Squirrel had his hock injections done in
the nick of time in order for us to make it to Upton House with the
drugs out of his system..I was very prepared to withdraw if he didn't
feel ready but he jumped fantastically at home, felt good and nice and
fit so we went.
I was also worried about the ground and the heat with mid morning to early afternoon times, but the ground was actually pretty good and there was a lovely breeze so I didn't get too hot.
Unfortunately I overcooked him a bit in the warm up, and the steward let a couple of people push infront of me which was frustrating. Squirrel isn't the type of horse you can stop and let rest as he just switches off so I had to keep working. And working.
The photos look awful but I was pleased with the test. It felt an improvement on both Nunney and Milton Keynes, although numpty did go wrong in the walk and in the first canter, Squirrel fell down a hole and broke into trot.
HOWEVER given I only realised that morning it wasn't the test I had been blissfully practising, and I havn't done counter canter or rein back with him for a while, I felt pretty pleased.
I had a 35.5, in a fairly high marking but very tightly bunched together section (think manjorty of scores were 36-33) so given obviously I went wrong (and Squirrel fell in a hole), I was pleased.
On the other hand, when I schooled him on last Sunday I realised I have been doing far too much with my hands, and I actually let go of him, and you know what? He came up off the forehand, soft, and just lovely. So yes, I feel very happy with the flatwork now as I was wondering why my marks took a bit of a nose dive, but thats why I think.
So on to the show jumping. Now I was a little nervous about this phase, obviously with having to retire hiim at Milton Keynes. Luckily it was built small with no triple so I was quite happy. I said to myself before I went in - I must NOT hold, as I was awful at MK, holding him into the bottom of everything.
So I went in and...I didn't hold! And Squirrel jumped a LOVELY clear. Yay! Our first SJ clear at Novice. It wasn't the biggest track but was still causing trouble so I was very pleased, and secretly hoping for our second BE point with a D/C.
Cross country time! Squirrel warmed up very well, and soon it was time to be off.
Please excuse my BFs not so great xc shots, either my horse jumped awful or he suddenly lost his ability to take photos.
Fence 1 - a pretty bottle fence
fence 2 was a roll top, fence 3 a rather large table for early on which he jumped beautifully. Next was the first combo, a rail with a sharp left hand turn to another jump but they were set quite far apart so jumped easily.
Then a bit of a gallop to a large straw roll top thingie which Squirrel made short work of, then a left hand turn to a trakhner. Again jumped nicely. This took us back into the field where the start was, and Squirrel was very interested in looking to the left and worrying about what was happening there, rather than looking at a rather large brush oxer infront of him, which led to a very hairy jump when I finally managed to get his concentration.
Next was a double of angled logs, and he got a smack on the shoulder on the approach as I needed his attention which he jumped lovely but banged them on this way. Then there was a little upright set into the hill, hit that with both sets of legs.
I was so busy musing on his sudden carelessness, that I bowled round the corner to a big narrow corner with no preparation whatsoever, I feebly aimed him at it and he simply said "Well if thats the best you can do...", dropped his shoulder and nipped out to the right. DOH!
I even SAID to myself when walking the course, I ought to have some more respect for corners really, as Squirrel is incredibly honest with corners usually and I just became complacent.
So I circled him, got him nice and together, rode and he jumped, but again hit it and hard, I thought we were going for a moment. I was musing about pulling up at this point as although he isn't above hitting the odd xc fence, he was hitting a lot of them and I didn't want an accident. So I promptly cantered past the next fence. I circled it and jumped it, and FINALLY it had trickled into his brain that these don't fall down and he gave it plenty of room.
Next was a relatively-but-not-so-skinny-narrow-fence going downhill which he jumped lovely. Then there were 2 relatively-but-not-skinny-narrow-fences on a curving line and they were bright blue. I thought he might have a spook but he was fine (and again picking up his feet!)
Then there wasa gallop up hill. i wasn't kicking on at this point as I was a bit concerned about fitness, but he absolutely powered me up it. First half the course I felt I was kicking and kicking with no response, then when I sat there and let him go at his pace he tows me up a massive hill??
Anyway, collected him a bit for a skinny which was easy
these dangley legs are not an accurate representation, I had a video too, bf took a bad photo
then over a log which was set on top of a hill down to the water
trotted through the water as usual (ugh horse), and had a smack on the bottom to ensure we were indeed planning on jumping the fence out, albiet with no power, and he found some power somewhere..
last combo was 2 flower boxes (I think it was a while ago now haha) on a right angle, with another, seperate number fence only 2 or 3 strides after. I promptly saw a shocking shot into the first, hauled him round the corner to jump the second, got close and lost a stirrup and held on for grim life over the third.
Managed to regain my composure to jump the last lovely
so perhaps not the greatesrt day on paper with a stop and 22 time penalties (as I casually rode past a fence and had to come back ha) but I was very pleased. Very much feel he only had a stop as I just didn't ride it properly, and he jumped the trickier part of the course afterwards beautifully. Dressage wasn't bad (around 33 without the error of course and the falling in the hole incident) and a clear SJ
So feel we're getting there, especially after my break through on the flat.
Also a sneaky few piccies of Lexi! I've started tidying her up - she seems to like having her mane pulled??? and she has done a few long reining sessions which she is taking to beautifully. Even had a change of direction in trot today hehe
I was also worried about the ground and the heat with mid morning to early afternoon times, but the ground was actually pretty good and there was a lovely breeze so I didn't get too hot.
Unfortunately I overcooked him a bit in the warm up, and the steward let a couple of people push infront of me which was frustrating. Squirrel isn't the type of horse you can stop and let rest as he just switches off so I had to keep working. And working.
The photos look awful but I was pleased with the test. It felt an improvement on both Nunney and Milton Keynes, although numpty did go wrong in the walk and in the first canter, Squirrel fell down a hole and broke into trot.
HOWEVER given I only realised that morning it wasn't the test I had been blissfully practising, and I havn't done counter canter or rein back with him for a while, I felt pretty pleased.
I had a 35.5, in a fairly high marking but very tightly bunched together section (think manjorty of scores were 36-33) so given obviously I went wrong (and Squirrel fell in a hole), I was pleased.
On the other hand, when I schooled him on last Sunday I realised I have been doing far too much with my hands, and I actually let go of him, and you know what? He came up off the forehand, soft, and just lovely. So yes, I feel very happy with the flatwork now as I was wondering why my marks took a bit of a nose dive, but thats why I think.
So on to the show jumping. Now I was a little nervous about this phase, obviously with having to retire hiim at Milton Keynes. Luckily it was built small with no triple so I was quite happy. I said to myself before I went in - I must NOT hold, as I was awful at MK, holding him into the bottom of everything.
So I went in and...I didn't hold! And Squirrel jumped a LOVELY clear. Yay! Our first SJ clear at Novice. It wasn't the biggest track but was still causing trouble so I was very pleased, and secretly hoping for our second BE point with a D/C.
Cross country time! Squirrel warmed up very well, and soon it was time to be off.
Please excuse my BFs not so great xc shots, either my horse jumped awful or he suddenly lost his ability to take photos.
Fence 1 - a pretty bottle fence
fence 2 was a roll top, fence 3 a rather large table for early on which he jumped beautifully. Next was the first combo, a rail with a sharp left hand turn to another jump but they were set quite far apart so jumped easily.
Then a bit of a gallop to a large straw roll top thingie which Squirrel made short work of, then a left hand turn to a trakhner. Again jumped nicely. This took us back into the field where the start was, and Squirrel was very interested in looking to the left and worrying about what was happening there, rather than looking at a rather large brush oxer infront of him, which led to a very hairy jump when I finally managed to get his concentration.
Next was a double of angled logs, and he got a smack on the shoulder on the approach as I needed his attention which he jumped lovely but banged them on this way. Then there was a little upright set into the hill, hit that with both sets of legs.
I was so busy musing on his sudden carelessness, that I bowled round the corner to a big narrow corner with no preparation whatsoever, I feebly aimed him at it and he simply said "Well if thats the best you can do...", dropped his shoulder and nipped out to the right. DOH!
I even SAID to myself when walking the course, I ought to have some more respect for corners really, as Squirrel is incredibly honest with corners usually and I just became complacent.
So I circled him, got him nice and together, rode and he jumped, but again hit it and hard, I thought we were going for a moment. I was musing about pulling up at this point as although he isn't above hitting the odd xc fence, he was hitting a lot of them and I didn't want an accident. So I promptly cantered past the next fence. I circled it and jumped it, and FINALLY it had trickled into his brain that these don't fall down and he gave it plenty of room.
Next was a relatively-but-not-so-skinny-narrow-fence going downhill which he jumped lovely. Then there were 2 relatively-but-not-skinny-narrow-fences on a curving line and they were bright blue. I thought he might have a spook but he was fine (and again picking up his feet!)
Then there wasa gallop up hill. i wasn't kicking on at this point as I was a bit concerned about fitness, but he absolutely powered me up it. First half the course I felt I was kicking and kicking with no response, then when I sat there and let him go at his pace he tows me up a massive hill??
Anyway, collected him a bit for a skinny which was easy
these dangley legs are not an accurate representation, I had a video too, bf took a bad photo
then over a log which was set on top of a hill down to the water
trotted through the water as usual (ugh horse), and had a smack on the bottom to ensure we were indeed planning on jumping the fence out, albiet with no power, and he found some power somewhere..
last combo was 2 flower boxes (I think it was a while ago now haha) on a right angle, with another, seperate number fence only 2 or 3 strides after. I promptly saw a shocking shot into the first, hauled him round the corner to jump the second, got close and lost a stirrup and held on for grim life over the third.
Managed to regain my composure to jump the last lovely
so perhaps not the greatesrt day on paper with a stop and 22 time penalties (as I casually rode past a fence and had to come back ha) but I was very pleased. Very much feel he only had a stop as I just didn't ride it properly, and he jumped the trickier part of the course afterwards beautifully. Dressage wasn't bad (around 33 without the error of course and the falling in the hole incident) and a clear SJ
So feel we're getting there, especially after my break through on the flat.Also a sneaky few piccies of Lexi! I've started tidying her up - she seems to like having her mane pulled??? and she has done a few long reining sessions which she is taking to beautifully. Even had a change of direction in trot today hehe
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