Vinnie's first jumping outing... loads of pics and vids

millitiger

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Vinnie has been improving in leaps and bounds at home with his flatwork and jumping so I decided to take him on a little outing to try some jumping in a different place.

We are just starting to introduce fillers and also take the placing pole away on some fences so I was expecting quite a bit of greeness and was planning that if we had an issue I would just school around the jumps and perhaps pop one crosspole at the end.

Needn't have worried! :D He was very chilled from the off, had a walk around like a dog with mum while I did the fences and then was good to warm up- a little dead off the leg and distracted but he was well behaved :)

Warning... lots and lots of photos and videos below!
Handy hint- the videos get more interesting in the order they are posted ;)
Last warning- there is a lot of excessive 'GOOD BOY!!!' shouting and helpful commentary from my mum on ALL videos ;) :D

Picked one fence and jumped it a few times, just to get him nice and chilled and check what sort of mood he was in...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKtQwFwU5WE&list=UUcBTJdTpY53T7YXmu_NSBpA&index=4&feature=plcp

Looking like I'm jumping a shadow horse!
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Then linked the first fence to a double and related distance a few times
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IFNYGY4D2c&list=UUcBTJdTpY53T7YXmu_NSBpA&index=3&feature=plcp

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Then jumped a few of the other fences- he wasn't sure about all of the fillers but he jumped everything first time and was confident on his second go :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uECIeLi9IMQ&list=UUcBTJdTpY53T7YXmu_NSBpA&index=2&feature=plcp

Making sure he gave the evil planks some air first time around-
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Finished with a couple of fences strung together; I was a bit too handy with him but he was tired and I need to learn to support him more with the leg and not the hand when he gets a bit strung out. Also found out he has taught himself counter canter :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUTJPc8Zj5Y&list=UUcBTJdTpY53T7YXmu_NSBpA&index=1&feature=plcp

547344_10151428843139152_1542120291_n.jpg


Jumped the same course again, trying to be softer in the air with him which seemed to improve the flow and then finished on that good note as he was knackered... and so was I! ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lLGMvFf8Ek&feature=share

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So... plans are to keep up what we are doing at home, keep working on getting the canter more adjustable and go out again in a few weeks to the same EC and do similar but with slightly bigger jumps/fillers pulled in more.

No CC needed (unless you really want to) as I already know my hands are too restricting and I am lying down on his neck and I AM working on it :)

Would be interested to know if people think I am taking him too slowly/ not expecting enough of him though?
I know I tend to finish sessions on what I class as a good note and I know a lot of people would push on further while he is being good and I wonder sometimes if I need to crack on a little bit or are we going to be stuck jumping crosspole courses forever?
We do jump bigger (around 1m) in lessons and I think/hope I am doing the right thing by taking him slow but am I at risk of not actually progressing by going too slowly?

Anyone who has got this far deserves copious amounts of chocolate and alcohol but I have pigged out and it's all gone- sorry! :eek:
 

millitiger

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He looks a lovely sort, he gives them plenty of air, if he is happy jumping bigger maybe next time mix it up slightly with some uprights and parallels at small heights.

thank you :)
I was going to put them up but decided to finish on a good note and I think I may be being a bit soft :eek:
I do need to get the fences up a bit as otherwise he can lose his shape but we tend to just make the crosspole bigger.
I don't want to put up a bigger fence when his canter is still not really adjustable as I don't want to scare him but maybe I am fannying about a bit too much??

What a lovely boy, he is coming along so well :)

Thank you :)
I like having all of the photos and videos so I can see the improvement he is making, otherwise I can feel a bit stuck in a rut that we aren't improving quickly enough.
 

siennamum

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He is looking so smart. I don't see how you culd have done more with him, he is only just starting to look grown up. I really wish I had done less with mine tbh. Think you are quite right to focus on the basics & not be pressured.
I think going for schooling round courses is ideal, these days it's also decent value for money compared to competing round a course which you only get to go round once and still costs £15 a time.
Indoor SJ here you come tho!
 

bananas_22

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He looks lovely, I love the calm and positive attitude he and you seem to have.

I think that whilst you are working on the hands thing, keeping it fairly simple for him and finishing on the good note like you are doing will be beneficial. I would stick to the bigger challenges in your lessons and each schooling session just put one or two slightly harder (either height or filler-wise) jumps than the last time in to practice and then incorporate in to a course. I think this will do wonders for his confidence and leave you with a soft and happy horse that you can have fun with :)
 

wildcard

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He looks amazing and sounds like such a genuine trooper, you seem to make a very lovely pair, I love the smile on your face and how happy he looks ears pricked and he's certainly got some scope in him look forward to reading more reports. :)
 

millitiger

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He is looking so smart. I don't see how you culd have done more with him, he is only just starting to look grown up. I really wish I had done less with mine tbh. Think you are quite right to focus on the basics & not be pressured.
I think going for schooling round courses is ideal, these days it's also decent value for money compared to competing round a course which you only get to go round once and still costs £15 a time.
Indoor SJ here you come tho!

Thanks, I think I remember you saying in the spring your boy was quite similar to Vinnie?
I love the arena hire, it is so much more useful for him than whizzing him around a clear round in 80 seconds :) Will be taking him out to a few more of these before trying him in a competition environment.

He looks lovely, I love the calm and positive attitude he and you seem to have.

I think that whilst you are working on the hands thing, keeping it fairly simple for him and finishing on the good note like you are doing will be beneficial. I would stick to the bigger challenges in your lessons and each schooling session just put one or two slightly harder (either height or filler-wise) jumps than the last time in to practice and then incorporate in to a course. I think this will do wonders for his confidence and leave you with a soft and happy horse that you can have fun with :)

I didn't feel very calm but I was definitely positive for him! :eek:
Hopefully next time I can be a bit more passive and let him take me to he fence as he should be more confident from this outing :)
I was tempted to try the water tray but resister- next time! :D

He looks amazing and sounds like such a genuine trooper, you seem to make a very lovely pair, I love the smile on your face and how happy he looks ears pricked and he's certainly got some scope in him look forward to reading more reports. :)

He hasn't always felt very genuine to ride but he's such a lovely horse on the floor I knew it wasn't his nature to be naughty so we backed off and have taken our time and he seems to be gaining confidence in me all the time :)
And he always makes me grin like an idiot- ever since I picked him up when he was 5 months old he's always put a smile on my face :)
 

elliefiz

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Oh I do love this horse! Defo one of my favourites. Personally think you taking it slowly with him is exactly the right thing to do- I've found that the bigger horses can be the most babyish at times! Really enjoy seeing his progression, thanks for sharing!
 
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