A restful weekend

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!!

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!

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.

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!

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!!