Watch out Whitakers here comes Soap!!!! **pics video**

Chloe_GHE

Chloe_GHE

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So we boxed off to Hoplands again last Sat to pester poor Frances and use the SJs. After an initial blonde moment from me where I thought he could jump from a v crappy canter we got our act together and he really felt the best he has ever felt! The penny has dropped for both of us!

I was...

not riding like a lemon
pushing on through my corners
looking over the fences
not hooking for a stride
keeping a rhythm
being soft

He was...
listening not racing off
picking up neatly over his jumps
using his brain to get over clear (eg drifting a little for some extra space, or shortening himself up!)

Since I have handed the 'how we jump' part over to Soap and taken up the 'how we get there' responsibilities it seems to be working out!
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I watched the Whitakers master class on HCTV the other day and they stressed the importance that if you keep an even stride you will always meet the fence at the right point, and do you know what?....by jove they are right!
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pic and video here I would be really interested to know if you think we have moved on again since the last session so CC please. I think it's a huge improvement because you can't hear the tell tale thwack of him playing a tune on the fences!
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Do you know I'm actually starting to enjoy this Sjing lark!
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Your posts,both on here and your blog, are always such a good read and make me smile
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So happy to read that everything is clicking into place for you both now and that you are enjoying it. The pics are great and loving the SJ Snort!
 
I think it looks much improved and you can really see him make an effort when he gets a bit deep etc. Your rhythm, particularly round the corners, is so so much better.

Really well done!!!!!!
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I've been trying to do the SJ counting thing recently as i have an awful habit of fiddling on the way in and altering the rhythm in the last few strides. Do you just count numbers out loud or do you have a specific song/something you say to yourself?
 
I just count but don't start at 1 to avoid the '123GO!!!' scenario so start about 9 I guess and go up till I get to not sure....just keep going or restart on landing eg 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 jump 9 10 11 12 like that! I quite often start off counting and then forget, but have found if you say it out loud you keep going whereas if you say it in your head you often stop. I try to remeber to say it quietly outloud as I go round along with ALL the other things i'm trying to remember!
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catembi - thank you! I have NEVER been called polished before! think I might be in shockl!
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Much better, nicer rhythm and consequently a more pingy jump.

I've started the counting too, makes it much easier apart from at camp I got told off 'cause apparently I sounded scared and the horse could probably tell
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Not my fault the jumps were huge
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So now I have to count in my head only
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that is SO much better, it looks as if he is responding to you saying 'wait' with your shoulders now. when he gets to the fence with room and time to think, he IS a careful horse. the only thing i'd say is that when the fences get a big bigger i think you'll need a bit of a rounder canter (as in, rounder stride, bouncier, not 'rounder' in outline), with a bit more power in it, but it is definitely going in the right direction, brilliant!
 
thank you
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I am so pleased with him, you're right he is careful he was just a bit tooo 'nah nah I'm not listening' before and I was micro managing him. Now I'm just cantering doing all the ground work and when he gets to the fence it's up to him, he is catching on quick as a couple of times we came in a bit short and he drifted off to get a bit of extra room where as a few months ago he would have stayed straight and booted it out. Hope it all holds together in competition! Yes he will need more oomph if it gets bigger but won't be for a little wwhile yet and hopefully he will continue to muscle up and get stronger in his canter.
 
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