Trial Run

During our lesson this week with PW, we put the pieces together to do some course work in prep for the show this weekend. And, for the most part, those pieces fell nicely into place. I desperately wanted to avoid driving him long and flat, which meant that my pace was, at times, too conservative. But defaulting to the bouncy 9 foot canter stride we start every lesson with isn't the worst thing in the world. Thanks to Hillary for the video this go round.

After our usual trot jump warm up, we moved on to the canter jump warm up. And this time we only had two canter poles instead of three, but things went fine. 

Next up was three cavalettis. They were set at a short five to five or a normal four to four. We easily sat and bounced and got the five. The four to four came pretty easily as well. It is a bit hard for me to trust the longer stride because that's where we got in trouble this spring - long and flat leading to a loss of confidence leaving the ground. But now we've done some back on his hocks short and bouncy canter for about four weeks and PW wants us to start adding the 12 foot stride back in. Deep breath, it's gonna be okay. 

After our various warm up exercises, we started with a short course. My focus was GLUING my eyes to the SAME SPOT on the top rail of each fence. And it went relatively well. I didn't have quite enough pace initially, so we got the deep spot to a couple, but I knew it was happening and stayed with him to the base of each jump. 

Next we put it together for a nine fence course featuring a one to a five stride. The first time through I sat chilly for the six in the line and it felt great. The second round (featured in the video below) I went for the five and got a five and a half. 

PW had us go down the cavaletti doing the four to four again, then circle right back around to do the five to the one. It felt great, but also like he was GOING pretty convincingly. 

Getting the one stride done when we did the one to the five. Not letting go of his face though, sorry my dude. Fortunately this is now the minority of fences, not the majority. 

Headless wonder pony 

Next we added a little "jump off" course, during which I continued to ride without quite enough pace. We did the one stride in the opposite direction, and we got deep to the first and then semi-crashed the second. Butterball kept himself underneath of me though, bless him. PW instructed "Pat that horse!" 

We cleaned it up the second time through for the course seen in the above video. 

One stride in reverse 

Something about this vertical means I don't let go of his face

Weeeee!

He was doing more cross cantering than normal in this lesson. I had walk cavaletti poles out for some stifle strengthening back in February/March, but hadn't replaced them since the last time everything got mowed. So those came back out on Thursday. I'm also going to get him adjusted and magnawaved after this weekend (ideally would be before, but y'know...). He still is jumping great, so I'm not too worried about it, but just a note. And his back is looking better than ever, he's getting some really nice muscling. 

Overall the courses felt much more under control than the last time we jumped a course. Our round at POP honestly felt like a lot of prayers. Building back, little by little. 

My notes for this weekend: I MUST keep my outside rein and I MUST keep my eye on the fence. It would be nice to ask for a little more pace, but PW counseled that it has to be a thinking ride. If he gets into a line deep and a bit sticky, put leg on, but sit chilly for the add from a powerful rocked back canter. If he is moving and hitting things at the right point, go ahead and close leg to get the "correct" striding.