Schoolmaster fun

I am not sure how much drivel you need from me this time  
The videos kind of speak for themselves...trainer gives a comprehensive description of what we 'should' be doing, the results are hilarious!  

He is an incredible horse...the owner pootles around on him and he is the most wonderful gentleman...but OH.MY.GOODNESS, when you pick him up and ask him to work the power is INCREDIBLE  
Have to say I feel like the luckiest girl alive to get the opportunity to have lessons on him (she has agreed to me having more...I didn't need to be asked twice!) If this is what real dressage horses feel like, then I am in....and quite frankly the next 3 years need to hurry up so we can see what Big Brown is going to be like!  
Think I will just post links and you can watch and laugh along if you like...huge movement, lots to think about, definitely helped me, without a shadow of a doubt as he is a true schoolmaster, in the sense that if you ask the wrong question he will give you what you have asked for...bless him  
This is me trying to get to grips with his sensitivity  

Walk work

Working on lateral stuff and moving on up to trot:
Walk and trot
I have to really focus on those forward hands...he doesn't take kindly to death grip  
Up into canter, there was so much power I felt almost scared to ride him forward...but I had to!! And remember to use my seat!! Oh and I didn't need my whip  
Cantering


Apparently I have an electric bottom!!  
Small lady on big horse!

Cantering around and making a better job of it at times than others:
Canter work

And then the MOST exciting moment in my riding life!!! Truly!!!
Changes

I was the MOST excited middle aged lady in Surrey....what a feeling, and what a joy!!!
Was great to feel what Small Brown might become, although he will never have the big paces  

It was very interesting that the same mistakes I make with SB I carried over to MrT...but learning to unravel them made all the difference as with an educated horse he suddenly went 'Oh, ok, you want THAT...let's do it'  

An air of calm descended on Small Brown towers after that....I can't explain how or why...but our next session was so relaxed, and lo and behold the canter half pass came much better  
We trundled off to Oldencraig on Friday (an unexpected day off work meant we got to play with big boys  )
We had entered Elementary and Medium tests, but venue had lost my Medium entry even though I had done it on line and refused to be helpful in any way despite me sending through copies of confirmation etc  refused to enter me unless she had sorted it out with her website provider...I pointed out that was daft as I had provided all the evidence she needed....apparently no, have to wait until next week, so I am at present an entry fee down with no end in sight!!!
Elementary it was then...with our new sense of calm. OH came with his paper and flask  was roasting hot and the warm up was the worst I have seen it there...all that money, and they can't harrow it before a day of competition  
We did minimal warm up, plenty of MAHOOSIVE prancing, bucking, rearing, plunging wild eyed beasts to squish the boy, but bar the odd spook at the flags he was good as gold (think it was so deep he could barely move!!  )
Felt calm and ready, thought slow and steady and enjoy rather than get it all over with as fast as possible  
Yet to get sheet back so not sure of exact comments, couple of spooks at judges end with flappy flags and overhanging bushes at the A end with monsters in them but it felt ok, calm, organised, maybe a little flat towards the end...but for once wasn't berating myself forsomething obvious...until we got out and OH pointed out I had missed the final 10m circle  Idiot...oh, well I thought....such is life, should really listen to the reader if you are going to drag one along!!!
Shocked and delighted to have ended up with 67.9% (our highest Elementary straight dressage score to date) and a little win for the boy in the restricted....amazingly, we were even 5th out of 10 in the whole class, so really held our own with all the huge Oldencraig residents!!  
Chuffed to bits with him...the hard work and mental torture is beginning to pay off with those scores creeping up little by little..
We are off to do more FSM this afternoon in the rain, so fingers crossed he isn't toooooooooo pooped 

Onwards little man 

BD lessoning

Regular weekly session focused on picking apart the medium test and looking at a plan for progress.
We have, and always have had an issue with tension /> He is a sensitive little man and I have had to learn to not react to his overreactions, except to ask him to go forward and allow him to do so.
It is becoming more and more obvious that my lack of strength and flexibility is going to hinder our progress, so have embarked upon rigorous programme under supervision from Chiro and sports therapist. It is particularly noticeable now we are working on the half pass work as I just do not have enough inside leg...ever...
So we looked at me primarily, my position, where my legs should be and the range of movement I NEED in order to get these blessed half passes right. It transpires I have difficulty keeping my inside leg on whilst moving my outside leg back whilst keeping my shoulders facing the way we need to go and the hips controlling the direction, hands still, core stable...man, I am exhausted just thinking about it. /> 

Best advice given....you are going to have to practice this range of movement everytime you get on him...think strong core, inside leg on and on the girth keeping the engine going, giving him support, inside hip up and forward towards the direction of travel, inside hand allowing the flexion, outside leg back without dropping the hip...strong but relaxed....MUCH harder than it sounds /> 

In walk we worked on relaxation and placement of shoulders,shoulder in to traver, straight, on the track on the 3/4 line. We worked on leg yielding with him really up and off the shoulder, stepping across and giving him time to do so. In trot, I have to ensure the relaxation, he MUST be soft and forward, I MUST look for my marker, get my leg back early, prepare early, be firm and clear with aids and give with that inside hand.
We worked on control of the pace too, on and back in trot, balancing him carefully in the corner, making sure he is arrow straight...looking up and swinging those hips forward...so much more power now, still more to come I believe, but to be getting 7's in a test for us is nothing short of miraculous />
He was really tired by the end...we didn't look at canter, trainer felt this session would be better spent improving what we CAN do and working on the other when I have had time to digest, loosen those hips and get my aids fixed in my head!! /> 

Today was our monthly training through BD with Leanne Wall...always look forward to it /> 

She was very positive all round, despite me feeling it was one of our more frustrating session. She makes detailed notes for us so very handy when coming to write it up.
We had a chat about the outing, she felt that collection and jump might be our issue to work on and I laughed and said it definitely was, plus the whole relaxation thing...we are both getting in a pickle at times. /> 
Had a look at our warm up (happy) then asked us to pick up the walk...commented that it was the best she had seen him for engagement and energy and general quality...particularly the collected walk...we apparently need to be aiming for 8's and really taking our time to show it off a bit more, which was really encouraging as I have always felt it had potential, but was a bit 'small' /> 
As with last lesson we looked at shoulder in....don't ask for too much, he is more than willing to oblige!! Must think about half halt, keep inside leg supporting, lift inside hand slightly,shoulders off the track not quarters out /> 
Traver much the same, quarters coming in is NOT our problem it is the balance and amount he offers that I need to manage. Was useful to have mirrors and guage the feeling carefully so we can reproduce in a test situation  
Straight into canter, wow! We spent the rest of the lesson in canter...if that boy doesn't sleep well tonight there is no justice!!
She had a look at the quality of the canter first and declared it massively improved from last month  However, same old issues of tension and rushing and losing balance creeping in. She had us on a 10m circle, really focusing on being up and off my inside leg, really riding the rhythm. We went onto the 3/4 line and focused on me 'owning' the line...being definite and focused in where we were going, we then added traver on that line, as soon as he stiffened added a 10m circle to address suppleness and tried again. we were much better on the left rein than the right, where he was definitely less willing to flex today.
We did a useful exercise, which surprisingly he did well...all in canter, going large, from short side, leg yield to 3/4 line, shoulder in, 10m circle then traver...
I HAVE to remain looser in my body, yet strong through my core, I have to think about the inside leg being the MOST important...a 80% more important leg in these exercises  
We returned to straightness, which was hilarious as he was so tuned in to lateral work, it was like riding a racing snake  
She also had us in traver in walk and asking for a walk canter transitions from that position...so interesting...he found that bloody hard!!!
We finished with putting some patterns together....left to right still tense and rushing, but right to left I felt we were much more together and in tune. I was hoping for more progress to be honest, but there were so many aspects that were vastly improved I really have to be focused on them and be happy  
He cooled down on a long stretch with still some energy in the tank and we left it at that  

Stayed for a cup of tea and watched some of the desperately cute BYRDS riders and their little fancy ponies at work  
The plan is to have a schoolmaster lesson on another livery's fabulous horse with focus on half passing and get trainer to ride through the canter half pass work to try and break the tension cycle which I seem to create for him  
Onwards!!

Surviving a Medium....

As weekends go, this one has been pretty epic  
FB friends will already be aware of the Take That excitement...followed by Medium debut, which left me utterly overwhelmed and the most grateful/excited middle aged woman in Surrey yesterday  

I will be honest, I battled the 'Why am I doing it' demons on sunday morning...not competing until 5pm gives you a lottttttttttttttt of time to think too much  and even when I got there I looked around and had a squeak of fear  

The boy was very chilled having spent the day in the field...in fact he half thought about not being caught and then realised discretion might be the better part of valour after I bellowed 'Don't be an arse' across the field and all his pony friends stopped and stared open mouthed!!  

We have almost got enough mane to plait now, which is a bonus when relying on ectra marks for looking pretty!! Yard was busy and very luckily trainer was there doing her horses so could give me a pep talk before we set off. I had watched a few youtube uploads and decided we were going to try for a relaxed and sedate attempt...my mind works too fast when I am riding a test, quite often rushing ahead to the next movement in my head and therefore rushing the boy in real life too . Daniel always used to comment about the rate I would recite tests, and lo and behold he was completely right, it transfers to the way I ride too....so, focusing on the movement we are doing and enjoying the moment before preparing for the next seemed to work.

Plenty of time when we arrived to watch a few tests, was a PYO so a mix of Ele, medium and Advanced medium. A few combinations I knew, one definitely a pro, one horse ridden by a pro and a couple of very competent riding club members who do very well indeed...so a nice competitive mix.

We were last on, so bar a very hot, sharp, snorting Spanish stallion (we stayed away from that one) and a huggggggeeeeee Keystone horse we had it to ourselves, which suited the boy down to the ground. Lots of stretchy walk and trot, followed by lateral work in walk to get him listening and organise my position (SIT TO THE RIGHT!!) OH and little one came along, so had some nice pics from warm up, which I am always grateful for:
Being grown up

We did some of the canter work early, just on and back, loosening the frame as much as possible, giving inside and outside reins, feeling the self carriage. Some quick transitions to lift him up through the shoulder, a long rein walk and we were off....
Have to be honest there was a moment just before they called us in I thought I might be sick  
The first time in a very long time i have genuinely felt nerves...OH was great...little one dispatched upstairs with video camera and an audience had gathered  
I must remember not to canter round the outside before I go in  it did wind him up a little....note to self, stick to trot, change things when you have practised them at home first!!!  

Video is here: WARNING...it will make you sea sick....I love my child, but keeping a camera still is not one of her skills. You can see bits, but you will have to sit sideways and hold on tight in places!!!
First minute
Rest of test

Judge not our greatest fan, poor woman has seen us in our last 3 outings and never in our life ever given us above 63% (though to be fair I was realistically expecting 55% or thereabouts...)
The good bits were fine: 8 for entry, 7's for half circles and half pass in trot and walking bits  
6's for shoulder in and extended trot (that in itself is a miracle for which I am eternally grateful!!  )
Canter half passes got 5.5, which I totally accept, we know it is a work in progress, he was very hollow and to be honest he tried to exit the arena as I didn't have him on my seat at all and he was most surprised by the need to track left at the end of the centre line!!!
It is mainly very tense and lacking in polish and oomph, but it is where we are at  
Over the moon...no, somewhere in the stratosphere with 62.79%  Agree with everything she pointed out and 2 weeks to sort things out before our next attempt (I say sort things out, we will be mainly going everywhere in canter half pass  )
Never in my wildest dreams thought this boy could take me to Medium, Elementary was a bit of a surprise to be fair  Having only ridden 25 affiliated dressage tests in my life and probably not many more unaffiliated I feel truly lucky to be in this position
Thank you Wonderpony, just thank you