Haha. But it was in that we didn't have any parties, and Magic and I went for nice hacks FIVE days running. Plenty of opportunity for me to practice.
He was his usual eejit "I've had days off" self on first ride. Good in trot, wanted to gallop everywhere, but mainly just the walking at warp speed issue again. Got to practice my slow the walk walk, but I wasn't too hot after a few days off either!
Next day, the other way, and he chose to do the boring road and round bridleway option, so only opportunities for trots really, handy as good practice. Its amazing how I've gone from NEVER trotting anywhere (walk or canter only!) to trying to trot as much as possible.
Then I decided to show willing and took him up in the field to see if I can trot a circle on the side of a hill. Wasn't sure.... but we did the best trot circles, and NO change down hill on right rein, and I could stop changes happening on left rein if I concentrated 100% and really really rose and sat. Quit after 20mins as my abs were saying "enough, enough" and I wanted to quit whilst ahead. I honestly think that's the first time in our 5 years that it all just went well and he was trying to focus on me all the time. Hard when on top of a hill and there's LOTS of important stuff to see.
Then a gallopies hack on the airstrip. But we did trot everywhere else, and rather than warp speed takeoff, he has taken on board the "we trot everywhere, even before mad gallops" and so he did....
Left rein diagonal is still harder than right. I can do it, but its much harder for me to balance over my leg in ALL parts of the sit/rise.... I can rise in control, do the pause at top, sit in control... but then there is about an inch before I touch the saddle where I can FEEL now that I just don't have it.... then I sit and try to stay sat, but that is harder on this diagonal too.
Its funny but much easier now I can feel it so well and have broken it down. If I keep pelvic floor relaxed, then I can do the sit... but I need to be totally balanced in the WHOLE sitting part, or everything fails and he can still do bigger trot. The best bit is that even if he DOES do bigger trot, he's not pulling the rug anymore... just trotting bigger than maybe I want and waiting for me to catch him up and slow it down to my trot again.
He's also much more relaxed in all ways about riding, spooks less, listens to my seat slowing the walk if he feels tense and about to spook. Although, obviously nout much works when he's fresh....!
Then today, I trimmed 2, did the muck heap and wore myself out before riding, so we went for a short blast round the two big fields as it was midday, flys were awful and I was gonna burn.
Trotted 3 sides of the field, and cantered the other. Only walked the down hill section. He was sooo good. Canter is waiting for me (but apart from push up to plate, dunno what am doing to acheive it!) trot was, even when he'd really rather have cantered. And I could control the walk down the hill perfectly.
I only really cantered cos my legs were too feeble to trot the whole way!
So back to a day off tomorrow, then RC lesson on Tues.... cue MUCHO more trotting!!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Dan's videos
They got nearly all 6s and 7s! And P took a photocopy of the sheet for me as it said under judges comments "loose trot" woohoooo, I said I needed it highlighted! OK, there was still mention of the canter being tense, but the trot wasn't. And from our point of view, the canter was loads better than it has been yet!
SJ - with a slight sweary word from me at the beginning when he decides that particular fence 1 is scary!
Monday, July 06, 2009
Dan's solo eventing day
On Sunday we took Dan to a PC ODE. He did a brilliant dressage for 32.... a great result for P's practice of cantering in fields. Then SJing he had a bit of a blip/spook before the first fence, but jumped round clear (despite VERY dodgy distances) until the last fence, a rustic style, which he dropped having tried to put a 4th stride in a 3.5 distance.
Then he did a lovely clear round the cross country, that was small, but spooky and quite technical in places. They even got a gallop up a hill and he came right back to listen for the next fence.
The ground was like iron, and you could hear the shod horses like they were cantering on the road. Dan was faultless on his feet, and again P couldn't believe how stable he was on that hard ground! :-)
It gave them both loads of confidence and the fact that they came 7th made it even better!
Hopefully photos to follow.
Then he did a lovely clear round the cross country, that was small, but spooky and quite technical in places. They even got a gallop up a hill and he came right back to listen for the next fence.
The ground was like iron, and you could hear the shod horses like they were cantering on the road. Dan was faultless on his feet, and again P couldn't believe how stable he was on that hard ground! :-)
It gave them both loads of confidence and the fact that they came 7th made it even better!
Hopefully photos to follow.
A long hot ride
On Thursday we took Magic and Dan to Stanford UK Chasers in the evening. It was still hot, hot, hot. P and Dan did some jumpies, but we stuck to trotting and cantering and only jumped a few at the end. The ground was hard but with good cover.
Magic was loving the water - to the point that he walked through splashing and dunking his head up to his eyes. Then on about the fourth trip through, with me saying, I never quite trust him, he just buckled! Got to his knees and got his belly wet but fortunately I was quick enough to kick him and he got up. Teehee.
When we got to the second very steep hill to gallop up, he rued the fact that he was with the racehorse... but he was quite up for it and kept up.... but guess who was puffing most at the top?!
It was a good trip, and the lorry makes going places so easy!
Magic was loving the water - to the point that he walked through splashing and dunking his head up to his eyes. Then on about the fourth trip through, with me saying, I never quite trust him, he just buckled! Got to his knees and got his belly wet but fortunately I was quick enough to kick him and he got up. Teehee.
When we got to the second very steep hill to gallop up, he rued the fact that he was with the racehorse... but he was quite up for it and kept up.... but guess who was puffing most at the top?!
It was a good trip, and the lorry makes going places so easy!
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
RC Lesson
And boy was it still plenty hot enough at 7pm!
I took Magic, and we had a fab session. He didn't go the best he ever has, but I was doing the rising right. And everything she said I could relate back to what I needed to do about it. For some reason I held more contact and I didn't really need that much, but I had to go large and be brave with my rising before I realised that I really didn't need it.
My stirrups were long enough for her (hurrah, finally). And I have to say that its the first time I've really schooled Magic since our four day... and I could do it all. Not to say other things aren't slipping, but I could do the "sit in same spot every time", push up to plate, relax pelvic floor AND rise to the top. Hurrah! And I could feel the moments when he was catching me out and trying to pull the rug.... I couldn't correct myself before he did it, but I could correct as soon as I felt it.
P took Dan who was very good, the trot is really opening out now they are both braver about length of neck/frame. I didn't see any of his canter but it sounded good.
All bodes well for his next ODE on Sunday. I have a quandry of whether to enter one (choice of two!) on 12th, or just wait for Offchurch on the 18th.... I'm erring towards taking Magic and Max to a combined training next Fri, and then Magic to Offchurch.... but I need to ride Max a bit between now and then!!
I took Magic, and we had a fab session. He didn't go the best he ever has, but I was doing the rising right. And everything she said I could relate back to what I needed to do about it. For some reason I held more contact and I didn't really need that much, but I had to go large and be brave with my rising before I realised that I really didn't need it.
My stirrups were long enough for her (hurrah, finally). And I have to say that its the first time I've really schooled Magic since our four day... and I could do it all. Not to say other things aren't slipping, but I could do the "sit in same spot every time", push up to plate, relax pelvic floor AND rise to the top. Hurrah! And I could feel the moments when he was catching me out and trying to pull the rug.... I couldn't correct myself before he did it, but I could correct as soon as I felt it.
P took Dan who was very good, the trot is really opening out now they are both braver about length of neck/frame. I didn't see any of his canter but it sounded good.
All bodes well for his next ODE on Sunday. I have a quandry of whether to enter one (choice of two!) on 12th, or just wait for Offchurch on the 18th.... I'm erring towards taking Magic and Max to a combined training next Fri, and then Magic to Offchurch.... but I need to ride Max a bit between now and then!!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Pics, not very exciting ones at that.
copyright Noble Photos.
Isn't he becoming a brave eventer - a skinny box with flowers on top!
Isn't he becoming a brave eventer - a skinny box with flowers on top!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Lil's first grand day out
Yep, lorry is now called Lil. As in lil' lorry. Well its better than Bertha I guess!
A very hot day, but my times were nice and close together (in hindsight, far tooooo close together, no time to wash off/cool down/drink between times).
We got there with no fuss. Magic travelled in front partition and I left door open to living so I could see him and him me. I think he was a bit surprised to find himself in a house when he stuck his head through! "oooh, Mum, what are you doing in my new trailer??"
Dressage, he warmed up fab (we did, ooh, 5 mins?) and then parked up and watched a few.
Went in and he was a bit onward bound but did a lovely obedient test. Not as good as Solihull, but I was pleased, as the ground like concrete and the other horses tiptoed round it.
Out we go, quick wash and tack change (in lorry out of flies and sun :smug:) and off to SJing. For some reason known only to myself, I decided the pelham looked too high in his mouth so took it down a hole. Warmed up, thought push up to plate and stay light in hand and he jumped the practice fences fab. Only jumped 4 times as ground was just like a road.
In we went, he was calmer than he has been for ages, and we set off well. I pushed up to plate and he jumped absolutely perfectly the first 5. Light in my hand, no fiddle from me and me pushing up and him getting the perfect spot. It was most definately swwwwwwwweeeeeeet.
Then on a tight turn to the first double, he must have got his tongue over the bit... cue major panic from Magic, head everywhere, with me thinking "shiiiiiit, double Magic DOUBLE". I don't know how he did it but with half a stride to spare, he went for it and jumped it really well. Then back to totally behind hand and fliptop head. I threw my hands as far forward and up as I could to try to help him get it back- and by then we are at the wall. He concentrates for a split second to jump it, then is back to stress mode. Somewhere between there and fence 8, he got it back under.
Thank goodness - I NEVER want to do that again! We got our act together for a lovely shot at 8 (still me pushing up to plate and not fiddling) and then related distance to 9 - a black and white spread with filler. Felt him backing off from a mile away, so he got 4 strides of kickpushwhack.... and he grudgingly jumped it. Then the final double and we got a fab clear :-)
Was definately the best round we've jumped yet. I had hours to make turns and keep rhythm, he wasn't running at all and it would have been perfect without the tongue incident. He obviously felt it was all too easy if he needed to back off a black and white one.... grrr.
I put the bit up before we went xc!!!
Quick wash down, change and off we went for XC. Warm up he was really odd. Very nappy towards lorry and away from practice fences. Nearly ran out the second one and jumped it badly, then better the second time. I'm thinking, this doesn't bode well.....
Off we go, and he absolutely flew round! It was a very trappy course, nearly every fence had two elements, and all approaches/getaways were on tight turns. It wasn't a Magic can gallop track at all. Having said that it will have done us BOTH the world of good!
1 & 2 were simple, he didn't back off no 1 which I expected him to do after the nap. 3 was step up to roll top, which he sailed through without slowing. 4 a big palisade with a drop, then 120 degrees back on self to 5, a house with feed bags under it - he flew the palisade and I had major issues getting the turn, but we jumped it on an angle! 6 was a skinny pimple with flowers on top :eek:, I got him straight a long way off and he just kept his line despite not liking the look of it.
Then a long gallop up a hill to 7 a and b, steep dogleg angle round a tree in the dark! He flew them, then onto 8 which was a nightmare, a plain upright at 90 degrees to way we are going, then 180 turn and over another, then another 180 turn to get to the water. Unbelievably twisty and not very fair!
Water was a skinny log under a tree, a couple of strides and a big step down and big step up. Would he wait for me? Ha. Got over the log in some semblance of control, then he launched into the water and out again.... he's never been that bold into water before! Then the 2 big steps down the biiiig hill - then 2 strides to a skinny brush..... dodgy on a steep downhill. I DID make him wait here - my life depended on it! He stayed beautifully straight on his line, boy he's grown up over the winter!
Then bowled on down the hill and sharp 90 into wood, with 3 fences on 3 strides then 5 strides.... bending line one way then other - he was awesome - just jumped, turned, jumped on an angle, turned, jumped. And galloped away down the hill!
Over the plain ditch (warranted a good look) then flew the trakhener (go figure!), the skinny on the top of the mound, and then barely made the turn (rider error) back to 16 another skinny, so we angle it (ooops). Over the last, a flower bed (still on a dodgy turn).
He was brilliant. An absolute machine! Got off and led him back, washed him off and gave him grass and fuss.
He LOVES Lil - I really didn't think he would, but he has loads of space and she's light and airy and there was a lovely breeze through with the doors open, so he was plenty cool enough standing in.
Travelled like a star and loaded on and off various times.
And it was soooo nice to have all my clobber in its place and be able to get changed etc. Such luxury! Echo liked it too, although she felt the need to stay on sentry duty in the hotter cab, despite the living being breezy and cool.... even when I put the blanket over the cut through, she still snuck through to the cab. Hey ho, odd doglet!
We got 39 dressage, which I felt was very harsh... having seen the ones before me etc. But hey ho... not all judges can see the quality in a Magic. We got a double clear inside the time so it still got us up to 4th! :-)
Picture will follow when its on the web.
A very hot day, but my times were nice and close together (in hindsight, far tooooo close together, no time to wash off/cool down/drink between times).
We got there with no fuss. Magic travelled in front partition and I left door open to living so I could see him and him me. I think he was a bit surprised to find himself in a house when he stuck his head through! "oooh, Mum, what are you doing in my new trailer??"
Dressage, he warmed up fab (we did, ooh, 5 mins?) and then parked up and watched a few.
Went in and he was a bit onward bound but did a lovely obedient test. Not as good as Solihull, but I was pleased, as the ground like concrete and the other horses tiptoed round it.
Out we go, quick wash and tack change (in lorry out of flies and sun :smug:) and off to SJing. For some reason known only to myself, I decided the pelham looked too high in his mouth so took it down a hole. Warmed up, thought push up to plate and stay light in hand and he jumped the practice fences fab. Only jumped 4 times as ground was just like a road.
In we went, he was calmer than he has been for ages, and we set off well. I pushed up to plate and he jumped absolutely perfectly the first 5. Light in my hand, no fiddle from me and me pushing up and him getting the perfect spot. It was most definately swwwwwwwweeeeeeet.
Then on a tight turn to the first double, he must have got his tongue over the bit... cue major panic from Magic, head everywhere, with me thinking "shiiiiiit, double Magic DOUBLE". I don't know how he did it but with half a stride to spare, he went for it and jumped it really well. Then back to totally behind hand and fliptop head. I threw my hands as far forward and up as I could to try to help him get it back- and by then we are at the wall. He concentrates for a split second to jump it, then is back to stress mode. Somewhere between there and fence 8, he got it back under.
Thank goodness - I NEVER want to do that again! We got our act together for a lovely shot at 8 (still me pushing up to plate and not fiddling) and then related distance to 9 - a black and white spread with filler. Felt him backing off from a mile away, so he got 4 strides of kickpushwhack.... and he grudgingly jumped it. Then the final double and we got a fab clear :-)
Was definately the best round we've jumped yet. I had hours to make turns and keep rhythm, he wasn't running at all and it would have been perfect without the tongue incident. He obviously felt it was all too easy if he needed to back off a black and white one.... grrr.
I put the bit up before we went xc!!!
Quick wash down, change and off we went for XC. Warm up he was really odd. Very nappy towards lorry and away from practice fences. Nearly ran out the second one and jumped it badly, then better the second time. I'm thinking, this doesn't bode well.....
Off we go, and he absolutely flew round! It was a very trappy course, nearly every fence had two elements, and all approaches/getaways were on tight turns. It wasn't a Magic can gallop track at all. Having said that it will have done us BOTH the world of good!
1 & 2 were simple, he didn't back off no 1 which I expected him to do after the nap. 3 was step up to roll top, which he sailed through without slowing. 4 a big palisade with a drop, then 120 degrees back on self to 5, a house with feed bags under it - he flew the palisade and I had major issues getting the turn, but we jumped it on an angle! 6 was a skinny pimple with flowers on top :eek:, I got him straight a long way off and he just kept his line despite not liking the look of it.
Then a long gallop up a hill to 7 a and b, steep dogleg angle round a tree in the dark! He flew them, then onto 8 which was a nightmare, a plain upright at 90 degrees to way we are going, then 180 turn and over another, then another 180 turn to get to the water. Unbelievably twisty and not very fair!
Water was a skinny log under a tree, a couple of strides and a big step down and big step up. Would he wait for me? Ha. Got over the log in some semblance of control, then he launched into the water and out again.... he's never been that bold into water before! Then the 2 big steps down the biiiig hill - then 2 strides to a skinny brush..... dodgy on a steep downhill. I DID make him wait here - my life depended on it! He stayed beautifully straight on his line, boy he's grown up over the winter!
Then bowled on down the hill and sharp 90 into wood, with 3 fences on 3 strides then 5 strides.... bending line one way then other - he was awesome - just jumped, turned, jumped on an angle, turned, jumped. And galloped away down the hill!
Over the plain ditch (warranted a good look) then flew the trakhener (go figure!), the skinny on the top of the mound, and then barely made the turn (rider error) back to 16 another skinny, so we angle it (ooops). Over the last, a flower bed (still on a dodgy turn).
He was brilliant. An absolute machine! Got off and led him back, washed him off and gave him grass and fuss.
He LOVES Lil - I really didn't think he would, but he has loads of space and she's light and airy and there was a lovely breeze through with the doors open, so he was plenty cool enough standing in.
Travelled like a star and loaded on and off various times.
And it was soooo nice to have all my clobber in its place and be able to get changed etc. Such luxury! Echo liked it too, although she felt the need to stay on sentry duty in the hotter cab, despite the living being breezy and cool.... even when I put the blanket over the cut through, she still snuck through to the cab. Hey ho, odd doglet!
We got 39 dressage, which I felt was very harsh... having seen the ones before me etc. But hey ho... not all judges can see the quality in a Magic. We got a double clear inside the time so it still got us up to 4th! :-)
Picture will follow when its on the web.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
