Happy belated 4th of July everyone! I hope it was a safe and enjoyable holiday for all of you...As you saw, we competed on Saturday which I blogged about. Sunday Tillie had a much deserved day off but we hosted a jumper show which ran me totally ragged. I painted and built jumps, moved and set courses and it totally paid off!! We had a great turn out and all was good, I felt productive and good...that is until Monday rolled around.
Caution jump!
Patriotic Theme jump
Part of the whole course
Lattice jump
Closer view
New Skinny!!! I am soo excited to try this :)
I was ok at first. I was well enough to even do a lesson with P at the old stomping grounds...but boy I was exhausted, nauseous and just down for the count afterwards. Luckily some rest and fluids did the trick, but I am aware of now of needing to take note and pace myself.
Anyway, this post is meant to recap the lesson and me trying to break those pesky old habits. I am really trying hard to release more in the air, keep my butt up and out of the saddle and my heels down on landing. I also need to figure out that fine timing of setting her up for a fence but watch I do it without holding her.
My face is priceless...took a bit of a flier to this one
She knows her job well and she is starting to let me know when I start trying to micromanage. Warming up she felt tense and just tight. P said she clearly was in heat and it made sense because she was super spooky the last few days...she only gets like that when shes in heat so I should have suspected. She didnt want me touching her not with my reins or legs but otherwise was happy to do her job...guess she also is channeling her inner hunter ;)
Me getting left behind on this one!
As much as I dont like riding her like that, its good for me because its forcing me to leave her alone. I need to work on not doing soooo much and it was kind of nice the longer we went, the more I could just stay out of her way. Its a bit different than when I lesson with Dom or Dan jumping, but I like this side of it too...It kind of is a nice test to see what Tillie is retaining on her own.
As you can see we kinda struggled with this blue jump and getting the right distance. Then P changed it so the white was the front rail and stripes on the back and VOILA - perfect distances to it every time. So odd?!
I worked on trying to stay out of the tack and be softer, but my shoulders kind of crept forward before fences, but I cant say I hate it entirely.
P gave us a few things for homework to help, but all in all was happy with what she saw and said she did see more power from behind rather than Tillie pushing from her shoulder. As much as I worry she felt off from being in heat or sore or whatever, re-watching the videos and she looks pleased to do her job. Her ears are up, shes tracking up and looks pretty relaxed.
So I am trying not to worry and just let her tell me when she needs rest.
With dressage under our belts, I had just enough time to walk my stadium course. Nothing about it worried me too much other than knowing the two stride A and B combo seemed a bit small. Tillie is a bit on the small side so knew as long as I could get her back and ask her to wait coming in, it wouldnt be a problem.
I also reflected to the XC walk and was a bit bummed they didnt get the rain we got the day before because the ground was BONE dry. So dry that my own footsteps felt rock hard and sounded like concrete. I mentally noted my lesson learned jumping here the weekend prior at the Training derby and to try larger studs to remedy any slipping.
SOOOO quiet
Tillie was so quiet at the trailer, I was really concerned something was wrong with her. She let me stud her with no issue and was literally snoozing at her hay net. That changed slightly when hacking up to jump since, at this venue, its a mini trail ride to get there. The closer we got the higher and more giraffe mode over came Tillie.
Once we got back to the open field, I picked up a trot to get Tillie moving and went right into warming up. We popped over the X-rail and vertical asking for both leads and it was on point. The distances where there, her leads were there and all was good. I did the oxer and it wasnt bad but wasnt perfect either so as i came around, Dom started hollering out to me some words of wisdom and took on coaching mode. Dom Schramm was also in our division and warming up a horse he was competing, but if he is anything like me with students, cant help it and just has to help!
Of course then I start biffing distances and we get some pretty hairy flyers a few times but finally started getting it and getting closer distances again. He gave us last minute words and warm up advice to do before going and he trotted off to do his own course. Following his instructions, I did the oxer two more times to ask for both leads getting a better distance and finished with the vertical.
Tillie of course did them perfectly when Dom didnt see...he came trotting out and gave us a heads up the ground was slick because of it being dry around turns and asked if we had studs in. I smiled and excitedly said YES!! glad we got something right. Dom then warned us the 2-stride was tight so dont come in guns blazing. I nodded and said ok, but in my head was super excited I had picked up on that walking the course all on my own.
When it was our turn Tillie was a cool customer going in and it was one of our smoother jump rounds. It felt not as smooth with the awful footing, but it felt GREAT until fence 5 to 6 because we didnt get the lead, but it was more or less my own error and not taking a minute to chill.
You can see Tillie slip a little after fence #7 even with studs in but she recovered well and didnt get upset about it all. All in all it felt like a great round...I had to bury us a bit to the combo, but you can see it rode well after and think any more forward would have possibly cost us a rail so Yay for ratability!!
CROSS COUNTRY:
With the ground being as hard as it was and how well Tillie was jumping, I opted to forgo warming up for XC and just head right to the start box. I forgot to get pictures of all the jumps like Emma does when she competes but did finally start to about halfway through as well as get a few still out from the derby to share with you guys!
Fence 1 and 2 were nothing exciting...Tillie took them on well. #3 we slipped slightly on landing and had a some gallop time before #4 which Tillie got strong, but nothing really to worry about. #5 was an open oxer looking thing which Tillie really soared over. #5 was a bank down which I wasnt even worried about (GASP I know!!!) Tillie slipped slightly here around the turn to a larger ramp as it was a harder left turn, but she didnt lose her composure and popped right over it into a mean gallop.
#7 was a stair step or something or other I cant remember because Tillie could have cared less. #8 Is a giant bench we got on video to #9:
Off we went to #10:
Novice Trakehener
This fence rode really nicely....
The Training level trakehner we did as the last jump last weekend right next to it
Jump before the water
Jump #12 A and B, Water to bank (we did this plus a jump two strides after the bank for the derby)
Jump #13 headed to the ditches
#14 hay/rolltop a few stride to the ditches
Ditch a few strides after
Here, Tillie was feeling fine, less strong but saw a distance I didnt and took a longer spot. Not ideal before a ditch, but she isnt ditchy so she jumped the ditch right after without an issue...but flew over it I think thinking it was like the one last weekend:
The ditches we jumped at the derby...she jumped them like super man!
We had a slight uphill gallop which I could let her out for and sligggghtly push:
Our rolltop on course to the left, the one to the right is the one we jumped as part of our derby course last week so Tillie was pretty unfazed.
Bank up the hill part A
Part B of the combo
The hill rode nicely and was the last question before the final fence to home also on video:
Final jump
The training train we jumped as part of the ditch combo last week
It was a great confident round and I couldnt have been happier with Tillie. I felt like i had to ride a bit less forward with the harder ground, but Tillie wasnt too upset by it and responded ok.
She wasnt too terribly sweaty or worked up by it but man was she quiet at the trailer. So quiet I even wanted to take her temp when we got home but i didnt because she ate her dinner fine and otherwise seemed normal...but really was fine to chill, snoozed and ignore the hay (which I realized she doesnt like the new batch when testing with the old later that day).
Ahhh picky mares. But i am eager to work hard and keep pressing on to our next and final novice, the recognized at Loch moy before our move up Aug 7th to Training!!!
I feel like this 2016 season is flying by, yet I reflect back to our first event of the season at BN and am amazed at how forever ago it seems. So many things have changed some not as good, but most things for the better. The more we do all the things and do all the shows, the more I am learning...not only about showing and Tillie, but myself as a person.
Peaking out of the trailer after our go for the day and hanging out to watch our buddies!
Turns out, I am pretty damn confident (outwardly at least)...mostly its a face to pep talk myself. But also I am really super competitive with myself - Ill touch more on this later in this post. But I feel like the dialogue in my head is not super confident...mostly repeating "balance yourself mare!" over and over, but I do feel like that warp-like time speed thing when jumping is starting to become normal speed which allows me to process and make better judgements. I know its allowing me to be a smarter rider.
Like approaching the giant bench in a tree line expecting a questioning Tillie,
riding it more confident so she comes at it guns blazing.
All this repetition is allowing me to be a smarter rider BECAUSE we have been doing it and experiencing all the different ways to answer the questions being asked. The result is slowly chipping away and smoothing out some rough edges. Dont get me wrong, it isnt perfect, nor will it ever be, but I am really proud of the horse Tillie is becoming.
How we feel before stressage
It was a really early wake up call for this show since I knew the time between our dressage and jump rounds wasnt quite enough to untack, walk the courses, come back, stud and retack...If you have ever been to Fair Hill, you'll know its quite a hike to the jump portion of the event so I wanted to have more time to stud and be sure those were good with the ground being as rock hard as it was.
4:41 arriving at the barn
Even with really awesome stranger eventers offering us rides, I still felt a bit rushed and had just under 30 minutes to warm up for dressage. It sounds like a decent time, and at home it would be 10 min warm up 20 min working, but at a show Tillie gets unfocused and untrusting. She isnt bad, she doesnt misbehave or act up like she did a mere few months ago, but the best description is just protective and wont let her guard down. It is as if she holds her breath the entire time and lets it out right after we halt.
Almost done our test!!
I was pleasantly surprised with how she warmed up...and how quickly as well. It wasnt the horse I get at C lessons in dressage, but she was working well and working without soooo much help from me. She knew her job, would bending and listen to my aids willingly more so than any other show. Her canter warm up was flawless...I was a bit worried to push much more because she felt so great and comfortable. Sure, not 100% relaxed, but would go in whatever rhythm I put her in, bend off my leg and I didnt need nearly as much softening or half halts off my rein to get her attention.
Sneak peak at the final results...; ) and alllll the hay for the spoiled girl
While I dont think our dressage score of 30 reflected how happy I was with the test, I was thrilled. Tillie did pick up more tension once we got down to the ring (or I did)...but it sits slightly lower from warm up so she kept wanting to peek up there to see what was going on. It was never obvious, but she didnt want to work in the bridle as much this test. With that said, She was consistent. Something we have lacked in past tests, particularly in rhythm. I also felt like I was less micromanaging her and could leave her alone more.
Her canter in particular impressed me the most. It felt smooth...something it hasnt ever felt in competition before. I didnt feel worried about getting her back to trot and her trot after felt way more free and promising of what we may get in later competitions.
Anyway here is our test:
There is a lot more to like about this test. It was clean enough to get us into third - WHICH btw we were competing in the open division with only a handful of other riders one of which is my own trainer Dom Schramm who kicked all our butts with a 22!!! The 2nd place rider had a 29 and change followed by myself. So needless to say, I am really hopeful with more dressage work we can be up there with the big guns!
While a 30 is still ok, I am determined to get us into the 20's more regularly (see the self competitive thing I mentioned earlier). I am hopeful this will happen and know we have it in us.
Its been a few days since this at-home jump school so I am hoping I don't miss anything...I also realized too that its been quite a while since schooling at home on my own outside of a lesson or a show. What is interesting about that, is obviously things are a bit different...you dont have to get it done like you do at a show and you dont have someone coaching you when in a lesson.
One of the better moments/fences with nicer position
So definitely more room for error, but also more room to experiment. Which I am trying to do in the hopes of refining my position over fences.
In addition to this, I am also going to be trying to take lessons on other horses in the hopes I can shake things up and see if that helps at all as well. I am pretty fortunate Tillie is pretty game and tolerant of this stuff. She has her moments, dont get me wrong where she tells me I messed up, but she really seems to be ok even when I royally mess up...she doesnt miss a beat and she comes right back around to the jump all business and confident. I am extremely grateful for that since I know some other horses are trickier rides in instances like that and would back off or lose confidence.
Definitely not lacking and confidence here!
I jacked up my stirrups one more hole to the top hole per Dom's suggestion. I was a bit worried at first that they would be too short/uncomfortable, but after the initial getting used to it, I didnt really notice.
I notice that when I get too forward with my upper body before take off, my lower leg does come back, but for the most part I think that has gotten better. My main issue remains being too grippy with my knee and thigh once Tillie's hind feet leave the ground. So I need to do some serious homework in hunter land and channel equitation-like form.
Trying to fold more so I can release more...but not lay on Tillies neck either
The gripping is something I also do when cantering in dressage, so I have been working hard with C on that as well. Unfortunately the last few lessons I havent been able to convince anyone to come to be able to video...which bums me out because C lessons ALWAYS end up being so packed with knowledge I know I miss that I like re-watching. Its almost like getting my lesson all over again. I also am positive there would be noticeable change in Tillie and I really would love to be able to see it and see what it looks like compared to what I am feeling.
Anyway, thats an entirely different post ;)
Dressage makes Tillie sleepy...arent her big ears just the cutest?!
So here are the videos of us jumping...some misses, but overall I think pretty good! Any misses were totally rider error on my part and I am super please with how well Tillie is jumping. I also am excited shes getting better about getting that left lead!! Not 100% yet but definitely improving now that Dom helped us with straightness.
To wrap it all up, Tillie has been getting massages from my sponsor, Ashley Lynn Moorhouse Equine Services and I couldnt be happier with how Tillie feels. Its a clear difference and our recent dressage lesson the day after was by far the loosest in Tillie's back ever...to the point sitting trot on my part was back to being laughable.
She got one Monday after our derby and she was definitely sore...but Wednesday she was much improved!
After this weekend's outing, I decided I had to try to squeeze in another Dom lesson before the weekend...with the way this week was panning out, our normal lesson later in the week wasnt going to work. We managed to get in a time today as long as we hauled up there.
Initially, we were going to go XC at Windurra USA again, but the weather had other ideas so we re-routed and rode, for the first time, at Dom's indoor.
I went in explaining to Dom I really wanted more security over those bigger fences when Tillie is jumping large. While this weekend's training out was a good one, I dont want to be in a position where I feel like I need to focus on recovering from getting jumped out the tack, PLUS handling a combo, PLUS terrain out XC.
Mare glare for days
Dom was really understanding and said it isnt surprising with how powerful he's seen her jump. He agreed some of it was most likely do to my ingrained habit of sitting up too fast and jumping the back side of fences like I am jumping a down bank.
So the goal was simple...keep the exercise simple and focus on staying out of the tack. Basically an entire lesson staying in 2-point. I must admit, I was thinking I would get winded or tired really quickly. I am proud to say, I didnt at all but do need to work on the jumping portion more ( I still am having the tendency to lock my knees and ankles on landing).
Dom pretty quickly into warming up suggested I try his saddle - a monoflap Stubben S Zaria Optimum.
Hello goregous
I was a bit skeptical at first but agreeable (not that Dom would EVER know I was skeptical...unless he reads this blog that is). I tend to feel really insecure in other saddles. Its just more or less that feeling of not knowing it or being comfortable so was pretty certain we would have to switch back. Much to my surprise, my leg instantly felt stabilized. I could feel my body adjusting at first, testing the thigh and calf blocks before settling in right where it needed. It was odd at first not feeling the bulk of the girth and oddly disconcerting, yet really nicely balanced all at the same time.
Dom had me feel it out and set the tone with cantering around in it and then in two point to really establish my weight down in my leg:
Once satisfied with that we moved onto warming up with cavelletti...which I am noticing Dom loves to use alot at first and a training technique I need to incorporate more even if I dislike them (which btw is something i realized today probably because they are freakin hard!)
Here is us warming up over them in a serpentine trying to get our leads...please excuse Tillie's sass at me for making her turn a bit harder (a bit of a theme of todays lesson):
You can hear Dom helping to coach me to stay up out of the saddle without using my hands or sitting too soon...easier said then done! Not on film was a much longer discussion about it with him empathizing as to why I do it, her sass and her past habit if landing downhill and in a heap, but despite her sass, in his opinion he really isnt landing like that anymore so I need to be better about letting her land on her own and figure it out.
Can you say micro manage too much on my part?!
At least the above video we get our leads consistently and manage to complete the exercise fairly well until the very last gappy one...but hey Ill take it! I realized i dont like these so much because Tillie really badly wants to get flat and throw herself at them, just like the last jump in this video above...I realize by doing more of these, that elusive perfect half halt will come more nicely.
Then Dom added the jumps to the mix with the same concept, just stay out of the tack. Tillie was all fine and dandy, but make sure you wait alllll the way to the end. Sure enough its right after Dom convinces me to be nice and be softer to let her land and figure things out...she pulls her old sass I havent seen in a really long time:
It doesnt freak me out nearly as much as it used to, even if it looks like I get unseated, it doesnt feel that way anymore. In all honesty, she was just really excited and feeling good it felt like.
Dom agreed, if you listen he calls her a monkey! LOL. After filming he said it was a much nicer jump on my part but it was a bit of a longer distance then he wanted hence the excitement and at home we want to get a bit closer while in competition that is acceptable for sure.
So here we get a bit better. But I still am being really hard on myself and see I just dont keep my darn butt up in the air. My lower leg is solid, it isnt sliding, but I still really want to snap back with my upper body and sit my butt in the saddle. At least we start to find a rhythm, but Tillie was a lot sassier today about the change of pace...plus her massage on Sunday I think has her feeling realllllly nicely.
Below, she finally fell into a rhythm over the line but the Oxer we just didnt see the right distance so we started to drift and got a pretty long spot which resulted in pulling a rail and Tillie really getting mad about it:
Unfortunately my videographers had a bit of an issue, so werent able to capture our last but really awesome jump over it...go figure! But they did manage to get the line in one more time, which rode more forward and in a clean 5 rather than a short, added 6:
All in all, it was a tough lesson...and one I am determined to keep working on at home. I am being really tough on myself, but know I have a ton of work to do. I can see my tension in my lower leg on landing and incredibly frustrated with just keeping my silly butt out of the saddle!!! I know it takes time to change an old habit, I just dont like being the student that requires repeating the same thing more than once is all.
I am glad to know though Tillie isnt hurting after the step up! I am set on doing more conditioning though, but please to know she isnt unhappy or backing off her job. I am starting to consider taking more lessons on other horses so I can keep practicing without over working her.
I must apologize in advance because I, sadly, dont have a ton of media from this weekend...Such a bummer because I would have loved footage of Tillie's first Training outing.
Sure it wasnt a full training event, but it was a great test! I must admit too, I need to be better like Emma at Fraidy Cat eventing and take pictures of each jump...**sigh** I just dont think that ahead.
All loaded up and ready to go!
The morning of the derby, I had some time to kill so decided to tackle a mini project I was considering and putting interlocking rubber/foam mats in my dressing room of my trailer to make things neater than the grungy old carpet.
I got the mats at Costco for $30 and only needed one pack of them and still have some scraps left over to touch it up when I get another spare moment. But it came out pretty nicely and it only took roughly an hour!
Before....................................after
Once that was done I loaded up and hit the road. I met up with a fellow barn mate I met through being a working student of Dans and we walked the course together. It was nice to have her there since shes been competing her mare at training level for a few years now. Her relaxed attitude about the day helped me stay relaxed, especially because the jumps were pretty giant (I dont freak out about size typically).
Stadium sized jumps dont because I know we can just knock em down...cross country was definitely a big step up for us and while I mentally noted how large they were, felt really confident Tillie would do just fine. I did have a pep talk with her though and also made a note to maybe purchase some sticky spray for the future.
All done and grumpy about the bugs
She warmed up quite nicely despite the fences set up not to training level height so I was a bit worried about going into stadium but quickly told myself it was no big deal even if we did take a rail, this was just practice and trying to see how we would do off farm.
Off we went into our 8-jump stadium...sure enough fence 1 she rubbed with her front legs which ALWAYS is something she does if she doesnt realize fences go up. She slipped a bit around the the turn to Fence 2 and she still hadnt caught on and dropped the rail with her hind end. After that she woke up and REALLY started jumping. Oh. My. God.
Jump #3 was part of a combination with fence 2 and she realllllly over jumped it. The turn to #4 was a roll back turn to a three stride to #5 bending line and boy was she really jumping out of her skin. #5 She literally jumped me out of the tack so hard that I apologized on landing to her (thank god for thinline). She didnt miss a beat though and made the turn to #6 to one more 4 stride line #7 and 8.
Treats for me!?
They ran the event that upon landing you kept cantering right into XC so off we went! Jump #1 was a GIANT red house. It was wide too but Tillie soared over it. Jump 2 was about 5 strides after and was a smaller wooden roll top looking thing but Tillie over jumped it so hard I lost my right stirrup.
Thank god I didnt lose my balance or feel shaken in the tack because she was movin and groovin...I got my stirrup back really quickly though and we cantered into water, up the bank to a two stride to a pretty large table.
Once again, Tillie didnt disappoint...she got a bit long to the bank which isnt ideal, but she made up ground and moved up to the distance well. She landed after the table quite excited with a playful head shake but regained focus reallllly nicely.
I said TREATS please!!!!
Next was a bit of a coffin complex with a large blue train jump, ditch to a roll top. It was by far the largest ditch we have ever jumped and Tillie jumped it like super man lol head between the knees but did it without hesitation.
We had a good gallop up the hill to an even larger roll top with grass and we took that out of a gallop which was really fun! On landing though I did have to use my pelham and for a good couple strides to tell Tillie to calm down lol she was trucking to the last two jumps.
She did come back after a few HARD half halts but still jumped forward over the second to last jump and I really asked her to wait for the last one with it being quite a large trakahener knowing she kinda looked at one the last time.
She jumped it well, but I over thought it a bit and landed kind of in a heap almost lost my left stirrup ahaha, but Tillie had her ears pricked and was ready for more...She did come back nicely to a trot and boy was she huffing.
Soooo tired
It was only 10 xc jumps, but she was drenched and breathing pretty good...it was more mental than anything else, but I definitely need to step up our conditioning before our first Training event.
All in all it felt good, it felt confident. I learned that road studs arent enough at this height and we probably need to try slightly larger ones when the ground is this hard. She got a nice poultice to help with that and a massage the next day :)
Meanwhile, I am in works with Dom to start working on me keeping up with her and not getting jumped out the tack. Stay tuned for our XC lesson we will have this week addressing those!
So here is to hoping things go as smoothly later this month!
So as most of you know, we have our sights set to move up to Training level this year. The plan is to test the waters this weekend and Fair Hill's derby which is basically set up like a stadium and XC portion of an event, but not timed. So I am going in with the schooling mentality: We will jump all the training fences if they feel good...if not we will reroute and do novice.
standing perfectly in cross ties before our lesson
I was determined to get a jump lesson in with Dom Schramm this week to talk over my plans for this event as well as whats coming down the pike...and to jump actual training level sized fences. So I sucked it up and paid for a private lesson with my barn mate on vacation. It really isnt unreasonably priced and totally worth it!
Resting up before lesson time
Tillie was a bit spry starting out in warm up, which came as no surprise with her having the day before off to rest. Dom coached me through how to get her off my hand and had us try some shoulder fore and softening which worked really nicely. He suggested trying more of this so we get more and more strides in a row where she self carries and gets the nicer uphill gait. He also had us work on bending off our leg before using reins and doing it inside, straight and counter bent without changing the rhythm in the trot. It was a bit tricky at first because I still want to ride her like a green bean over exaggerate, but Dom talked me through being more subtle about it.
Hello gorgeous new thinline pad
We warmed up over a small vertical addressing my concerns about Tillie being harder at shows to get the left lead. Turns out I drop my left shoulder and dont ride her straight enough (just like Dan told me in a lesson a few months ago when working on flying changes over ground poles). The smaller jump, Tillie really pulled me to and got strong so Dom addressed the half halt and had us working on the turns to back her off, getting her straight to get the lead and me being softer in my elbows. You can see in the video below a bit of these issues warming up:
After talking about getting her straighter and opening my rein more without leaning...He put them up a bit despite the lead not really coming (he told me not to stress and stay consistent) and VOILA the lead came:
Couple things: I really need to work on my left leg sinking into my heel way more, releasing more..but holy cow can my mare jump!! It felt good :)
We jump at home in the snaffle so its tough at first to get her lighter, but by the time we did this exercise with the higher fence height, she settled into a nice rhythm. Dom complemented my riding and said he saw improvement on my rid-ability and decision making which was really nice to hear.
Tillie digging in and gettin it!
While Tillie and I caught our breath and Dom was setting the course, he chatted with us about our goals, this weekend etc. He thought my plan was solid and even suggested we try to qualify for the AEC's which means more recognized shows. I dont think that will happen this year with us only doing two unless we manage to kick butt and get 1st at Loch Moy, but I told him I would be really interested in it next year as a goal.
see left heel isnt down, but look at my horses tight hind end!!
He set the jumps to a training course and sent us through...it needed some refining, mostly timing of the half halt and more releasing on my part, but Dom said he liked what he saw and raised the fences again:
The first fence took me a bit off guard, but I felt like I recovered ok...and Dom was super please with how well she was jumping and told us to call it a day on that. She didnt touch a single rail and Dom said he could have raised them another 3" with how well and high she was jumping. He gushed a bit (Ill take that any day!!) about how she was a better than average jumper and said we would have a blast at training level this weekend.
We also will be trying to meet up at our fair hill event july 2nd so we can refine more things at Novice.
It felt really good to have this lesson and it was exactly what I needed before Saturday. Dom loved that we jumped in the snaffle and said to keep doing that at home and was on board with still using the pelham since its been working so well. We talked about possible trying the bit converter again and ditching the curb rein since XC at training level we will have a bank drop combo which means needing to slip the reins and re-adjust quickly.
A little better with my form and heel here
All in all its really exciting. And I really am excited to have a trainer who is excited about my horse. Jumping her at 3ft felt comfortable despite my worries it would be hairy or weird...but she just takes it in stride. I LOVE how game she is.
REALLY big oxer = NBD for Tillie
Finally, I am thrilled with the thinline pad and its just perfect timing now the jumps are getting bigger. I may need to add some shims to the front like my other pad, but the material of the thinline being kinder for Tillie's back makes it a huge win in my book.
So HAPPY FRIDAY everyone! Wish us luck tomorrow :)
