First day we started with show jumping warm up in the covered arena. Firstly related distances, altering the number of strides between, finishing up with a grid, double bounce to a one stride oxer. Willie did his thing with no fuss and was very well behaved.
Then into the sand show jump arena to jump a full course.
We first went through at about 90/95 ish ? and Willie went very well, apart from one VERY naughty stop at the first of the double. Basically everything was right, and he just said Nah!...no fuss, just turned and jumped it and completed the course.
The jumps were then put up for Willie (Carolien reckons they were about 1.10 so that's good). Willie jumped ok, apart from another naughty sudden stop, but he jumped everything else very well.
Seems he is more likely to throw in the stop off a corner, so I really need to learn to ride the corner, keep the impulsion through the corner (and of course keep my shoulders UP).
It didnt help that I was still feeling a little queasy, but I wasnt too bad.
SUNDAY
Straight into the sand arena for xc exercises using the show jumps.
Unfortunately I was actually feeling a little worse (first proper meal the night before hadnt stayed put), and I also think the lack of proper food for over a week was catching up with me also.
However, I gave it a go.
Willie did take advantage, and on a couple of occasions again threw in a stop (again off of a corner). I found myself falling back into the old habit of tipping forward in the last couple of strides, which was a gift for Willie...yippeee, here we gooooo STOP ha ha
The 'new' keeping the shoulders up is not yet fully ingrained, and obviously when I am not totally with it, the old habits will leap back in with a vengeance. However, I will continue to focus on keeping my shoulders up, and we will get through this too.
We then went out onto the xc proper, although my health was deteriorating. The idea was for me to start out and just play it by ear depending upon how I felt.
Willie was very bold into the water, although I have to admit to riding cautiously on anything but a straight line, given willie's (and my) difficulty coping with slippery ground.
We then jumped the new triple wedgy brush thing, and of course Willie went straight over it. Jumped the new little houses, a bounce, and a coffin combination. Willie jumped very well. I decided to call it a day, and am sure I would not have been able to cope with jumping a course.
Indeed when I got off, I was very whooozy and could barely stand up.
A shame I wasnt feeling the best for the clinic, however I guess its all milage and I have a couple of weeks to get back on top of my show jumping before the Season starts.
I have a show jump lesson planned with Megan Jones next week, so that will help get us back on track.
1 comment:
Fiona that last photo is just WICKED!!! Roll on the season :)
Post a Comment