Dan was a little bit surprised to be being loaded on his own, he's only gone anywhere with Magic or Max for months! He didn't let it interfere with the important business of eating as much haylage on route as possible though. I think he has hollow legs cos he never puts any weight on!
We got there and left him to that job whilst we walked the course. My heart sinking more and more.... the fences were fine, although number 2 was a cheeky hayrack with bales in, a bit narrow and plonked in the middle of a field. None of the fences had been re-located and so all had bald clay slidy mud a stride in front and after. After the first 2 fields the ground was actually still really rutted AND under water. Nice. There were some random larger, wider fences but most the course was nearer 2'6" rather than 2'9". Very educational though, steps into trappy water, a bank, skinnies, half coffin, jumps on angles.
We discussed not letting Dan think xc means gallopies, and there were a couple of fences that looked suspiciously like hurdles, so I suggested steady into those. We also decided that trotting inbetween if he started taking her on was a good idea, but if he'd keep to a nice rhythm then canter was fine. My worry was he is always nervous doing new things, but the second time becomes a cocky little wotsit, so I want him to learn xc means control and jump, not flat out and hurdle! I suspect brakes might fail if he decides xc is for going fast.
It rained pretty much the whole time we were walking. It rained whilst P was getting ready. We were pleading for it to stop whilst she went round. It eased off so we got Dan out and dressed.
The warm up was in the arena, fine and dandy, but no use for Dan to get used to the surface he's gonna jump on! He was very calm to start, walked and trotted round like an angel, then as soon as into canter the "wheelie head" started - the one where his head goes round in a BIG circle that practically unseats you as first one shoulder disappears, then the other! Fortunately he settled pretty well and jumped the practice fences like a total pro.
The first time over the bigger one, he tried really hard to jump off a deep spot, he has to widen his legs when he does - don't know if that stems from his bad shoulder or what but its cute! As he landed, P appreciated that he'd made a big, relaxed effort and gave him a pat..... cue MAJOR prima donna moment "DON'T touch ME", big wheelie head and a loss of rein! I don't know why he hates to be patted - I can't decide if its cos he knows he's been good and is having a "yeah, I'm great!" moment, or if it really does worry him! He's happy enough the rest of the time to be patted. Odd boy.
Then out into the field warm up, he cantered round both ways, and then gave each practice fence a very dirty look before making a song and dance over it. Oh dear. He then jumped each of them nicely and off they went.
No1 he was sticky and ballooned it, no sign of backwardness going away from home, happy to canter (of course!) but took a VERY hard look at number 2 and nipped past it, then realised he wasn't supposed to and had a private Dan-panic. Came back round and P held him beautifully very straight and slow until he said ok, am going and he popped it beautifully. They then went out of sight.....
P says he jumped 3 fine, but then had the wiggles into 4 and 5 (a skinny on an angle), he had a run out at each, but jumped them perfectly second time... and from there on he was perfect - he was controlled, canter rhythm. He grew in confidence the whole way round and floated over the bog and ruts and made it feel like smooth going :-) P says she never had a moment where she thought he was "being careful" of the ground. He had a sneaky try to duck out of the second part of the half coffin, but I'd warned her he might and she managed to keep him straight.
He walked into the water down the steps but showed no hesitation, and was almost too brave on and off the bank. They walked into the next water but trotted through it. The fences he jumped the best were the big meaty ones.
They came back into the last field and we watched them do the sunken road, a log pile, a big bale and a skinny to finish with and they looked fab, like a pair of pros, you wouldn't believe it was their first xc together and Dan's first ever. She was very confident and supportive of him and you could see how confident he was by the end, he never wibbled at all at the last skinny.
Am very proud mum but need to be on horse next time as have no nails left!!
She got off and I led him round while she got breath back and told us all about it. He was really funny - proper racehorse walk mode - I could hardly keep up. Fortunately, and proof that he was excited but not worried, he started taking grass out of my hand pretty soon, and then he settled enough to go back to the trailer. It then threw it down with rain so I had a white lathered horse all over due to rain. Got him done and he had 15 minutes grass as the sun finally came out.
I suspect someone might be RATHER excited at the start next time....
He was sooo good, I can't believe this is the same horse who was terrified of xc fences last year and hurdled everything. Not only is he jumping 1m courses SJing, he's now proved he's going to be a xc machine too. Very careful, but brave and fast and so far, obedient! What more could you want?
The bad news for Dan is that we are off to stressage tomorrow..... ho hum, rough with the smooth!
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