Although there still seems to be the odd day of sunshine, the weather is starting to feel distinctively autumnal and I can’t help but notice the sun isn’t quite up when I get up in the mornings anymore. We’ve had a decent amount of rain which is keeping the ground soft, however I’m already noticing muddy gateways in the fields and not looking forward to the prospect of winter.
The summer seems to have flown me by and with one problem or another, I haven’t achieved as much as I’d hoped or made it to as many competitions as I’d intended. It’s always hard when you don’t have your own transport but I am extremely fortunate to have the very next best thing in the form of Dawn and Martina who transport and support Guinness and I whenever possible. I don’t feel too bad about the few set backs I’ve had as, although they’ve taken time, hopefully I have now put these firmly behind be.
Guinness is feeling well and looking great and he is so much braver these days whilst hacking. Although this might not seem like an amazing achievement, it has considerable positive effects all round as it shows that he is learning to not be so afraid of the unknown and also to trust me when he is doubt. This will have a massive effect when we are back on the cross country course as hopefully he will be less fixated on the goings on around the course and more fixated on the fences ahead because he has a greater trust in me. We’ve now completely overcome any water issues we had in the past which was a very significant step.
Last week we had a pretty heavy downpour and I seized the opportunity to go and hack through the puddles. In the woods they were less like puddles and more like small lakes with one of the bridleways completely transformed into a small river! When we came across quite a large expanse of water at a folk in the bridleway, without my encouragement, Guinness took it upon himself to ‘investigate’ this new lake and after dropping his head to look at the water, walked straight in!
On the flatwork front Sue has given us a few more things to work on. I have been so fixed on teaching Guinness to carry himself in self carriage and to have a light contact that I’d overlooked the fact that I still need ‘some’ contact. So know we are working on encouraging him to stretch down, into the contact so I have more ‘feel’ on the end of the rein and this will give him more confidence as we move on to more complicated movements.
This isn’t as easy as it seems. As Guinness is used to such a light contact asking for more of a feel means I have to back it up with more leg so he understands even though I am taking more of a contact, that he still needs to maintain the impulsion and rhythm. Also, with this extra contact, any error on my part is immediately picked up by Guinness and if I ask for too much inside bend on a circle (whilst I backing up the impulsion with my leg) he goes into shoulder in so I have to control the outside shoulder more with enough outside contact so as not to confuse him! Also, I have to practise keeping my hands as still as possible which is easier said than done!
Jumping has been good as well. We had a lesson with Kevin down the road and practised grids and bounces which Guinness was completely unfazed by, and didn’t touch a single pole. He’s always got his ears pricked and seems to really enjoy it and even when Kevin’s stallion started galloping around the adjacent paddock, he didn’t loose his focus.
Last week my good friend Vanessa brought her horse Henry over to our yard so we could go for a hack and have a good natter which I really enjoyed. Vanessa owned Peter (aka Chilli Hifly) who I used to ride and compete in affiliated eventing in 2009. Although we had mixed results, he taught me a lot and he was a very special horse.
I’ve got a few things planned over the next few weeks and I want to make the most of it before the winter arrives. This weekend it’s the Chiltern and Thames Showing Champs. Fingers crossed, I’ll be able to take Guinness to Snowball Hunter Trails the following weekend and I’m determined that I will get my first cross country clear round with Guinness this year! Then it’s back to dressage in time for the Chiltern and Thames Dressage Champs at Patchetts in October. More than a one trick pony is my little thoroughbred!
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