BronsonNutter
Well-Known Member
Today Wibbles, SuperMum and myself set off at the ungodly hour of 7:30 (my excuse is that I'm a student - this is the time I go to bed, not wake up 
) for the RoR workshop/demo with Karen Dixon up at Bishop Burton. I didn't expect quite so many people to be coming to watch, considering the -5 temperature...
Bearing in mind, Wibbles hasn't jumped since new years day (hunting), hasn't jumped a show jump or gone over poles since September, I haven't ridden in the past three weeks (uni exams) and it was only the fourth time I'd sat in the treeless saddle (first time jumping in it!) this probably wasn't a brilliant idea! Our preparation on friday night consisted of us trotting about in the dark and very nearly falling into a hole
It started off okay, we did a bit of work over poles in a fan shape. Wibs surprised me by not making a drama about the poles (normally he goes: what are those things?! and proceeds to leap 6ft in the air over them), so we walked over them, then trotted - although he much preferred trying to walk over them, coordinating legs in trot is hard! Then we moved onto the line of poles, first trotting (fine) then cantering (exciting). Karen Dixon then suggested swapping him into a Nathe bit as she thought this would suit Wibs better - so off I popped and changed over bits in the middle of the arena with the other horses working around us. Thankfully Dobbin just stood there - he doesn't 'get' terrorism in the way Bronts used to!
Got legged back up (badly, it appears I can't count to three) and then proceeded down over the poles again, this time with a double of uprights. It was at this point I realised the pads under the treeless weren't quite on right and had slipped round. Was just thinking 'stick everything in the left leg!' when Wibs jinked off a bit and so I forgot all about the left leg and the saddle slipped round Didn't hit the deck thankfully (all I was thinking was *must not fall off - Wibs does not like me falling off*!) but had to get off, sort out saddle and be legged back up again. This time I remembered how to count to three.
After that there weren't any major mishaps. I'm not consistent with what I do over the fences (sometimes I drop him, other times I don't go with him, basically I'm just floppy and rubbish!) and we had a bit of a spook at a rainbow filler, although he stopped a few strides out with a bit of encouragement he sort of clambered over. We also didn't like going near the audience, but they were a scary looking bunch
Although he was pretty knackered Karen Dixon then lunged him in the pessoa for the audience to watch. I did think he was just going to stand there and look at her like 'go? really??' like he normally does for me when I stick him on the lunge, but thankfully he didn't! She thought the pessoa would be very beneficial for him so I will be seeing about getting him one
His jumping has improved no end (in the treeless he seems much more able to jump over his back more, rather than launching and dangling his legs, although there is still room for improvement) and he seemed to enjoy the session a lot Karen Dixon was on about how repetition with ex-racers is key, and about adding 'new' things in to keep their concentration, but only adding in new things once they are already confident in what they are doing. It's given me a bit more confidence in asking 'more' from him in terms of grids/poles as I've always thought that too much in one go might confuse him, but today he proved me wrong - at first he was a bit all over the shop but he soon sussed it all out. Each horse/rider had their different problems so it was interesting to watch how she taught the others in the session too.
My favourite quote from the session was her claiming that she thought Wilby might be 'something special' - I've always known he's a bit special, but not necessarily in a good way! :lol:
Anyway, essay over! I do have some chocolate if you get to the end, although it may all be gone soon under the excuse of 'medicinal purposes'
) for the RoR workshop/demo with Karen Dixon up at Bishop Burton. I didn't expect quite so many people to be coming to watch, considering the -5 temperature...Bearing in mind, Wibbles hasn't jumped since new years day (hunting), hasn't jumped a show jump or gone over poles since September, I haven't ridden in the past three weeks (uni exams) and it was only the fourth time I'd sat in the treeless saddle (first time jumping in it!) this probably wasn't a brilliant idea! Our preparation on friday night consisted of us trotting about in the dark and very nearly falling into a hole
It started off okay, we did a bit of work over poles in a fan shape. Wibs surprised me by not making a drama about the poles (normally he goes:
what are those things?! and proceeds to leap 6ft in the air over them), so we walked over them, then trotted - although he much preferred trying to walk over them, coordinating legs in trot is hard! Then we moved onto the line of poles, first trotting (fine) then cantering (exciting). Karen Dixon then suggested swapping him into a Nathe bit as she thought this would suit Wibs better - so off I popped and changed over bits in the middle of the arena with the other horses working around us. Thankfully Dobbin just stood there - he doesn't 'get' terrorism in the way Bronts used to!Got legged back up (badly, it appears I can't count to three
) and then proceeded down over the poles again, this time with a double of uprights. It was at this point I realised the pads under the treeless weren't quite on right and had slipped round. Was just thinking 'stick everything in the left leg!' when Wibs jinked off a bit and so I forgot all about the left leg and the saddle slipped round Didn't hit the deck thankfully (all I was thinking was *must not fall off - Wibs does not like me falling off*!) but had to get off, sort out saddle and be legged back up again. This time I remembered how to count to three.After that there weren't any major mishaps. I'm not consistent with what I do over the fences (sometimes I drop him, other times I don't go with him, basically I'm just floppy and rubbish!) and we had a bit of a spook at a rainbow filler, although he stopped a few strides out with a bit of encouragement he sort of clambered over. We also didn't like going near the audience, but they were a scary looking bunch
Although he was pretty knackered Karen Dixon then lunged him in the pessoa for the audience to watch. I did think he was just going to stand there and look at her like 'go? really??' like he normally does for me when I stick him on the lunge, but thankfully he didn't! She thought the pessoa would be very beneficial for him so I will be seeing about getting him one
His jumping has improved no end (in the treeless he seems much more able to jump over his back more, rather than launching and dangling his legs, although there is still room for improvement) and he seemed to enjoy the session a lot
Karen Dixon was on about how repetition with ex-racers is key, and about adding 'new' things in to keep their concentration, but only adding in new things once they are already confident in what they are doing. It's given me a bit more confidence in asking 'more' from him in terms of grids/poles as I've always thought that too much in one go might confuse him, but today he proved me wrong - at first he was a bit all over the shop but he soon sussed it all out. Each horse/rider had their different problems so it was interesting to watch how she taught the others in the session too. My favourite quote from the session was her claiming that she thought Wilby might be 'something special' - I've always known he's a bit special, but not necessarily in a good way! :lol:
Anyway, essay over! I do have some chocolate if you get to the end, although it may all be gone soon under the excuse of 'medicinal purposes'
