks ago.Looking at pro pics and my friend's OH's pics, he's giving the fences miles of space so next time out we will just go in at 90cm I think and not bother with smaller class to warm up. Bought one picture:
and will post some more when friend gives them to me on memory stick
Tea and a galaxy ripple bar on offer
Next outing will be combined training next weekend, then XC schooling (ground permitting) the weekend after, then ascott! Then a fortnight's rest for him (and for me although j will be ticking over too as he will be probably at ascott again in July then borde hill in august!). If Ascott goes well we will try a BE 90 or equivalent in the autumn I think.
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