Evidence of cantering. Thankfully Mialee can ride one handed.
Poor Frodo didn't appear as keen to go out this morning - I did tell him he was going to Alder Lake Farm (my favourite venue) and we were going to see Jan Carter and Rebecca Wood he muttered something about not needing to go, but when I said I want to he skipped onto the trailer and off we set.
He was really pleased to see Lisa Bates when we arrived. I got him tacked up and we went in to get warmed up, Jan Carter gave us a potted lesson before we started to ride the test - novice 27 as I felt it was a bit tricky and we could do with the input from Jan. I need to tweak my warm up when out so it actually mirrors the warm up at home. So lots of transitions, turn on the forehand and more transitions - include a serpentine/10 metre circles, if he's falling in check left hip!!
Then before he was exhausted did started riding the test - only someone second guessed where she should be going so we had to do it again, I know the test and feel really cross with myself for not trusting myself. I can remember a test.
After we'd finished talked about the test with Jan, I was really pleased with the timing of the canter transition, but not the quality!! The canter/trot transition needs to be later and more forwards - again trust you can do it. The trot/walk/trot transition needed to be more forwards - balance yourself and make him go forwards. So we worked on trot/walk/trot transitions on a circle and then did a lovely trot along the long side, think balance and getting him working from behind, for Frodo transitions are the key to that. He felt like a bouncy ball in the trot ❤ he did however run out of go go so stopped whilst he was happy and let him chill out on a long rein.
It was lovely in this weather to be in an indoor arena however Frodo managed to stay dry but I was soaked by the time I got in the car. Many many thanks go to RRebecca Woodfor organising yet another beneficial clinic and letting me change from Nov 28 to Nov 27 as we definitely needed the input on
This afternoon we were meant to have a lesson with Mathieu's Dressage World but sadly he had to cancel, one of the reasons for the lesson was to film our entry for the Equi Fun club virtual dressage show - I needed Matt here as I’m so hopeless at remembering tests so he was going to call it having helped me warm up for it.
So we had to warm ourselves up - to a strict time (like at proper dressage) as I’d instructed my OH to come out at a set time to video me, I knew I had to ride it correctly and whatever happened it had to be done in one take, so warts and all it was going to be submitted.
I’m not as bad as I thought and not only did I learn the test but stayed calm enough to remember it in the test. No it wasn’t our best effort, but we did it and we’ll get honest feedback and know what to work on for next time. There was some elements that I was happy with, and some I know we need to work on, this is without the judges judgement.
Frodo doesn’t much like working on a warm day, and I’m not much better so was pleased that neither of us downed tools. He’s in for a treat tomorrow but will let you know after the event what we did and how it went. I’ve added a video of what we have to contend with at C - the llama of doom, Badger likes to spit at us when we come past.
Woohoo wonderful Wednesday's so since last weds we've mainly been doing in hand work, lots of bending and trying differing things to start building fitness and suppleness but also to get him moving. This Weds I rode him - this was so exciting and scary, scary as what happens if he's still lame?
He also had turn out today for the first time in 5 weeks, I was worried he'd zoom off on the hard ground and it was made into more of a task as he had to go through the llamas field. I really shouldn't have stressed he got a little (lifted his head) excited had a big roll and shake and then mooched off to say hello to the other horses.
He came in nicely tonight but was slightly wide eyed by the appearance of tack, I did typical girlie eek he's going to be difficult, why I do that to myself I don't know but as the thought came into my head I told myself that even if he did I could deal with it.
So of course when I got on he was fine, we did lots of walking and maybe a little spook, and seek reassurance from the audience of horses at the tiger by the school (ok it was a cat) and he softened and off we set, me laughing at the cat. Keeping the rhythm of the walk was my aim, and for the most part I'm convinced we did that, lots of circles large/small thinking about maintaining bend without too much flexion. All in all I was thrilled to be back up there and him feeling good.
