Hair cut time

Well having clipped Sampson yesterday for the first time, and finding him to be excellent to clip - not ticklish at all, I then gave Willie his second clip today.

Geeze, what a ticklish bugger. Twitching, and so on; pretty hard to get good lines etc.

Oh well, at least it is done, and I guess it isnt a beauty contest. But I have to say, I have got very boring with my clips the last couple of years: gone are the swirls and points in favour of ala pudding bowl! To be honest, I just couldnt be bothered with doing fancy clips - maybe next year.

Te Rapa HT 02/3 May 09

Well finally, I actually managed to start at an event....his first XC since pre novice at Taupo...which I now realise was about six months ago.

Much as I tend not to do any dressage schooling, he actually went very nicely. (unless in a lesson situation I find it very hard to motivate myself to do flat work, and as I have concentrated my lessons on learning to jump, we pretty much have done no dressage)

He was super obedient, calm and easy. A little more pizzazz would have lifted his marks, but very pleased with him. 70% for a 30 penalty. Mainly 7's, a few 8's, and a couple of 6's in the bottom panel. So he was about 5th in the class after dressage.

Then for the show jumping, and wouldnt you know it, it was raining. The ground was quite sticky, but slippery; not that that makes sense!
I was very pleased with how I rode, and I did not feel anxious at all. No panicky moments, and just took my time.

He did take a rail at number 2 as he had to dive over the oxer...I think his back end must have slipped on take off.
We did have a naughty stop at number 7 (oxer with fill immediately preceeding a roll back turn). I am sure I did nothing wrong, didnt do the whole 'oh $hit' thing, or tilt.
BUT...very pleased as it didnt rattle me. I halted him three strides in front, then straight into canter, three strides and over.
so... 8 faults (1 rl, 1 stp) and 13 time faults.

Cross country....he was so happy to be going xc, but I am afraid at the smaller jumps he did fiddle a bit. Had two stops which were so totally down to me....I dont 'do' downhill or drops, and have to admit I didnt like the drop at number 5, so what did I do....fiddle fiddle fiddle coming into it...and of course he stopped. Turned around and just sat like a prune and let him do it and it was fine. Did the VERY same thing at the bounce before just letting him do it his way.

Lesson: You set up your canter well before the jump, then simply ride to the jump....if you are still fiddling in the last three, two, or one strides you are basically asking for a stop.

My time faults were horrendous though. However, I did have to wait for someone to do the long option at the bounce (and very slowly at that) having been told to wait for them anyway (I could so easily have jumped it before they were even anywhere near it). I had already had to pass them earlier on the course when they were stopping.....and of course, had to overtake them stopping at the palisade also.

Anyway, not too bothered about the time, nor the stupid stops, as the XC was essentially a very easy ride.
Plus the show jumping felt a little less hit and miss than usual.

So hopefully, we will be all ready to GO in Spring!!

(no photos as still deliberating as to whether or not to buy yet another photo of him jumping into water)

Yay

Had a great lesson today out at LVF with Wendy.

I really feel that I am progressing, and apart from the odd "oh shit" moment, am finally starting to sit up and allow the jump to come, making whatever adjustments might be necessary.

I think Willie appreciates not having to try and jump with all of ten ton tessie's weight perched precariously over his shoulder too, although we do still have a long way to go before my confidence in myself gets back up there.

It's the doubt in myself that has been the problem, and we are starting to address that.

Now to keep the positive vibes up for the weekend!

Great Lesson

Had a great lesson today.

Willie got to do what he has been dying to do...some XC. The brakes became somewhat ineffective, but he jumped very very well: skinnies, palisade, coffin...whatever; and I ride so much more confidently XC I am sure.

We did start off with some pole work keeping rhythm but shortening and lengthening strides. Incredible that going over poles on the ground is so difficult!

However, the sj exercises we did, I really felt that we were getting a better canter - more up and with his hocks under him...which then made the jump better, and I felt more that I 'had' him and could better ride should he back off.

Norty pony!

Well, so much for having an easy run at training at Puhinui.

He was very tense warming up for dressage; the fact that he could see the xc jumps and flags I think did little to help. He is so wanting to have a xc run, that I think he gets distracted now (he's not been xc since Taupo last year)

Came 18th in his class on a grand score of....eeeek 53% - pretty disgusting for him, although the test wasnt as bad as I had anticipated it would be.... he actually didnt do anything wrong.

Show jumping> well we have now had our very first E at training level! He warmed up fine (and this weekend there was no 'foot' excuse...he felt absolutely fine)... started off ok, then he had a wee try out stop at a filler, which having been successful (I basically sat like a prune and did nothing), he carried on around the course (over a couple of other fillers without blinking)...then onto the double....two stops and we were gone!

Went back out and he flew the oxer in the practice ring.

Pretty frustrating as the course was actually very small, and a nice flowing course. Not sure what went wrong, although I do know that my recent lessons went out the window. argggghhh

Unfortunatley, due to the numbers, anyone eliminated was not allowed to start XC, so once again poor willie has missed out on a run....I really think that he needs to have a run so he can have some fun!

So looks like I will have to scratch from Puhinui, and perhaps give him a run at training at Te Rapa, just to have a xc run to finish the season.

SJ lesson

Worked on maintaining even strides between poles

Then an exercise jumping an oxer, halting, turning round and establishing the 'right' canter and back over it with it gradually being made bigger. Yay, I started to sit up better and wait for the jump.

We then moved on to a figure eight over an upright, then round to an oxer, again maintaining rhythm (breathing) and just allowing the jump to come to us.

All in all very pleased with how we both went. I need to really work on the sitting up and waiting, and NOT anticipating, panicking, and tilting forward.

Show Jumping - 14.03.09

Now that Kit has gone, and I no longer have to fund Saarin's riding, I am going to make sure that I have REGULAR lessons.

Had my first show jump lesson with Wendy yesterday, and we worked on keeping the rhythm into a fence (using very small jumps), and WAITING for the jump. It felt quite strange, and I tried very hard to sit up more, and not go for the long one. Willie was actually very good, and was very soft to ride, but it is going to take some getting used to coming into a fence without him grabbing hold and going for it (and of course then sometimes deciding last minute to stop). Hopefully also, if I can get into the habit of sitting up more, then if he stops I will be less likely to go splat.

Today, I had planned on doing two small rounds so that I could practice sitting up, keeping the rhythm and waiting for the jump.

80cm...Although he did throw a cheeky one in at the double (guess he couldnt resist, and I wasnt exactly using my legs), I did feel like I was sitting more in the saddle, a little less tipped, and waiting for the jumps. One person did say I should be very pleased with how I rode it, so that's all good.

90cm.... Hmmmm, fine over the first few, then he (again) threw in a naughty stop, and proceeded to nap!! ... I am afraid after that my newly found position went out the window and I rode him somewhat more akin to my old style....however we did go clear over the rest including the double.

One other thing I found funny today, is that he napped both times going into the ring, and when I came out after the 90 he was very on his tippy toes, dancing sideways.