Cor, I actually went SJ-ing....

Yesterday we went galloping, he had a ball!!!

This morning, we tottered off to Allens Hill.

Got there in perfect timing for the end of the 85cm so was able to walk course before warming up.

He didn't seem his usual exuberant self, and was quite on the forehand for his turns so I was only just making the line..... he also jumped the practice fence like a total numpty off no-stride at least twice.... trying to make me wibble about having entered the 1.05m as well as the 95???

Realised that despite being on forehand and feeling like he was rushing..... he actually needed to be MORE foreward.... oh but can we get that without being more on the forehand as well??

Went in for 95... he was a bit spooky and a bit slow-take-off mode, which fits in well with the ballooning fences mode. Some of the corners were REALLY interesting.....

It is beyond me how I didn't put two and two together and realise at the time WHY they were interesting.... because we were on forehand!!! Doh!

Anyway, did a double clear and actually won the class so that was nice!!

Warming up

look at those sexy feet!

The second part of the (rather long) double - bless him, he made it!!

Who's a clever boy then?

Went back to trailer, gave us both a drink then went back out to warm up again...

Then, in for the 1.05m.... I wasn't even scared! I don't think he notices that they go up.... I certainly don't think so now having jumped round twice... and he jumps so big however small they are so they may as well be big!

Clear first round, then 2nd phase had two down, but TBH I'd relaxed and I certainly wasn't riding up to standard.... he just didn't get high enough over one, and we got too close to the other... but he made up for it by clearing the rest by a foot or so!! We came 2nd!

Coo, the double's quite big now!


Pinging the water tray, with me only just staying with him... shame all the other fences are in the way! Clever boy!

I'm now all set for the PN eventer challenge on Sunday.... hope its not as warm!

Schooling in the rain and wind

I think winter may be here??

He was very good though. Did 'nice' trot to start but wasn't giving me medium but faster when asked, which is the best way now for me to tell that he's not quite up enough in front. He was also heavy in my hand, and I feel a % of that is due to competing last weekend, and a % is because I was prepared to ride him from the hand to start (tsk).

I didn't remember how easy it is to get best trot from stretchy trot either, sack the rider!

We did trot and canter large on 3/4 line and he was brill! So then we did the same with bend one way or other and me sitting neutral.... still brill!!

Then we did some walk/canter/walk and then onto HP.

I alternated HP and LY and straight and the straight is sooooooooo much easier... and he's actually WAITING for the aids to go anything but straight! HP/LY/HP was really smooth too.... I honestly think he'd do everything brilliantly first time if only I didn't either overanalyse or try too hard.... sigh.

Then back to straight lines....

Then Canter straight, or HP if not pre-empting. All good. Then a couple of changes.... spot on right to left (once from HP and once just canter across diagonal and change). Then left to right, obedient in front but still late behind.... but at least he's understanding the exercise and more importantly NOT stressed about it.

Funnily enough, I'd finished canter work and was just giving him a walk breather, when I collected my reins up (having done hundreds of walk/canter with NO pre-empting) he decided I must be about to ask for canter and got all silly. and I only wanted trot!! Did that transition a few times....

Then onto mediums..... short bursts of medium with more 'up'. It definately wasn't the best we can do today, but he's getting much more obedient and if/when he starts running on or doesn't collect when asked we just do medium/halt/reinback/medium.... it just focuses his mind somewhat so he gave me some really nice work.

Then stretchy trot.... at which point I remembered I should have done this at the beginning when we were holding each other.... even if he'd have been on his head, he'd have still shown me just how BIG his working trot should be..... and I do need reminding so I don't crush it.

Memo to self:

STRETCHY TROT EARLY, EVEN IF JUST AS A 'TESTER'!!!

Finally, Broadway Photos are up

http://www.everybodysmile.biz/cotswoldphotography/equestrian.html

Click on Broadway Saturday Camera 1, got to page 1, photos: MU6D4085, 86, 87.... course its the smallest fence on the course, sigh.

Then Camera 2, page 2, photos: RP8C3051 - 56 .... I like the gallopies ones, we actually look like we're shifting!!!

He's had THREE days off in a row, what with work, hunting yesterday and less light in the day..... I've not done very well this week. Hacking tomorrow, then will go schooling either Fri or Sun.....

Oh, and best comment ever :-)

As I halted at the end of the second test, the judge stuck her head out of the judges box....

Uh-oh, thinks I, they only ever do that when your horse is lame or something equally dreadful.... Now I knew he wasn't lame but what else could it be??

"I just want to say what a LOVELY horse. I just LOVE his attitude," (cue snigger from me!)

"He's going round waiting for you to ask him something then when you ask he says YEY let me" (erm, yeah, isn't that the point?)

"I just wanted to say how lovely it is to see such a lovely happy partnership, a really refreshing change!"

Ah, says I, you don't know how long its taken us to get here!!

"Doesn't matter, you have it!!!"

:-)))

Wow, bless her!! That's worth so much more than red rozzers!!!

Oh, stressage oh stressage....

Now I REALLY don't know what to do!!!

We went off to Radway today to do some unaff dressage to get back into it before I rejoin BD (as have NO money!).

They were running unaff and aff together so good benchmark for where we're at too. No elems though so we entered the novices....

They HADN'T re-done the indoor (as someone had told me...) so of course I got in there to warm up and wibbled as that's where we picked up our masonry nail in foot :shivers:

He was not a nice boy warming up. Perfectly well behaved and kept all feet on floor.... but horrid and leany and trying to be on forehand and behind leg... he was REALLY hard work!!

Gave up as we were both far too hot and went to watch a few before me. Then went back through warm up concentrating on light contact still hands DESPITE his best efforts to get me to tense and hold.

First test Novice 20 - is REALLY busy.... loads of transitions. He wanted to be spooky but I remembered to just ride him FORWARDS and straight when he did it and he soon gave it up, so mega :-)))

I was really pleased with him, trot was great, mediums were POW and he was obedient with the five thousand transitions.... canter was a bit laboured and he was very lazy and I'm sure I was working harder than him! But all in all I was pleased. He had to do a 20m circle in stretchy trot and he LOVED that!!

Won the unaff on 66%, would have been 3rd in restricted.... but I'm open due to Elem points so actually would have been the only open entry, and therefore half qualified.... how bizarre!!

Went pretty much straight into next after catching our breath... unfortunately a bumble bee decided it liked the look of us as we entered the arena before the bell... and Magic nearly had a nervous breakdown.... bless him!! He held it together REALLY well, but was still convinced it was chasing us long after it had gone.... So we started a bit tense. Novice 32 that we both know inside out, yawnsville.

Medium trots were honestly the best yet (still only 7's!!) and he was obedient and trotwork was lovely. Canter again a bit not energetic enough.... but obedient.... so can't have everything!

Got 64.78% and won the unaff... would have been 2nd in restricted. Marks ranged 66-53%.

So excellent day if you like red rozzers.... which of course we do.... but.........

I wasn't excited about going.... I switched from 'bothered?' to stressed quite quickly..... He went like a drain in the warm up but I rode as well as I have been riding at events in the tests so he went well.... none of the old tension from him.

I just feel like this winter isn't for more boring circles.... I'm beginning to feel that we should carry on training at Medium with getting our lateral work and changes established, and spend competition money on going jumpies.... We'd both prefer it, now we are relaxed (and bored if I'm honest) by dressage we need to get relaxed about SJ.

And there aren't that many Elems about, even aff, so not sure its worth me spending the money on BD just to do the odd Elem.... maybe I should wait and rejoin when I can sit the trot and we can do Mediums??

I just don't know.

I'm going to go jumpies next Tues, and then the Eventer Challenge on the Sunday at Allenshill (PN no less!!!) and then take it from there.... even if we just go out jumpies once a month and go to Bills once a month, its going to get us nearer going round a PN in the spring than poncing round a few Elems is.......

Magic has already told me that he'd prefer to go jumpies.... even if it is scary SJs!!!

Happy hacking day!

We rode out once with Ben, then again with friends, and then a third time for a bit more of a canter.... He came in at 7am and didn't get to go out in the very grassy field with the others until nearly 2pm.... I bet he's written a letter to the ILPH!!!

He was very good though, on his bestist behaviour..... here's hoping it lasts until Sunday and the first of many stressage outings....... sssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh... don't tell him there's no jumping on sunday!!

Times are very civilised, 1.30 and 1.50.... just need to remember to learn the tests..... novice tests have significantly more to remember than intro ones!!!

My foot ponderings....

Last year I did an experiment on Magic... I was routinely taking down his bars, bar pools and false sole each trim (and he developed big bar pools - the lumps of sole in front of bars) and yet they'd pop straight back up within a matter of days, and he wasn't quite right on stones until they did.....

So I stopped taking any sole away, false or otherwise. I'd take bars down so they weren't the first ground contact but did nothing else. In the last year he's got fabby concavity, but quite often packs it in with false sole.

Now given he does no conditioning on stones, yet has to do 2 weeks on stoney old exmoor and has to do XC with stone takeoffs and landings, I assume that the filling in is if he needs to to cope with the stones. (He had great concavity when we went to exmoor this year, yet when we got home he'd filled it all in.... surely not a coincidence?)

Now in the last few months (I'm thinking at least since the spring....) I've noticed that he's much more 'jarring' when we trot on the road.... he will trot on stones/hard rutted ground/grass/stone or rutted tracks/ whatever, and never does this 'jarring' sewing machine trot.... its ONLY on the roads....

So after Broadway, knowing I had no more hard work for feet planned, I did a proper trim and took his frogs back (they were angling over quite a lot) and took bars down, and bar pools right out. Fortunately he had already exfoliated the rest of his sole so just had these raised lumps.

Well today I went for a trot up the road..... and??? NO CONCUSSION! No jarring, and a proper Magic dressage trot...... Coincidence??? My thoughts are that the bar pools and bars were TOO much in ground contact when working on a hard flat surface... and that by taking them out his foot can expand the whole way.... the trouble is, if they grow straight back in I can only assume he still needs them for something else!!

Although my gut feeling is that he now (a year or even 18 months after the initial experiment) DOESN'T need it, its just harder to exfoliate- probably because it gets packed down harder by all the roadwork.

Aren't feet amazing?

The horse is perfect... one day the rider may be!

Well, he's not far off it!

We had a nice hack yesterday, then went up for a lesson today.

He warmed up as per.... using himself nicely and obedient. I asked M to ride with us and teach from on top as Magic is always a sod when she's standing in the arena... and loe and behold... best lesson ever!!

Discussed aims.... which are to continue to develop lateral work and changes. I said that my problem with training and competing last winter, were that I was training him the things I needed to then do in tests... so because we were practicing them all the time he got very pre-emptive, then stressed if I didn't ask or even if I did then ask.

So this year it'll be nice that although I aim to compete at Elem (when I can afford to renew!) and then Medium when I have built up the sitting trot work, we are working at Medium already, so I won't be over-doing the Elem moves.

I played around with SI in walk, and discovered if I go HP then SI then HP I can finally keep control over his wiggle! But M said in doing so we lose the power in the trot, and at the moment we need to keep him pushing and sitting so he doesn't think he's EVER allowed to not!

We started doing 10m in top corner, then down long side in SI for four or five strides, then short diagonal medium trot. We did ok... right rein FAR better than left, I think because my left hand has more of a mind of its own and as long as I can keep it quiet he's ok.... but as soon as it starts trying to dictate, he flexes left, shoulders right and quarters left.... After 3 goes each way he was pre-empting the medium and losing the SI, so I needed to keep changing the exercise to keep him listening.

Then did inside track longside just STRAIGHT, but with inside bend, or outside bend. To begin with we struggled, so everytime he wiggled I rode him straight forwards into bigger trot. We got it cracked (as long as I CONSISTENTLY ride him more forwards when he wiggles and don't try to correct the wiggle) but then to get left bend or right bend and remain straight I was using a lot of leg and obviously having to change leg aids significantly when I change the bend. I said this and M said I'm making it harder... we need Magic to go well when I am in neutral.... ie legs hanging and contact light.... no additional aids.... I didn't know if I could keep the straightness AND bend him inside/outside whilst in neutral.... so went and tried it....

And I can :-))) so I need to practice neutral position whilst maintaining straightness. Then I need to add bend into the equation without losing the straightness OR my neutral position.

Next up we did leg yield from start of long side (as soon as I had him straight!) to HP, and if time/room back to LY. Interestingly, he finds left HP easier than right, but right LY easier than left, so the LY really helped the HP on the right rein, but not on the left!

Again, the drawback was me over compensating.... I move my position too much (particularly in LY as neither of us find it as easy as HP). All I'm really doing is moving my 'outside' leg... ie its the leg inside of the bend in LY but becomes outside leg when change to HP.

Goodness this gets complicated! Again, a good exercise for keeping straightness first.... and stopping him pre-empting HP all the time.

I had to do a few long sides just straight and BIG trot when he started to get clever and wiggle. But it was good!

Then onto canter.... turning up CL (much harder than straightness on 3/4 line that we have been practicing) but still much straighter, and then can HP off the straighter canter. Did a few times either way, and then left it at that as he'd done an hour of mainly hard trot work.

The canter felt the BEST it ever has, and is really starting to get collected. MUST ride canter forward before collecting it, even if he is offering collected first.

So big points:

* straightness - with me in neutral

* maintaining forward 'big' trot throughout lateral work

* practice straight lines and CL in trot and canter - in trot be able to bend either way but stay on line and NOT wiggle. Focus on horizon and ride to it in neutral and if he wiggles then BAM FORWARD. Much easier now the trot is so much more established.

* Medium trot - shorter bursts with rebalancing in between - need to get more lift to it. Rebalance riding FORWARD, do not crush the trot up.

* keep neutral position!

* keep reins short and hands still (an oldie but a goodie!)

* keep improving MY sit in the canter (and trot) as this improves HIS sit.

* practice LY/HP/LY in trot

* practice canter HP steeper and lesser angles (steeper angle but for shorter when practicing changes)

I think there's loads more but can't remember it right now!

M said his HP is superb, and that the overall straightness is so much better, but now we have to get it with me backed off, rather than with me containing it all the time.

He felt fantastic. Best ever canter and some truly lovely trot, light in hand but there, uphill and floaty. just lovely :-))))

Got a couple of novices on Sunday, to ease us back in.... can't find any unaff Elem so will have to raid the piggy bank and renew to do any... but just want to ensure he's not going to revert to tense horrid pony as soon as we start doing tests again.... he's got fine all summer so no real excuse for either of us!

Hey ho, another day at the office

Another pink rug......!

Yep, we won it!!! Again! :-)))))))))))

(Feeling a smidge embarrassed actually!)

So, from the beginning. Up at 4.30 having been out for a curry last night.... not to be advised.... even with mildest choices on menu the guts were NOT playing ball this morning... blurgh.

Left yard at 6.30, having done horses, plaited and rasped in 'studs'.

Got there 7.30 despite road being closed that should have opened at 6am......... grrrr road works.

Got ready, went and warmed up for dressage.... bit hilly.... bit wet and slippy but plenty of grass cover.

He warmed up nicely. I was naughty and did some trot HP... but it concentrated both our minds and he did some really nice work after.... was struggling to contain uphill work going downhill, but guess thats allowable? It was certainly the nicest trot work he's done on grass yet.

Our arena?? Sloping downhill to judge.... oh bum. Much better t'other way as then judge doesn't see quite so much of the downhill horse goes downhill malarky. Also next to a scary hedge..... I say scary because his last few tests near a hedge have involved plenty of feet around ears antics....

Anyway, we trot round the edge and I practice 'dressage rider' trot despite the flaws of slippy wet grass and downhill arena.... He was good about the hedge :faints:.

Then when we turn down centre line................................................................ we both spot it at the same time.... there is a DEAD white board next to A.... almost on the centre line.... oh poooooooooooooooooo. course it's dead, so having just about got over his white board phobia, a DEAD one is the final straw so we go in at A in right-hand-down-spook-mode. Bum.

Test went well, trot work was proper trot (I honestly have no idea how!!) and he did the BEST canters he's ever done on grass... slow rhythmical, the works. :-))))))))

Shame halt descended into rest a leg til I corrected it. Told judge about dead white board on exit.... didn't want the next person fwightened by it as well.....

But overall, was chuffed to bits with him, no silly business and emminently rideable, wooohooo!

Score was 35, so 65%. Fair enough.

Went round to do SJ, still feeling VERY grotty.

Jumped cross pole once, and as we take off, I get WINDED in the chest by Magic's SHOULDERS coming up to meet me. Holy moley.... yep, he jumps ok!

Then he decides to perform the same trick as Moreton Morrell (well in his defence it worked there ok as we won!) which is be a TOTAL TIT. Bouncing around, plungy wungeys, squeaking.... until I valued my life enough to jump upright and parallel once each and retire to wait for our go. As soon as in holding area he was as happy as larry again (I do wonder if I should have a psychological testing done on him??).

Watched the person before me skid two whole strides into a fence trying to get back end under them, wiped out the fence by skating straight through it... eeeek. Not good for one's confidence when those with studs do that....

Oh, and did I mention the trade stands all round the arena (a-la Aston) and the CAR on a ROCK in the arena??? Hmmm??? oh poo.....

Anyway, we go in, and sail round... one teeny hesitation at the double as he thought I was heading him to the trade stands. But clear round and REALLY controlled. :-))))

Good job really, I did warn him I needed his help as felt like poo.

Back for a quick wash down (it was 18 degrees and no, I hadn't taken enough hair off!!) then off to XC. Now its a good job I know I don't really need to warm up much for SJ and XC, because the ickle bugga set off on his zebedee routine again, set off another horse and had me worried enough to leave that argument for another day. We literally couldn't stop bouncing whilst his feet were within the warm up.... So we stood in the lorry park til the one before us set off, cantered across the warm up, jumping the practice fence once on route, then straight to the start box. Chicken? Moi? No, just preserving our energy :whistlesinnocently: And in all honestly he used to save it for the dressage warm up, which is a far BIGGER problem than when in jumping saddle and you know you don't have to warm up much. He'll get over it, but maybe not til the middle of next season (dread to think what SJ indoors over the winters going to be like.... )

Anyway, again, once walking round the start box he was ABSOLUTELY FINE. Its almost like its him building himself up to get his adrenalin pumping ready for the off, but I'll tell you now I don't care WHY he does it I DON'T LIKE IT!!!!

I botched our start too..... I went towards the box on 20 seconds.... and he waltzed in thinking we were going straight out.... and we couldn't... so I held him at 90 degrees to the start.... and he waited... like a coiled spring but perfectly obedient (I wasn't sitting there thinking ohshitohshitohshit honest!!). Waited for nice man to count us down then BAM off we go.

1 - hedge - hardly backed off at all (woohooo, he's a grown up!!!)
2 - 180 degrees back to another hedge.... made the turn then kicked for warp speed into it.... flew it!!
Going uphill
3 and 4 flew them at warp speed - in fact up towards 4 was the first time I've REALLY felt him gallop, he dropped and stretched and shifted.... so maybe he ain't going to be so slow after all (has Dan been giving him lessons??)
5 - helsinki steps - he's getting the hang of JUST GALLOP and jump, don't feel obliged to slow down to look at EVERYTHING cos it puts you off your stride (and slows us down!)
6 - 90 degree left up steep bank to little roll top - muggins got clever and to save time came at it at 45 degree angle - he was perfect, but put an extra stride in due to steepness of hill!

Going downhill
7 - chair, flew it.
8 - hogs back, had to rebalance himself down the hill, then flew it!

Uphill
9 - double of roll tops and where I expected him to put a short one in to see the double.... nope, took off on a long one and carried on galloping!
10 - mad gallop to brush skinney (heading into hedge, so bit of a confidence thing for Magic) Flew it at a gallop and made the gap in the hedge after!
11 - Spooky Castle (with tower and big ROCK on the left) cue stick in right hand! Absolutely flew it!

Downhill (and then some!)
12 - sharp left turn at bottom of hill when at warp speed.... so we blat down this hill and turn about 110 degrees left at the bottom, three strides then jump.... you should have seen the skid marks from those before us - and we were only about 10th to go so goodness only knows what it looked like by tonight! I just belted down the hill yelling.. woah woah, left left..... and he did!!
13 - log flew it
14 - half coffin.... I think I collected too much, he couldn't have cared less about it, I almost MADE him look in the poxy ditch!
15 - wall - with big drop and then really downhill again.... wwoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Approached not too fast in hope we wouldn't land halfway down the hill.... got in deep hoping for nice little pop.... apparently walls have goblins behind them, so he LAUNCHED us into space, landed halfway down the hill in full bore gallop and on his forehand......
16 - nasty flower bed thing that he hates (always tries to bank the one at Solihull) which we apporached TOTALLY out of control and winging it.... I saw a long one but Magic saw it was spawn of devil fence and tried to start back pedalling.... I HAD to make him go on a long one or we'd have tipped up at that speed.... but he did - shocked though he was (he makes takeoff decisions usually XC!!). He had to stretch for it, but we made it!
17 - log into water.... bit spooky as couldn't see the way out, but jumped log THEN worked out where next.

flat ground - hurrah!
18 - poxy little rail
19 - double of rails
20 - skinney flower box - BIG flowers in it and nearly as wide as across - off a corner, perfect line and perfect shot - never a moments hesitation - PROPER pony!!
21 - skinney curvey palisade hedge. Big takeoff rail in front. Flew it and GALLOPED for home!!

Time? We went absolutely as fast as I dared. I galloped proper the few uphill stretches and just tried to keep tabs down hill.... had to take a pull for a fair few fences though so wasn't that hopeful... time was 4.11, we did it in 4.05!!! Yey!!! Go pony!

So, a perfect end to a difficult season (in terms of weather and going etc!!)

AND we got best dressage in our section :faints: Another pink fleece rug to add to the collection, and a VERY nice hamper of goodies :yummyscrummy:

Only trouble is, I'm embarrassed enough to need to start pre novices quite early next season :wibble:

Prof photos up later in week I expect, pet photographer was working so don't have any others....

Hey, this is seriously good!

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/08/16/the-not-to-do-list-9-habits-to-stop-now/

Its nearly over :-(

The eventing season, that is!

But tomorrow I look forward to rising early at 4.30am to get to Broadway for dressage at 8.30am.... maybe I'm not so sad about the end of the season after all!

We went galloping on Thurs, and his wind wasn't as good as it was a month ago, but don't know if that's lack of use or too much humidity!

Hacked quietly today, then went to walk the course..... the story is that its very hilly.... well its not that bad, but the XC is LONG! Most of the fences are 'fall-overs' but then number 20 (yes, 20) and 21 are narrow but wide skinnies..... 20 is a flower bed and 21 a skinney brush. So I can't crack on round the course like a mad thing and then fall over the last few fences as is my want!! Might make me ride to the finish for a change.

In all seriousness, its a very nice course. SJ very straightforward, although with some pretty odd distances (but on 4/5/6 strides so not really an issue). Lovely ground. XC, I'd have been quite happy to do the PN and even some of the N fences. Crickey, we really WILL be doing PN next season if I keep this up!!

I got home and continued the clipping/not clipping quandry. Its so hot I'd like to give him the best chance, but if I take hair off I give him carte blanche to be an eejit in the dressage!

I determinedly made the decision not to clip..... then promptly went down and gave both Magic and Ben a neck and belly clip. Magic's is like a very low chaser, Ben's you can hardly see.... but I don't want them rugged all winter so its a good compromised. He's such a lovely black under the hair (and I was right, he had hardly ANY hair compared to Ben). He definately grows an effective but thin coat.... I just hope by clipping it I haven't encouraged him to grow horrid coarse hair rather than his lovely thin soft coat!

Oh, and if he's an eejit tomorrow I've only got myself to blame!! But he's going to be perfect, just like the last two outings..... watch this space!

Ups and downs.....

I've acquired a wow saddle on the basis that I cannot sit to the trot in my fhoenix (and neither can anyone else on warmblood types it would seem...). I tried it hacking the other day and shock horror - it would appear to be the only treed saddle ever that doesn't bounce on his back - so a huge thumbs up there.... but by the time I'd got home saddle was slumped to the back and right whilst I hung on to the left of it trying to remain upright. It was very comfy, and I could really S.I.T. his canter, but didn't seem to have made much difference to me sitting his trot. Because the panels are Flair, I didn't know if maybe the air was pumped in such a way as to tip it back and right, or whether its Magic or me.... But given that he and I are regularly checked for assymetrical-ness (both by bodywork and riding training!) I'm guessing its the former. So before I went to the expense of getting a pump, or paying someone to come and do it for me, I thought I'd better school in it.

Well, the answer is? He doesn't like any pressure behind his shoulders, even from the wow lateral flexion. He didn't put a foot wrong but he was horrid. Disengaged, crooked as hell and tight and gobby. Can't do true walk/canter.... couldn't get him forward or straight, could only get faster on the forehand trot. It doesn't fit too bad.... although it did still tip to the right in left canter, I think thats actually the least of our problems with it!

Got another pair of eyes in who agreed. So promptly got off (feels like you are riding a mountain too as you are sooooo far from the horse in it!) and swapped back to my fhoenix.... and oh, it was lovely... its like riding bareback after sitting way up and off the horse. I could hold him with my weight and seat and wrap my legs right round him, and after 10 mins of trying to work through the 'my shoulders are glued to the floor cos that saddle made me' he went really well. We did trying to get the trot bigger again... the interesting thing was as soon as I half halted (ie tried to slow the trot but push on more,) he just died beneath me like he used to the first few times.... I don't think it would take long of riding in a treed saddle before we'd be back to on-the-forehand-Magic. So as couldn't get trot bigger easily (or FEEL how it SHOULD be either) I did stretching trot as he always shows me the right rhythm in this, even if he isn't perfectly balanced... and from there I picked up contact keeping that rhythm, and half halting from leg and seat if necc. It worked, but I'd rather not have had to do it in the first place!!!

Did HP trot and canter and walk/canter/walk then changes. Really getting there with changes right to left... only late behind once. Left to right still late behind but DID manage to correct a couple of times. Then rested (oh, and he wasn't getting stressed today doing changes, so another goal acheived, now he'll REALLY start learning them!) then did some sitting trot and SI. It is literally the hardest thing, but if I can ride out in medium trot as soon as I lose straightness (and not try to straighten him in SI) then we'll get there.

Trot HP he was going 20m across in 30m long.... he finds it soooo easy. One day going in a straight line will be that easy too.

Finished off with going large canters (straight on 3/4 line)... a bit behind leg and jiggly in hand in right canter, but went large, and straight and obedient to stay in canter so I was quite pleased. Then left canter (where we'd had discussions the other day) he did lovely big canter, straight (no sign of attempts to HP) and lovely transition down. So finished off doing big stretching trot.

Came home and stuck him out. He got really hot and sweaty but was dry and had a hand brush when he got home. Still in a quandry re clipping as he's standing in the field hot even now.... but its unseasonably warm and I can't put the coat back on if I have to rough him off, so............

Peace reigns! (fingers firmly crossed!)

We went for a hack this morning, and then got back and I bravely tipped all four of them out together (minus Dan!) on the middle bit of grass in the paddock as I've taken down the pasture paradise in that field. And thank goodness they were all fine... but I kept a steely eye on the black terrorist.

So fingers crossed, I'll introduce Dan to the others and then put all 5 out together... but only when they are all tired and hungry and can put them on fresh grass!

So, Dan now has his own blog.... see link on the right below Magic's rolling pic....

Magic is having tomorrow off, then schooling on Wednes....

So he'd better bloomin behave today!

We went to Allens Hill to do the Eventer Challenge... one round SJ then a break then one round XC... in the big arena with Jump for Joy XC fences like JAS use.

I think he knew he was in trouble... usually when I take trailer down to yard he's at the gate raring to go to a party.... today he literally ran away! Squeaking and bucking. He ran from me in the field as well..... totally unheard of! Talk about feeling the vibes!

Anyway, we got there, jumped the SJ.... in the arena with the diggers next door.... he was actually VERY good and obedient, we did get long to a couple, and I was slow to try to pull up a couple of times, and I saw a long one to the last and then we had a VERY tight turn.... could hear him tsking at me!!!

We were clear though, although the usual hard stares at some fillers, but never any sign of not jumping, so good boy!






Then a breather, and onto the XC... it was very spooky - rustic fences (which he hates) plus BLUE barrels and green fences and water trays , a corner, skinnies etc.

He was bloomin PERFICK! Absolutely rideable, no running, no pulling, so no wrestling from me... jumped well, but no ballooning... got us out of trouble when no stride, but generally spot on!! Gotta love the talented little s**t.












Love that last one, a proper Magic hanging in the air jobbie!!

6 days til our last event of the season at Broadway.... can't wait!! Just when we've got going the season ends :-(

I might even have to go SJ this winter to keep the jumping fix up.... and that's just SHOCKING!

Oh, he's sooooooooooo in disgrace.....

Collected my new project pony, Dan, (more on him later!) and settled him in. Introduced him to Ben and Magic, who were both (shockingly) very polite. Let him out in field with them as he's so laid back and un-interested in others. Watched them for THREE hours.... all quiet on the western front. Magic and Dan had a few trots around the field, in a perfectly amicable fashion, and they all had sniffs and then settled down to graze together.

After three hours we figured we had it cracked (its very boring watching horses eat...) and left them for an hour.... came back to a Dan with cuts and grazes all over him, and two very deep wounds on his pastern. AARRRGGGGHH.

The only possible explanation is that Magic tried to put him through the fence (as he has many others). The odd thing was they were fine.... if Magic takes exception to someone you know about it IMMEDIATELY. So this was as premeditated as is possible in an equine brain. And boy did he know he was in trouble! I totally blanked him for 24 hours, except to feed.

Emergency vet for stitch up, and Dan relegated to the barn and yard for 5 days. Poor lad, welcome to your new home!

GRRRRRRR.

Progress

We've only hacked out this week. They were both a bit unsettled at the start of the week, and I didn't get to go schooling on Monday. So we went today.

Started off with Echo loose, thinking she'd potter about sniffing smells..... but no, she decided she needed to chase/or be chased by us. Magic was very long suffering, warming up in walk and then being MADE to do proper big trot whilst small grey person is galloping madly around us, behind us, in front of us and having the wazzers like a loon. So she got banished back to the truck - I'd left the door open and told her to get in and STAY and she did :-))) for the whole of the rest of the time we were working... bless her!

So then had a canter each way. From the word go the canter was fabby. Straight lines in canter? Sitting on hocks?? Yes sirrey! Clever boy. He was TRYING to do HP the whole time as soon as I was straight, but he kept a lid on it and it actually helped the 'sit' by making me ride from the leg. He was really light in my hand straight off too!

Then did some trot HP... he finds it sooooo easy.

Then canter HP.... who'd have thought it was his third go at it?? We could HP 20m across the school in just over half the school, although I'm TRYING not to let him go that steep. Its helping me sit correctly as I don't have to DO anything, just set him up in position and look where I want to go.

Then canter HP to flying change. First one right to left - perfect FC but with HUMUNGOUS buck/leap/plunge accompanied by me yelling 'good boy' - must have confused the pants off him, teehee! Left to right - late behind again. So at least we know the score now - if he's not bang on balanced and REALLY sitting, he bucks right to left, and changes late behind (if at all behind) left to right.

He was also starting to get stressed, so I chilled out and had a walk for a bit, then came back to it. Did lovely changes x2 right to left... no bucks! But left to right deffo late behind and then gets stressed as knows he's doing something wrong. It'll come though, I have faith that once he stops stressing and starts thinking he'll work it out. He did one left to right that was like a skip, he almost trotted, but changed leads, but not flying.... very odd, but proved he was TRYING to do the right thing and that he understands what I'm trying to get.

But the best change came when I was on the left rein practicing go large canter (without him pre-empting HP etc) and he broke to trot, and was then really tense... so asked for canter and got right canter (on left rein) so balanced him all up collected and asked him to change and he did a beautiful one.

So its in there, we just need to get the brain back onside and not stressing.... but he's had a tough week so I more than let him off!

We finished doing canter large (on 3/4 lines for straightness) on both reins. Then big trot on stretchy rein. He was still a bit tense so this wasn't as good as it could be, but he was trying.

When we'd finished he was really sweaty.... now I have the usual quandry.... to clip or not to clip?

If I knew I wasn't going to get a full time OT job this winter I'd clip some off.... but as I don't know when he suddenly might have to go to part-time ridden I don't want to take it off if he's going native..... sigh.

R.I.P. Molly

You were Magic's best buddy and protector when he needed you.

I'm sure he'd thank you if he could.

We'll all miss you.

Run free old bird.