This is another month where I have felt like we are just treading water. Although our last few sessions have seen some steps back to where we were heading in April. The first week Basil was still struggling with his breathing and having Ventipulmin and steroid powders in his feeds. After that I was careful to not work him too hard for a while just in case! This month I have been riding/lunging early in the morning before it gets hot!
My June Aims for Basil were:
1.
Calmness, rhythm and suppleness in all paces. I
think overall this is improving.
2.
Consistency of bend on left rein, getting better
in walk and trot.
3.
Halt transitions from trot, continue to improve.
4.
Canter to trot transitions - still need
improving.
5.
Jumping, 1 stride doubles, in a good sensible
canter rhythm. Still doing the pole.
6.
Turn on the forehand - improve movement away
from left leg. More practise needed.
7.
Leg yield away from and towards track in one
fluid motion. Yes!
8.
Improve our half circles in trot. Need work again.
9.
Learn a dressage test (prelim 1) and practice at
home. Have forgotten about this!
10.
Lunge in bridle as I would like to introduce
side reins soon. This is getting
embarrassing.
This is what June looked like:
1st - vet out to Basil again. He has been better over the weekend but now
the steroid injection has worn off he is back to square one. Vet has given me steroid powder for his feed
as well as the Ventipulmin - very expensive!
6th - Basil seems a lot better. Short schooling session in walk with a tiny bit
of trot to ensure he is on the mend.
Lots of circles, serpentines and leg yield. Just concentrating on bend and
suppleness. Came in from field tonight
with haemotoma!
7th - decision was made and Floss returned to her old owner
because of all the problems she has caused with Chesney and Basil. No hacking again for a while :(
9th - short lunging session today. Just walk and trot, very good, very sensible.
11th - lunged today.
Proper session; walk, trot and canter.
Again very good today.
12th - schooling session.
Recent time off was definitely noticeable in canter as my brakes failed
and it took a lot longer to come back to
trot again. He had been getting much
better. Today's session was mostly about
control and bend!
14th - lunged again. Pretty good today.
16th - lunged.
Lunatic today, cantered off, made a hole in my gloves and a small rope
burn. I managed to get him back and
finish the session relatively sensibly.
18th - schooling session.
Lazy to start with - long nights in the field eating. First couple of canters were the slowest and
laziest I have ever know and I started to wonder if he was OK. However, then he woke up! We did some 10 m circles in walk and leg
yield in walk and trot which I am pleased as it is a couple of weeks since we
tried this exercise.
19th - lunged again today, much better and very good in
walk, trot and canter. Made me laugh as
he suddenly did a huge leap in the air before cantering nicely!
21st - schooled. Very
good today, we did some 15m and 10m
circles in walk. Canter to trot
transitions are getting better again but not as good as they were in
April. Leg yields to the track in walk
and trot were great, so we need to try away from the track again.
23rd - lunged. Really
good session today. Pleased.
25th - flat schooling.
So pleased with today, feel like we are getting back to where we
were. Downwards transitions still need
to improve and I need to be more definite about where we are changing down, not
be so relaxed about it taking 10 or more strides after I think about it! We got a nice shape towards the end of the
session as well as some good bending around my leg. Left canter bend is still a bit wayward but
the improvement in walk and trot means we are getting somewhere. Did a bit of leg yielding in walk away and
towards track and really pleased with Basil's response. Trot leg yield towards the track is also
improving. All in all GOOD session :)
26th - lunged. Apart
from getting over excited in the canter when Basil thought it would be way more
fun if he just leapt and bucked and kicked around a few times, fairly
good. He did not try to run off and just
went silly on the circle.
27th - jumped. We
haven't jumped since 4th May. This is
partly because of his lameness and then breathing issues but to be honest I am
not sure why I haven't jumped since he has been better. So I went back to a smaller cross pole with
the pole on the ground. Basil was a bit
speedy but I am now sure we can get this to improve. No hesitation from him though which I am pleased
about as he has not been over a pole for nearly 2 months! Back to bigger jump next time - double!!
29th - lunging session.
A good sensible session today!
30th - flat schooling.
Today I really feel that we are nearly back to where we were in April. The aim for today was shape and softness, by
the end of our session Basil was coming nice and round in walk and trot. Lovely work in walk and trot, good bend, good
shape and suppleness . Canter work is
still a bit inconsistent - weirdly better on the left rein today! We did some brilliant leg yield away from and
towards the track in one fluid motion in trot so really pleased. BRILLIANT SESSION to end the month.
My July Aims for Basil are the same as June:
1.
Calmness, rhythm and suppleness in all paces.
2.
Consistency of bend on left rein.
3.
Halt transitions from trot, continue to improve.
4.
Canter to trot transitions - still need
improving.
5.
Jumping, 1 stride doubles, in a good sensible
canter rhythm.
6.
Turn on the forehand - improve movement away
from left leg.
7.
Leg yield away from and towards track in one
fluid motion.
8.
Improve our half circles in trot.
9.
Learn a dressage test (prelim 1) and practice at
home.
10.
Lunge in bridle as I would like to introduce
side reins soon.
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Until next time!
Jo
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