I have been focusing a lot more on Tillie - partly because she needs it and Kiss is way easier to maintain - but also because we have lots of holes that need fixing with her being off last year.
I took her to Windurra and attempted to try a waterford bit on her and well, lets just say, she HATED it.
You can see how she is practically running through it - sure her head is up, but she was pissed.
More in the waterford...you can tell she's just rushing and unsettled. So we only did one more set of jumps before Dom had us change back to our original bit because our steering was a bit altered from how distracted tillie was:
She settled down a little but still was holding a bit of a grudge...however Dom upped the difficulty to get her thinking which helped throw her a curve ball and get her mind off being mad.
She was being a super finicky ride at this point but the good moments were starting to come through. She surprised me with how straight and confident she was to to the skinny...which tend to be her nemesis when we havent seen them in a while:
Then we moved on to the water which really showed my lack of trusting to start this season...and learning to need to stop wanting to always do the add:
ANNNNNDDD the blooper of the ride...our first attempt at this corner combo. Which was hilarious...and took me off guard because Tillie's approach was good until the last stride when she decided the grass was horse eating and she wanted nothing to do with it.
Dom wanted us to keep going to the jump into water and im pretty sure my pants matched the first time through (Remember my fear of downhill?!)
But we scraped through it and of course had to do it again:
So I felt good going into fair hill last weekend. But more to come on that soon.
So the first show of the season has since come and gone, but I am playing catch up again.
Last week I took both my girls to Windurra to get another good xc school in. I felt like Tillie's first one of the season was a bit rusty, and Kiss' was less than confident with the wet footing.
I rode Kiss first to tire her out so she would be happier about standing on the trailer. She came out feeling a lot more confident even if I wasn't. My biggest issue starting out this season is riding a bit timid/not brave enough up to jumps. Once I do, both my horses shine...but when I micromanage and shut them down...well they shut down.
Dom decided to have us tackle the water right away, discussing the order of jumps and questions and why we school in that order. I found it interesting since usually we wait for water later. But for him he wanted to put some "money in the bank" for later in our school.
She did well going right in and we got right to doing the bank out. We attempted to do her first ever bank into water and her confidence wasnt quite there, but here is the succession of getting through it!
and finally much more confident:
I was really proud of her working through this. Dom also said it was a great schooling experience and reassured me her initial reaction is very normal for a first attempt.
From here we went to the dry banks and the confidence building paid off:
Usually kiss will look at the down banks and hesitate but she felt good and confident...and i am getting much less worried about them myself! From here Dom kicked me in the butt and said lets ride FORWARD...get up to the jump.
We ended at the ditches and Kiss handled this like a pro too!
Our aim is Loch Moy BN this weekend...I am hoping we are ready.
Well hello again blogger friends (if I still even have any left). I went on a bit of a hiatus for so many reasons, but in a nutshell I was burnt out. I changed barns, started up my own lesson program, got Tillie to prelim, Tillie got hurt, I moved in with my (then newer) significant other while paying off some significant divorce debt., my job became way more intrusive and the flexibility I once enjoyed was slipping away...can you say WAY too much on my plate?!
Yes I have a pet pig now (Meet Penelope)
I did it to myself. Rather than stop and smell the wilting roses and process all the change, I powered through pretending I was ruling it all. When really it was slowly chipping away at me. I felt constantly overwhelmed and feeling like I needed more time in a day. I knew things had to change, but I didn't know what it was that had to give or what I felt ok with giving up.
Isn't she just the cutest?
My horses had to take a back seat for a while and that really got me down. I work very hard to pay for them (we all know they aren't cheap even when just hanging out). I felt like I was doing all the work and busting my butt feeding shifts to make extra money...try to teach despite the crappy weather every. single. weekend. All while not having the time to enjoy or ride my horses. I even started listing both for sale to see which one would sell to try and cut back...and I am SO glad that didn't happen.
But I really got into cooking though...
Despite the time off not being by choice, it did myself and my mares a world of good.
I found a new job that is only 10 minutes from home and 20 from the farm...with flexibility and work I REALLY love. I didn't realize how my last job was eating away at me. I fought so hard to stay for so long (like my marriage) because I thought it was a good job for me. And it is a great job for someone and a great company...but it no longer fit ME and what was good for me.
Don't worry Goose is still around, all grown up and ornery AF
The week I started my new job, I went down to for my annual visit to Kentucky for the big 5* Land Rover Three Day Event and it brought me back to life. I swear that was not intentionally planned!! And my trainer Dom Schramm was riding in it - so I was THRILLED to go and cheer him on. All I can say is the trip brought me back to life in regards to my motivation with my horses.
Kiss (my 5yr old Ottb) schooling on Tuesday
Tillie (10 yrs old now wtf) schooling Wednesday
I fully intended this season to just plod along and come what may come...but I felt inspired and realized I can do this again. It will take time, but I have it in me. I have the support system, the coolest horses (I was taking for granted) and now the time to be able to do it! (heck yea no more two hour daily commute!). I have come back home and literally hit the ground running with both girls...being aware to take it day by day and not burn myself out again.
However the entries are flying and my bank account draining...
Anyway...I am hoping to get back to blogging to document this season. I have a few, ok A LOT to catch up on and fill everyone in - if anyone still follows me that is. See you all around!
NeI have a bit of catching up to do on sharing videos with you all so I am combining this post of my xc schoolings from last weekend and last evenings. We have been a bit busy with me wanting to really feel confirmed at prelim stuff going into the weekend.
Brother and sister stare down
Last Saturday, right from the start Tillie came out warming up super relaxed and waiting on me. It felt super comfortable and set the tone for the entire schooling. Its nice when shes like this because then I ride her more confidentially and forward like she needs to be for this level. This also was my first time schooling without a trainer there pointing at things telling me to go do it.
So picking and choosing was definitely something I had to think smartly about and feel out Tillie.
Here is some of warming up over some of the smaller stuff, but we finished off with the big table at the end! It felt nice and gave me more confidence to try the prelim stuff on my own.
This was pretty early into schooling after warming up. Tile came right up to this very confident. It was the first skinnier test of the day and she came in nicely without any worry. I knew I needed to keep my shoulders up with the terrain question.
Next we moved on to this bending line with corner/brush type fences. I knew my ride in needed to be accurate without drifting. We got a bit of an add to the second fence and it really should be a 4 stride not a 5 but we worked on this with Dom yesterday.
From here we moved on to the keyhole combo. I was very proud with how much Tillie hunted out the final skinny.
This was a fun combo to try! The first time through I came in too forward of a ride so came back and learned that I needed a better, deeper approach to the first log so we could be ready for the bending line out over the final log. It rode a lot nicer that way!
Then I felt brave and decided to give the big trakhener to the skinny a try. I knew we needed enough power to get over the trakehener but then be able to rock back and focus on the skinny. I was worried Tillie might land from the first and get too wooden before the second, but she shocked the hell out of me and coasted right along to the skinny.
Next up we moved onto banks...the dreaded banks. Its no secret that I dislike riding them despite down banks being fairly easy so long as you sit up and let your reins slip. Sounds so simple right?
But I knew I needed to conquer this because prelim drops, well, are much larger and more prominent on courses than previous levels. So I started with a bank down I did before so had that in the back of my mind to boost my confidence.
Tillie is super keen and has no issues with banks, so of course it rode just fine.
So I ran the house to bank down in reverse to add that shorter combo and timing to make sure I didn't anticipate too much and was able to keep my shoulders up. I knew I needed a deep distance into the house so she landed softly for the bank. Then we circled around to give the skinny a try that we have had issues with last year. Tillie jumped it cool as a cucumber.
We stepped up our game and did this bank complex. I remember looking at similar combos here before (they change jumps around but typically have similar questions around) and thinking wow that looks really scary. Tillie made it feel effortless. Riding this definitely turned a corner in my mind about riding banks!
Last but not least we moved on to water so I started with this slight bending line. Tillie came in a bit powerful to the log and I didn't let my reins slip enough. Luckily I sat up and recovered in time to direct her to the skinny out. NOTE TO SELF: Slip the reins!!!
I knew next I needed to conquer the larger bank into the water. At prelim there will be a combo there so I pulled up my big girl pants and gave it a try.
With that I ended our schooling for that day. Tillie gave me such try!
My kiddies
Up next (below) is a recap of our schooling last night. I don't have as much footage but will walk through the footage I do have. I wasn't feeling super great physically going into this schooling so came out of the gate riding more like a weenie. Which I believe caused Tillie to be a bit more keen to lean on me and be up to some old tricks to start like taking the bit any time she had a moment.
Dom reassured me its normal, we all have those days its just about getting the rideability you want before you go onto course. So it was actually nice it happened here so he could walked me through my XC warm up for Saturday in case she was more like yesterday's ride. He really implored when shes like that not to get too backwards. That I need to learn how to keep the forward and get her more rideable out of that forward canter without shortening it too much.
The first footage I have is this corner which she jumped great after this, but I only have the first attempt where I left her drift so she dropped her shoulder. She was still being a bit wooden at this point in the schooling but Dom talked me through it.
Up next we did the skinny brush bending line. This was the second attempt since the first one was nice and quiet, but he wanted me to come back and do it out of a more forward canter. While Dom agreed it wasn't as pretty, that's the canter we need to get smoother in these combos.
At this point I was still feeling a bit defensive and coming into this exercise was able to over come and ride it forward, but as we came to the table with it feeling a tad down hill I got a bit too greedy causing the dreaded gappy distance. We did finally manage to get the right ride, but no video footage unfortunately. This is the point in time we talked more about doing the homework of that forward ride...which until today has been better. He told me not to fret, just try to not make this the habit for Saturday which will likely be my go to with my nerves.
At this point she got much more rideable though and we gave the roller coaster complex a try. I was fully expecting issues from this one. This is the better take on it, the first one wasn't caught on film...but as a learning experience: I misunderstood Dom and rode the first time on a deep approach to the first jump causing a need to push to get to the second making the third jump just a tad less approachable.
So instead you want to come into this out of an open canter off the first with a longer take off so making the distance to the second you get that deeper ride. That way the second one backs them off on the landing so you have the adjustability to the final jump. My nit pick is I still got a bit forward in my shoulders here.
To end we went to the water like usual and we ran through this combo and small bank down. We refined my shoulders for the down bank before moving on but it felt pretty good!
Finally Dom laid it on us and had us finish with the big brush out. I was extremely skeptical we would get over the big brush at the end the first attempt but Dom confidently said as long as I got my right line, didn't let her drift and had the right canter she would do it.
Of course he was right!
So here's to hoping she feels ready and I feel ready on the big day.
We finally got out to do an xc lesson at Windurra and I won't lie by admitting I was a bit nervous. Tillie has been pretty good and ended last season doing well, but we weren't exactly confirmed at Training Level. We still had to be a bit scrappy to make it happen and we sometimes had breaks and sometimes did not.
This year starting off in general, Tillie has been much more rideable even at home. The last few lessons with Dom have been in the field at home with some jumps working on galloping and galloping up and down hills and how to handle that. But sometimes when you start putting the questions in front of them again it wakes em up! So needless to say I was braced for a beast.
Instead I got this!!!
We are down graded from the gag bit to a cartwheel bit. It seems to be just the right balance of leverage without pissing Tillie off, but I still have breaks and half halts. I was extremely pleased with this as I warmed her up and then galloped her a bit around the track and Windurra. (SO MUCH FUN BTW!)
We warmed up with Dom having us in a compressed canter getting deep distances to each fence. We did our first baby key hole during this! Dom explained its normal for horses new to them to jump and flatten out which is exactly what Tillie did. We went through the warm up jumps again this time allowing the canter out a bit more.
I unfortunately do not have video of this sequence.
We moved right on over the ditches and a ditch two stride to a large log skinny. Tillie was on point and Dom was excited with how calm and rideable she was. I agreed and it felt like she was an old pro. We did the larger ditch with a much harsher slope and again, Tillie didnt even bat an eye.
We then moved on to banks:
Tillie did this well too aside from a small trip after the first bank. But she recovered well without getting flustered.
Then we worked on a much harder question...jumping uphill which Dom said is tricky because you need to make sure your rpms are up so there is enough power once you reach the jump.
Jumping down the hill, I let tillie get weak in the canter so had a slight blooper moment, but we finished strong to the jump and left a stride out lol that hasnt been my issue lately!!
Finally we moved on to water:
She looked at the skinny in the water at first, but Dom was excited at how I caught her and got her to do it...so we did it again for good measure to get her a bit more relaxed about it. She came in and attacked it the second time extremely confident.
So all in all it was very successful. Dom is anxious to get us to an event insisting this is the best he has ever seen her going. REALLY love hearing this!!
Like all the other pros, Dom leaves every winter to go south and continue training. That means all winter without lessons which worked out for us since we took most of the winter off anyway. Last Saturday was our first lesson back with Dom since before he left and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't slightly nervous.
Tillie really helped me out by being caked in mud before the lesson
My fitness is not where it was at the end of the season. Tillie's fitness is not up to par either. We have just been back into work maybe a month. It is one of those things you want your trainer to be proud of you and be able to notice some improvement or change for the better after such a long time away right? Normally I am fine with things being a shit show because that is why my trainer is there: to fix it! But for whatever reason, I felt a bit apprehensive and worried we would be a disappointment.
She is so excited
I was pleasantly surprised at how Tillie felt. Dom gave us some pointers for warming up and said he liked what he was seeing. His goal for this warm up was to start installing soft buttons and be able to push Tillie around a little...bring the shoulders in then her haunches without it being a big deal.
Starting to be a bit more through in the bridle
Dom gave us this as homework since it worked well to keep Tillie waiting for me rather than try to take over herself. It also helped alleviate and unwanted weight or tension in the reins. The goal is to gently use leg and thigh to maneuver her and the reins simply supplement. The haunches in was asking for a bit more while shoulder fore was the relief part of the exercise and where the reins should feel lighter.
He also had us add in some counter flexion as well to really ensure the connection was confirmed and she could be pushed in and out of her "box" without too much resistance. He had us spiral in and out using the circle size to increase the difficulty.
After that he asked me what my goals were for this season and the question initially took me off guard. I honestly spent the last month getting on and enjoying my calm, quiet horse and having fun with her. I hadnt really thought much ahead to when our first show would be or even what we would be doing!
She is tracking up superbly well here! Ignore my poor position!
I answered that I hadnt thought too much about it but was hoping to really get confirmed at Training and figure out how to gallop and make time without the adjustability in the gallop /canter being such a huge issue for Tillie. Last season, any half halt once I let her out or gallop a bit would result in a meltdown or straight up zero response and her jaw locked so tight I feared we might never stop at times.
Miss fancy pants
So Dom laughed and said not to worry that starting out the season late April or even May is perfect for us since our season runs later into the fall. He said he would tell us what he thought after the lesson, but so far was much happier with her flat work. We both agreed her hock injections and time off really worked wonders for her and supplied us with a much more agreeable horse.
and quite the overachiever
Naturally, the next exercise he had us do was focused on adjustability in the canter. He set two ground poles 5 strides apart (Well what is a 5 stride 12ft canter). He said this is also homework for us so I can keep my "feel" and eye in check. It will also help me start developing that 12ft canter stride we will need when we compete again without it feeling so foreign.
I think we were both shocked at how well Tillie handled this exercise. Especially after we pushed for the 12ft stride then asked her to compress and go smaller. I even got a "I am impressed" from Dom when we were able to get 8 strides in there!
Workin that small canter
Dom also commented at this point he was happy with the saddle and how it helped my position, most particularly my lower leg. He said I wasnt nearly as defensive with it. Over fences, same thing. I am now able to stay up on landing and not getting so defensive on the landing side of fences.
So next Dom wanted to challenge Tillie and keep her thinking a bit with a trot pole to jump grid-like exercise.
I was really shocked at how well this made Tillie lift and use her own balance. Dom kept saying to not help her and let the poles do the work. Just stay patient with my body at the jump. We started with a low x then bumped it up to a vertical. Dom wanted to sharpen her front end so added a low vertical to the front and instructed me to do this on a few jumps when schooling at home. This would help prevent when we get deeper to a fence and Tillie dropping over her shoulder.
So we started doing it off the shorter right hand turn as well. Dom really pre-warned to ride the turn very tall and not to lean. He also kept repeating it was important to ensure I rode Tillie very straight through the exercise to make sure she was pushing off evenly.
Finally when she was going through to his satisfaction and stopping straight enough, he let us string the exercise together a bit asking us to think about our lead changes over the fences:
All in all it was a wonderfully education lesson for us both. I got some really great tools and homework and Tillie definitely got a tune up from it. Dom LOVED how she finished up and was excited to see my half halt releasing create a more soft reaction rather than a running reaction we used to get.
To my surprise Dom said he thought Prelim was a good goal to aim for late fall! I laughed and said maybe I would let him do it on her first...but I was happy hanging at Training and seeing where the season goes. If we get there to Prelim, cool. If not, maybe one day!
Work that booty!! Who'd thought trotting a 3ft fence would be so ok...and not die?!
I know I do not have a huge following...but for those of you that do follow my blog, I am sorry for disappearing! Life sort of took over and I had to take a hiatus there for a while. The good news is, it is all for the better and Tillie and I reformed our partnership.
While the time off wasn't exactly planned, we came back into work fresh and without all the baggage. The training was rusty, but still there. We have been working on rebuilding fitness and it seems Tillie has grown up even more over the winter.
Last year, she continued to get more rideable and accepting...but aside from an odd ride here or there since coming back she has been rock solid. Her brain seems to be more focused, she's calmer and much more accepting. She has always been ready to work, but now her work ethic is matched with allowing me to push some buttons and move her around more without so much sass.
First dressage lesson in quite some time...Tillie didnt miss a beat
This winter seems to have done us both well. I am not putting as much pressure on us and it seems Tillie's answer has been to give me what ever I ask for with way more try than ever before. Which is saying something considering how much she always tried for me before.
Fancy new Lund tack so we look the part!
I always planned to give her time off this winter...just didnt exactly plan on THAT much time. But apparently it was for the best so now its just a matter of refocusing and rebuilding strength.
We certainly have hit the ground running this spring since I have been back in the saddle...I will be sure to post specifically about each of these things, but Dom Schramm has already been back teaching us...which I missed sorely while he was gone. We have done our first XC school of the season and Tillie was such a rock star it made me want to cry.
The Dream bit seems to be a great option for us XC!
I am excited with how she is feeling. I signed us up for the Twilight CT at Loch Moy next week similar to what we did last season...hopefully it will dust off the cob webs and get us back into the swing of things.
One of our first jump schools with the jumps put up since being back into work!
I am totally loving my stubben, which I believe I blogged about last before I disappeared:
Not to mention my partnership with Lund saddlery...I can not speak any more highly of the quality of this tack. They are not paying me to say this at all. I chose to partner with them BECAUSE of their foundation their company stands for and because of the quality.
Her heart on her butt is still there
at least we look the part right?!
I know this has all been a bit vague, but I just wanted to say hello again! I've missed you all and can't wait to catch up on what you all have been up to as well!
Yes, I know once again I have been MIA...life has had a way of taking over. After my horse tried to gain herself a full vacation by severing a vein....we are back at it and cutting the lighter work period short. Luckily she was only out for 2 days with this...and you best believe I am ready to put her new hocks to use and make sure she doesnt get the zoom zooms all over again.
(beware some graphic photos below)
Yes like Tillie severing a vein after getting loose...
Soooooo much blood
Literally started to panic at this point
To make up for it, I decided to once and for all end my saddle fitting woes (hopefully for the foreseeable future!)...you know since we clearly need to do more galloping.
I got us a dressage saddle not too long ago...and decided to leave our jump saddle alone since it was working for us with the help of a thinline pad + shims. It has been working well for us... that is until recently.
This saddle has been there with Tillie and I since the first year I got her.
and all the ups and down since..so its been hard to let it go
The fit for Tillie wasnt poor, but not optimum either. The bigger issue with fit has fallen on me and the fact it puts me in a chair seat like something horrible and my bottom hits the back of the saddle over fences.
You can kind of see the chair seat happening here
I was willing to make do for my own liking as long as it worked for Tillie...but lately she made it clear when saddling up she is not happy with it. After having 2 fitters take a look, one non-biased to Stubben another a Stubben fitter...it was obvious we both needed to move on especially with our goals for next year.
Which should hopefully not include ANY MORE sedation
So long story long, I bit the bullet and placed the order for one of these:
Stubben Zaria Optimum
If you all remember, I blogged about one when I rode in my trainers, Dom Schramm. It was odd at first and I wasnt quite sold. I think the fact it felt so different was part of it. But when the fitter came back earlier this week and had me try a slew of them...I was hooked and I knew I had to have it.
Tillie the first day back after her injury...laughing at my anxiety
So we are a 29cm tree now, 18" seat (who would have thought!?) and regular flap with a soft seat. I didnt do any fancing color or stitching for fear of how it would wear and longevity...so literally the image above is the color I got with it being the ebony brown with the ligther medium brown duo tone.
Tillie says, I so spoiled!!
The 18" seat shocked the heck out of me, but when trying a smaller seat it just want enough room...especially considering when your out XC and you get yourself into a hairy situation. The Biomax was something I thought for sure I would want, but after trying it...didnt love it enough to warrant the extra cost. I just never felt like I got the close contact feel I did without it. It also tended to hit my bottom right in a spot I could feel the crease of it ending every tine my bottom touched the saddle.
All done fitting!
I also sprung for the crazy looking girth too, (their Equisoft Girth) but what the hell right?! Whats another few hundred dollars?
Stubben Equi-soft Girth
I will tell you I was a non believer in this girth...paying almost $400 seemed insane to me. I did not receive it for free nor am I being compensated in anyway for saying this but holy cow what a difference it made.
I was always of the belief the girth was meant for XC or galloping when the horse was exerted and working...that it would expand with the horse's breathing helping with regulating its heart rate and comfort when breathing became labored.
Stubben's description of the Girth is as follows:
"The Equi-Soft girth, when properly adjusted, effectively deals with the constriction by giving in all directions and markedly reducing the tension. This frees the underlying musculature, allows better circulation, and decreases the restriction of motion of the gut. As respiration is enhanced and the horse experiences less discomfort, pulse rate has been shown to be reduced during exercise. Since the muscles are less restricted, lateral flexibility is enhanced as well as the horse’s ability to employ the external obliques, serratus and other abdominal muscles necessary to support the topline. This is manifested in greater extension of the foreleg and more active employment of the hind quarters."
It was INSTANTANEOUS when using this girth + the saddle that I felt the difference. This girth plus the saddle were used on the first go round and the final...both times I had a horse that was through, relaxed and on the aids and her striding was open without being tense. This is just flatting her.
I have been told its like this with some horses while others there is no difference at all. If you are ever at all curious, know your horse has been properly fitted, ulcers checked and soundess but still doesnt seem to be quite fluid....this may be something to try.
Tillie REALLY liked it
So once I wrote out my deposit, I promptly cried a little realizing this cost me more than my first car, but find it really hard to regret at all considering how marvelous Tillie felt and also, the kicker, I felt too! I was in a much better position yet solid and not moving anywhere. It was slightly odd at first with the monoflap because the reduced bulk almost tricked my mind into thinking less support.
But when we tried a few jumps and Tillie got some sass and excitment, I did NOT move nor did the saddle. Not to say I wont have any falls off this saddle...and just for good measure, I found an AWESOME deal on a Hit Air vets for less than half retail value and just received that today too!
I have been putting off getting one...but I have been told by many people that Training level and above you want to start thinking about it. So when I saw this being listed, I couldnt resist.
So now that I am officially broke...at least Tillie and myself will have the best comfort and safety there is to offer. Heres to hoping if we dress for success...it will follow. You know the whole, "Build it and they will come" mentalitly.
I am still catching up on blog posts since I have been a bit MIA on here for a while. But basically in our land, we are filling in holes and re-assessing basics.
Going back to basics often is a good thing, but it can often times feel like a step back. I am trying not to allow that feeling to creep in because basics are, after all, the foundation. Without those building blocks everything else will come crashing down at some point.
So we can get killer jump form like this again
My last jump lesson with Dom last week, we kept the jumps low...we tried a new bit and wanted to work on some of my own frustrations and to iron out my own inconsistencies. Like being able to see a distance.
We warmed up over a x-rail - simple enough right? But it was a great way to establish how this new bit felt:
Pretty quickly I felt a difference and Dom and I discussed saving this bit for competing only, or schooling XC. He recommended we keep schooling in our snaffle bit in the hopes she would learn from the gag and carry it over to the loose ring snaffle.
So Dom sent us through a mini course with a line which has been giving us the most trouble lately since she locks on and gets flat through them. Basically not giving me any response to a half halt at all...but she did and it was more or less me needing to work on finding the right canter and then leaving it alone:
It would help if we didn't almost run into someone
Dom sent us through the outside line a few times to feel how riding different approaches to the first jump and how it changes the ride to the second. So here is getting the chip in, which isn't the ride we want but tends to be what I do as a rider when I cant see a distance:
So he reversed the course and had us run through it again this time we found a slightly better rhythm:
Now I need to learn how to keep her forward through the turns with her responding better to the half halt so we can get the better distance. As Dom says "Getting to the base or deep to the fence doesn't always mean by adding a stride, it sometimes means pushing the stride out to get closer"
I have come to realize in the weeks since our fall that while I initially wasnt all that shaken about it, it definitely had a way of creeping in. All my hard work of not riding so backwards to fences seemed to have reverted and I found myself getting really frustrated for always wanting to do the add before jumps...which isnt always the right answer.
Jump chute day with the campers...Tillie clearly prefers going long
I hate being that student you have to be a broken record towards. So I have promised myself I need to be sure I find the time to make it to more P lessons to get in the coursework since that seemed to really help us earlier this year. Dom lessons are wonderful for thinking about the set up, getting the correct form and jump and definitely is helping, but I need to add the P coursework back in to really practice what we work on in Dom lessons. With the shows on weekends, its been tough getting those in, but I have a bit of a break now before the next one.
Mare's got hops!
With that said, Dom came Friday to help us prepare for Waredaca and promote Tillie getting the nice jump that will get her landing softer and not so downhill and ready to take off. He started us with a simple low wide oxer to work on finding the right canter, distance and stride and slowly built it up to Training level.
Notice the "V" poles which helps Tillie jump more uphill with the front end. Dom raves about her tidy hind end so its about getting her better with the front half of her body now.
That portion went pretty well...then we added the grid/triple to let that do the work for me and allow us both to focus on ourselves and get out of the habits we tend to pin each other into:
Tillie wasnt really wanting to give me the left lead but Dom said not to worry that we have been working on it, it would come when the straightness got there.
Then we tried to put it all together
Needless to say there were ups and downs, but I am pretty proud of this horse...she has come so incredibly far this year!
