May 2017 Review

Yes!!!!  Progress is continuing and Basil and I are enjoying ourselves.  We are working back up to a small jump at the moment, just poles so far though. My brakes are still working and balance and rhythm is getting better week on week.  We are enjoying the better weather, no rugs, and I have swapped them onto their summer routine now so they are out at night and in during the day.

My Aims for May were:

1.      Calmness - still improving

2.      Rhythm - and this is too :)

3.      Suppleness - good progress in walk and trot, not so much in canter

4.      More balance - definitely feel this is getting better

5.      Correct canter leads - most of the time

6.      Turn on forehand - forgotten to practise this

7.      Leg yield - still good 90% of the time

8.      Poles - yes !

 
This is what May  looked like:

2nd  - rode in the arena today, softer in walk and looking for a contact.  We had a good session today with some great walk and trot serpentines. Brilliant left canter, settled really quickly but on right rein I had to do lots of trot circles before he dropped his head and stopped rushing.

3rd - lunging, great.

5th - lunged again today and Basil was very good for most of it, but then had a nutty moment and galloped up and down the side with Chesney the other side of the fence.  Tommy was galloping around the field too :(

6th - Badminton

7th - arena, we had to do fewer circles today before Basil calmed down enough to canter which means we continue to make progress.  Softer and more balanced and a slower canter too - all good things.

9th - great ride in the arena today.  Lovely walk and trot leg yield and some great trot serpentines, on the bit, good rhythm and bend :)  Canters were calmer too.

12th  - arena and still making progress.

13th - hack out today - lovely.

15th - arena schooling and we are still moving forward.  Calmer sooner before I try to canter and some great circles.

16th - lunged today.

17th - rained all day :(

19th - rained all day :(

20th - arena for a slightly disappointing session today.  Basil was rushing so we had much less rhythm and he was really anticipating the cantering.

21st - arena and a better session today.  Basil was steadier, better canter transitions and steadier in canter, more balanced.  We walked over 3 poles today.

23rd -  HOT today.  Quiet lunging session.

24th - HOT today, rode 20 minutes before swapping them to summer routine - which means I will now ride early in the morning before it gets hot.  We did lots of walk and some trot.  Worked over the poles again and I eventually go Basil to trot steadily enough over the trotting poles to meet them all correctly.  Farrier too.

26th - lunged, had a very silly  moment but much cooler early in the morning.

27th - arena early today, we had some good trots over the poles again today :)

28th - hack, it is lovely and quiet first thing, sunny and peaceful :) :)

31st - rode early again today.  Lovely trot serpentines again today, one wrong canter strike on right rein, not quite prepared.  Cantered some pretty good circles today too.

 My Aims for June are:

1.        Calmness

2.        Rhythm

3.        Suppleness

4.        More balance in canter

5.        Correct canter leads

6.        Turn on forehand

7.        Leg yield circles (spirals)

8.        Poles/Jump

As I am away for some of June we probably won't jump this month - but maybe!

Have you seen yesterday's video 'Muddy Tommy' on my You Tube channel?
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Until next time!

Jo