Post by racaille on Feb 23, 2013 5:57:02 GMT
Feeling really upbeat after my SJ day yesterday. It was great fun and Paco was on form!
The day started off very cold and the ground was rock solid but we began with working on our positions and some technical stuff in the arena and soon warmed up. The cold made P very sharp and he almost had me off the second I'd taken my feet out of the stirrups to stretch my legs when he spooked and bolted from a rustling leaf. The wassock.
There were seven of us which was a nice number for a lot of attention. We were four adults: there was also a nice girl on a young arab still learning everything, a guy on a really speedy mare and an older man on a rangy old Lusitanian. I was a bit fascinated by him: he's a randonneur and obviously spends a lot of time riding but has no technique whatsover. His horse has never jumped in its life (and anyway it's full-blood Iberique). When asked why he was doing the clinic he said he had enjoyed our TREC training day but had struggled with cantering at the same time as turning his horse! He had never ever heard of the terms position equilibre or putting his legs on .... anyway I thought he was quite brave to come.
The teenagers were all there taking the SJ part of their Galop 5 exams.
So later on we worked over different types of jump and it was very convivial, everyone rooting for each other, which was lovely. The setting was gorgeous too: a Napoleonic era stud farm, beautiful old buildings.
Paco was really good too! He jumped everything I asked, not bothered by fillers or anything. I was really motivated too. After lunch the teenagers did their exam over a course of 80cm jumps with as many scary elements as possible including a tricky bounce that tripped up two of them. But the spa was the worst as it had a big spread.
Our trainers were just about to put the jumps down for us oldies when she looked at me and the words just came out of my mouth: No, I'll do it like that!
Well of course I hadn't learned the course but Paco flew over everything. For once I didn't think oo-er, just went for it. It was brilliant.
I felt so good that I stopped there and didn't do the barrage. I didn't think going super fast against the teenagers was a good thing for me and P: I didn't feel fear or that I bottled it, just that the field was getting a bit slippery and I wanted to end after my 80cm round. I still think it was a good decision.
And very pleasingly, Paco got a lot of compliments. You know when you see a horse every day you get used to the way it looks but people - including a RI I know from way back who swung by - kept coming up and telling me how beautiful P was. I must say he did look well and at nearly 17 he was the same age as the rangy Lusi and a RC horse that one of the teenagers has on half-livery. They really did look like old fellas.
I claim no credit for this. I do nothing for P other than feed him! But he is looking good especially in the middle of winter as he's not furry and he was blindingly white in the cold sunshine. I do keep his back end nice and round with lot of hill walking ;D
But I found that my old GP saddle (bought for P eight and a half years ago) REALLy does not fit him anymore. So that idle saddle shopping must be in earnest now.
And when I got back R - who apparently shouted all day - had somehow (God knows how!!) dragged P's rug into the paddock from OUTSIDE and then danced on it, finishing by peeing on it. Charming. But at least it wasn't ripped.
Anyway, I enjoyed yesterday so much that I'm really looking forward to next Friday's XC training day. ;D
The day started off very cold and the ground was rock solid but we began with working on our positions and some technical stuff in the arena and soon warmed up. The cold made P very sharp and he almost had me off the second I'd taken my feet out of the stirrups to stretch my legs when he spooked and bolted from a rustling leaf. The wassock.
There were seven of us which was a nice number for a lot of attention. We were four adults: there was also a nice girl on a young arab still learning everything, a guy on a really speedy mare and an older man on a rangy old Lusitanian. I was a bit fascinated by him: he's a randonneur and obviously spends a lot of time riding but has no technique whatsover. His horse has never jumped in its life (and anyway it's full-blood Iberique). When asked why he was doing the clinic he said he had enjoyed our TREC training day but had struggled with cantering at the same time as turning his horse! He had never ever heard of the terms position equilibre or putting his legs on .... anyway I thought he was quite brave to come.
The teenagers were all there taking the SJ part of their Galop 5 exams.
So later on we worked over different types of jump and it was very convivial, everyone rooting for each other, which was lovely. The setting was gorgeous too: a Napoleonic era stud farm, beautiful old buildings.
Paco was really good too! He jumped everything I asked, not bothered by fillers or anything. I was really motivated too. After lunch the teenagers did their exam over a course of 80cm jumps with as many scary elements as possible including a tricky bounce that tripped up two of them. But the spa was the worst as it had a big spread.
Our trainers were just about to put the jumps down for us oldies when she looked at me and the words just came out of my mouth: No, I'll do it like that!
Well of course I hadn't learned the course but Paco flew over everything. For once I didn't think oo-er, just went for it. It was brilliant.
I felt so good that I stopped there and didn't do the barrage. I didn't think going super fast against the teenagers was a good thing for me and P: I didn't feel fear or that I bottled it, just that the field was getting a bit slippery and I wanted to end after my 80cm round. I still think it was a good decision.
And very pleasingly, Paco got a lot of compliments. You know when you see a horse every day you get used to the way it looks but people - including a RI I know from way back who swung by - kept coming up and telling me how beautiful P was. I must say he did look well and at nearly 17 he was the same age as the rangy Lusi and a RC horse that one of the teenagers has on half-livery. They really did look like old fellas.
I claim no credit for this. I do nothing for P other than feed him! But he is looking good especially in the middle of winter as he's not furry and he was blindingly white in the cold sunshine. I do keep his back end nice and round with lot of hill walking ;D
But I found that my old GP saddle (bought for P eight and a half years ago) REALLy does not fit him anymore. So that idle saddle shopping must be in earnest now.
And when I got back R - who apparently shouted all day - had somehow (God knows how!!) dragged P's rug into the paddock from OUTSIDE and then danced on it, finishing by peeing on it. Charming. But at least it wasn't ripped.
Anyway, I enjoyed yesterday so much that I'm really looking forward to next Friday's XC training day. ;D
for so much hard work we thank ye!!
