September 2017 Review

This month ended the same as last, with Basil less one shoe!  I am looking into boots for him now as an alternative after they were suggested by the farrier.  I have to measure his feet though when they have just been trimmed.  Chesney affected our riding for 2 weeks - because he gets upset when I take Basil away I had to leave them together whilst he was struggling with his foot.  Let's hope October proves better.

 

My Aims for September were:

1.      Calmness and Rhythm in canter - sometimes

2.      Suppleness - definite improvements

3.      More balance and slower in canter - sometimes

4.      Correct canter leads - mostly now

5.      Turn on forehand - still improving

6.      Leg yield circles (spirals) - just in walk

7.      Canter Poles - no :(

8.      Small jump - yes :)

This is what September  looked like: 

1st - lunged today. Basil is definitely sound again now and was a bit loopy today :)

2nd - hack out, lovely.

3rd - rode in the arena today and had some good walk and trot, with some lovely swinging and forward trot work.  Basil was round and supple and balanced - until he thought it was time to canter!  We did lots of trot circles to try to keep calm and then with his time off he was a bit 'bucky' in canter but he did settle into a lovely left canter.  The canter on the right rein was a bit fast.

5th - lunged today.

6th - arena again with some good walk and trot serpentines.  We practised our turn on the forehand which is a bit varied.  I think our canters were slightly better.

8th - arena again and canters definitely better today.  Some lovely trot serpentines and leg yield too.

9th - hack out :)

10th - arena and I was not feeling 100%.  We did some nice walk and trot work and circles.  Cantered early with some not too bad transitions.  Right canter was lovely, left a bit fast.  We did our trot serpentines after cantering today so they were a bit rushed.

12th - arena today and it was quite windy so I was pleased with him.  Lovely left trot circles in rising and sitting trot and canter but a bit difficult on the right rein - he needs extra inside leg to keep him into a particular corner where he naps when I won't let him canter.

15th - lunged today

16th - hack today and really pleased with Basil as there was a water leak in the road and so a big puddle at the bottom of the hill and he walked through it - really proud!

17th - jumps today :):):)  really pleased, a bit bigger than last time we jumped and he still remained fairly calm.  Except one occasion when he went from walk to canter and met it all wrong (he was supposed to be trotting!).

Chesney trod on the nail that evening and so no more riding in September.  Chesney is just about back to normal now, but it was a very hard and upsetting few days :(

My Aims for October are the same: 

1.      Calmness and Rhythm in canter

2.      Suppleness

3.      More balance and slower in canter

4.      Correct canter leads

5.      Turn on forehand

6.      Leg yield circles (spirals)

7.      Canter Poles

8.      Small jump (maybe a bit bigger)

Have you seen yesterday's video 'Stables and Yawns' on my new You Tube channel?
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Until next time!

Jo