Who's a clever boy then?

Max and I went to do the combined training at Solihull. I had entered the walk and trot and 2' jumping, and then after last week's jumpies lesson and dressage outing, thought I should go up a class. But it was his first real party on his own, and a new venue, so I let it stand.

Got there and left him on trailer whilst went to walk course etc. Jumps were just a bit too small for a Max.... I could step over some of them! Oh well, we might crash through the lot but the arena's quite small and as we haven't done more than one jump in a row yet.....

Got back to trailer and he was quietly eating his haynet!

Got him off and went and got on for the dressage. He even stood at the mounting block without going into reverse mode.

Warmed up really nicely, was much softer after a couple of recent schooling sessions! Had an opening him up canter each way, off his back so he could just relax and let go. He is soooo much better already with canter... he got correct lead both times and the only time the ears went back was when I kicked him on down the long sides... otherwise he was stretching and relaxing. He does lose his balance very fast cantering, you either bob up and down like a rocking horse, or you get some oomph and you feel like he'll fall on his head. It'll come though, I'm all for letting him get his own balance and learn its ok, I don't like that he was worried about canter before.

Then some more trot/walk work, and then into the big indoor to do the test. It is very spooky in there, and apart from a few dirty looks at a jump made up in the corner, he never looked at anything. Went straight past the judges box like a pro, goodness its nice to have a horse with a calm attitude!!

In we went. I felt he did a lovely test, the turns were much easier, there were 2 CLs and a 15m circle each way, and he did really well. He even attempted to stretch in free walk, yey (we had practiced in the warm up!). Very willing. If I'm honest, I didn't do enough with my core, but I didn't ride from my hands too much either, if I felt I needed hand then I did more with my boards!! I also didn't make him go right into the corners at the beginning of the test, but by the end I was confident that he'd make it and we were much more accurate.

Came out very very pleased with him!

Then mooched straight over to the SJing. Which was outdoors on the horrid surface. He wasn't fazed by it, or by the scary wood alongside, or in fact, by the SJs!

Warmed up over number one, once from trot and once from canter... I think he was a bit distainful but he jumped it. Then started the course. Actually, my steering was really good! And because he is not a fast person, I had bags of time to steer the bus round corners, and pick my canter back up. I'm loving it!

He was really really careful, although when he got a bit close I could almost feel him peer down very hard at the insignificant pole in front of his knees, sigh and then make an effort in a "for goodness sake is this REALLY worth it" kinda way.

All well to 5 to 6 which were on a dog leg quite close together, I was a bit muppety and had reins in loops, and he saw the fence was black planks and had a momentary sharp intake of breath.... fortunately I kicked and sorted reins and he came to his senses and popped it like a star, then round to the double and cantered in on a long one and got the one stride (it was a stride and a bit distance!).

So even though he was embarrassed by the lack of height of the fences (and TBH I hated trying to ride such a big horse to such tiny fences!) he went clear! He was horribly unbalanced in canter when we landed, and worse if I tried to keep the canter round corners, but then each time I asked for canter before the next, he got it back nicely and had a lovely rhythm to the fences. He does favour the "if in doubt, collapse in a heap" approach to life though!

Got big pats and lots of sweets. Tied him to trailer where he stood like a lamb munching his haynet. Then washed off and put him in the trailer and went to buy him a proper tailguard as a present for being so good as he's so long in the trailer! He did his best T-Rex screams frequently, but was standing like a rock and munching his hay so I figured he wasn't bothered, just would have liked company. Its funny cos if we go with Dan he never makes a beep, even when they are separated, but on his own he's calling all the time.

Went to look at scores and we got 32.5 (67.5%) in the dressage. We won the CT but there were only 2 of us in it. But when we left, most the dressage scores were up for the pure dressage section and we were in the lead there too!

Clever clever pony. Sheet has an 8 for our entry, then all 6s and 7s. Judge's comment was "Horse showed lots of potential and nice work at times but unfortunately seemed to get a bit distracted. Try to ride into corners a little more. A well ridden test." I think that is more than fair! Get me - a dressage sheet with no "tense" written on it anywhere!!!! Long may it last! I'd rather he was distracted! And given that it was his first time in there and first dressage test without being able to see other horses, I'm a very proud mum!

Came home and put him on the front grass, he didn't really want to be there as no mates, but lots of grass. I sorted the trailer then went to get him in, at which point he did his now customary "lap of honour" round the bush in the middle. I had to stand by the gate and wait for him to finish his "aren't I special" parade! I like it though cos its the only time I get to see him move and boy is he getting fitter and putting some muscle on finally. He was all gleaming and prancy!

Magic and Dan go SJies on Sun, then its Magic's and my big adventure next week, so Max has now got a week or so off. The same can't be said for Dan, as P is on hols next week so he'll get ridden every day and then they have their first ODE on the Saturday!