millitiger
Well-Known Member
So Vinnie and I headed off to Allens Hill today for their progressive clear round as our first SJ outing.
I was a little bit dubious as last time he was here was with a pro rider and he spent more time reversing and rearing than jumping and everyone was very stressed and upset
However, he has been a different horse since going to Vittoria's this spring and I was determined that I would try to copy her positive mentality and ride him very confidently.
He has been jumping grids well at home but I am struggling to contain his giant canter over single fences- I can get a smaller canter but that tends to involve killing it and creeping around in an nonadjustable canter!
From the xc lesson a few weeks ago I remembered the instruction to 'stop riding the bl**dy head and ride the canter instead!' so this week our canter has been much better and more active but I do still struggle with finding a take off point with such a huge canter.
Anyhoo... arrived at the show centre and VInnie is such a darling and so easy around the box, he really is a pleasure to take out
Went into the warm up and he was slightly on springs and went a bit wooden and green so I let him canter around and then trotted for a long while, keeping him really in front of my leg and carrying me forwards.
Our turn was called so decided to try and copy Vittoria and ride very positively into the arena with my lower leg so locked in and down it felt like it was stuck on my girth!
I was expecting Vinnie to be quite backwards and possibly a bit spooky 1/ as he can have a nappy streak and 2/ he is green and hasn't been out much and the course had every filler and box of flowers from a 5 mile radius included
I think what followed was a combination of me overriding and Vinnie being far more confident than I expected as we surged around without any sort of control
I tried bringing him back with my weight, with my shoulders, my voice and finally with my reins but his neck was set and he was on the look out for every jumpable obstacle we could find!
As I was expecting/prepared for spooking, I do admit I drove him slightly at fence 1-4 but he was super bold and forward anyway and there was no way he was stopping!
Waited for the jumps to be put up to the next height... and waited and waited and waited! Didn't mind too much as we all had a snooze in the sun by the trailer.
Went back in at the next height and he was a bit speedy again for the first round but I took him straight back around and he was much more rideable and I was actually able to sit up and balance and ride the corners so we got to the fences in more control and the whole round felt much smoother.
Very, very pleased with my boy He was so bold and careful and even though he felt green, he gave me the benefit of the doubt and not once did he drop the bridle or even feel like backing off for a stride
We are going back there for combined training on Sunday, just not sure whether to do the 85cm or 95cm to start.
No photos of today but some of us schooling this week, it feels like we are 'clicking' together more now;
Onto bitting, he is currently in a Hippus snaffle and a Micklem bridle with no martingale or anything.
At times he really is very strong and at his size, it doesn't feel great when you are cantering around with no control. He just seems to set his neck, he doesn't lift or drop his head really, more just runs through my hand
I'm umming and aahing about whether to make a change or just appreciate the confidence he now has and try to contain it with the current set up?
Vittoria jumped him in a waterford with hooks, a grackle and a martingale but I don't feel my hands are good enough at the moment for anything sharp- he can be very difficult in the mouth and I worry if I bit him up I will ruin his new found confidence but equally, I know he doesn't like me holding onto his head although I am making sure I give with my hands over the fence.
Thoughts please!!!
I was a little bit dubious as last time he was here was with a pro rider and he spent more time reversing and rearing than jumping and everyone was very stressed and upset
However, he has been a different horse since going to Vittoria's this spring and I was determined that I would try to copy her positive mentality and ride him very confidently.
He has been jumping grids well at home but I am struggling to contain his giant canter over single fences- I can get a smaller canter but that tends to involve killing it and creeping around in an nonadjustable canter!
From the xc lesson a few weeks ago I remembered the instruction to 'stop riding the bl**dy head and ride the canter instead!' so this week our canter has been much better and more active but I do still struggle with finding a take off point with such a huge canter.
Anyhoo... arrived at the show centre and VInnie is such a darling and so easy around the box, he really is a pleasure to take out
Went into the warm up and he was slightly on springs and went a bit wooden and green so I let him canter around and then trotted for a long while, keeping him really in front of my leg and carrying me forwards.
Our turn was called so decided to try and copy Vittoria and ride very positively into the arena with my lower leg so locked in and down it felt like it was stuck on my girth!
I was expecting Vinnie to be quite backwards and possibly a bit spooky 1/ as he can have a nappy streak and 2/ he is green and hasn't been out much and the course had every filler and box of flowers from a 5 mile radius included
I think what followed was a combination of me overriding and Vinnie being far more confident than I expected as we surged around without any sort of control
I tried bringing him back with my weight, with my shoulders, my voice and finally with my reins but his neck was set and he was on the look out for every jumpable obstacle we could find!
As I was expecting/prepared for spooking, I do admit I drove him slightly at fence 1-4 but he was super bold and forward anyway and there was no way he was stopping!
Waited for the jumps to be put up to the next height... and waited and waited and waited!
Didn't mind too much as we all had a snooze in the sun by the trailer.Went back in at the next height and he was a bit speedy again for the first round but I took him straight back around and he was much more rideable and I was actually able to sit up and balance and ride the corners so we got to the fences in more control and the whole round felt much smoother.
Very, very pleased with my boy
He was so bold and careful and even though he felt green, he gave me the benefit of the doubt and not once did he drop the bridle or even feel like backing off for a stride We are going back there for combined training on Sunday, just not sure whether to do the 85cm or 95cm to start.
No photos of today but some of us schooling this week, it feels like we are 'clicking' together more now;
Onto bitting, he is currently in a Hippus snaffle and a Micklem bridle with no martingale or anything.
At times he really is very strong and at his size, it doesn't feel great when you are cantering around with no control. He just seems to set his neck, he doesn't lift or drop his head really, more just runs through my hand
I'm umming and aahing about whether to make a change or just appreciate the confidence he now has and try to contain it with the current set up?
Vittoria jumped him in a waterford with hooks, a grackle and a martingale but I don't feel my hands are good enough at the moment for anything sharp- he can be very difficult in the mouth and I worry if I bit him up I will ruin his new found confidence but equally, I know he doesn't like me holding onto his head although I am making sure I give with my hands over the fence.
Thoughts please!!!
