XC Grid Day

 

Well, no parade... but probably a good thing. Danny was DINO DAN today!

Did the XC footwork/grid clinic with Beth and had a blast. Rode with Jill and Brady, Laura and Smarty, Danielle and Rusty, and another girl who boards at Full Gallop with her white TB. Dan was in rare form, snarling at everyone. He even stomped his foot at them repeatedly. But seriously dude.. it doesn't get old after a few hours? Though at the end, me and Brady went on a short hack and he was happy and even friendly with Brady. He just does NOT do crowds. Hence... no parade. 

Clinic was super fun. Started at banks... walk up, walk down. Dan was soooo bored. ;) Been there, done that Auntie Beth. Then added small jump at top and bottom. Worked on keeping the connection. Dressage canter him through it. We tend to get blase about things and really I need to be riding for perfection even over the "easy stuff". Because otherwise both Dan and I get sloppy. Worked up to grid plus a jump before.

Then moved to ditches and worked up to vertical, bounce, ditch, bounce, vertical. Again, ride him connected. Dressage canter him but WITH LEG! And.. it was actually kind of cool because when I had him connected/in the bridle, I could send him and he felt much more powerful but I wasn't having to just gallop him. he was balanced! But I think it's more about getting the base of his neck unlocked than getting him "on the bit". Maybe? I had to do alternating half-halts to "break him off" and get him to let go, and then I could send him forward. I could ride him round and deep, but... that's not really conducive to long term xc riding AND I think that it's not so much getting him there.. it's that by getting him there, I'm unlocking his brace. But I will have to play with it and ponder and feel things out and see. 

Moved on to the water. Jill was laughing at how wet I got compared to everyone else. YES!!! Why does my horse throw up SOOOO much more water than everyone else!?  Kept choking him and hanging on his face up the bank to the bounce. And we were ugly going into the water. Beth noted I had to keep it consistent the last 3 strides. I could throw him away OR I could hold, but I couldn't hold, hold, throw away. It was better if I "held his hand" into the water, but almost had to break him off in the water with a good alternating half halt and get him to unlock, then give him his head up and out. We also jumped a few smaller fences (novice maybe) after and before the water and I worked on galloping them, but... it did make a difference when I galloped only vs galloped with him "on the bit" or the alternating half halts to get him unlocked. And I also used some extra inside flexion (ala my kelly dressage lesson) to help keep him soft. 

After the water we did a course. We jumped a coop then around to the ditch, then through the water, then another coop, then down the bank. It was helpful having to gallop, then collect and shorten for the grids, then gallop, then shorten. SUPER fun day and super educational :) 

Afterwards Jill and I went for a short hack back to the trailer and I made a pit stop and "galloped" the doghouse. Not a huge table, but... a bigger fence. My goal is to "gallop" at least one table every time I'm out there... so my brain and body can get back into that mentality. Beth also mentioned that Dan's little stutter step was almost becoming a habit. So.. we're gonna fix both of our bad habits at those big tables. I figured if I started doing it at the smaller ones on my own and getting our confidence and 'technique" back, then I can start gradually doing bigger ones on my own and for sure do the bigger ones with trainers :) 

  Here's a good comparison... Dan when he braces and locks his underneck against me..... vs Dan when I "break him up" and unlock the base of his neck. 

And.. another example where he's bracing against me....