October 2017 Review

October has generally been a better month, Chesney is better and no more dramas have come up.  Vaccinations are done which is always good, Basil hasn't lost any shoes and Tommy is still lovely.  Unfortunately, the same can't be said of our canter work, which to be honest, is still so variable.  Basil is also getting very strong so I think that I am going to have to find a stronger bit :(

My Aims for October were: 

1.      Calmness and Rhythm in canter - hopeless

2.      Suppleness - this is improving

3.      More balance and slower in canter - hopeless

4.      Correct canter leads - most of the time

5.      Turn on forehand - is better

6.      Leg yield circles (spirals) - done a couple of these

7.      Canter Poles - no

8.      Small jump (maybe a bit bigger) - no, too windy to be doing scary stuff

This is what October  looked like: 

1st - 5th no riding so Chesney totally recovers!

6th - lunged, Basil was a bit silly at the end but as he has had 2 weeks off that is good

7th - lunged again, it was really windy so didn't dare ride after so long off but he was really good :)

8th - rode in the arena today, nice walk and trot and leg yield.  We had our first attempt at shoulder in today - on the left rein because it is the one I am best at in my lessons!  I think we might have got 1 step.  Tried walk to canter today instead of the trot just getting faster.  Pretty good transition but the canter was a bit fast.

10th - rode in the arena again.  A bit more shoulder in on left rein again today.  Walk to canter transitions again too, 1st one on the right rein was a good canter but too fast, on the left we got the wrong lead 1st attempt.  2nd attempt a better transition but still too fast.

14th - hack out today, jogged part way back but pleased after our break.

15th - arena today and it he was pretty good considering the wind.  Lovely trot, serpentines and leg yield.  More shoulder in practice, maybe 2 steps today :)  I think Basil is starting to anticipate the walk to canter transitions now :(

17th - arena again, more shoulder in - definitely getting the idea now.  BAD canter transitions on left again, wrong lead and then on the last right canter he went sideways - very naughty.

20th - lunged and very good

21st - just too windy to do anything

22nd - lunged again as pretty windy, very good

25th - lunged today as horses had vaccinations.  Good to start with, then a squirrel started jumping on and off the fence and so Basil had an excuse to be loopy at the end

27th - arena - canters are too fast

28th - hack and we jogged home again

29th - arena better today, 2/3 shoulder in steps and a good, lovely, calm first canter but the rest were too fast

31st - lunged and he was silly again

My Aims for November are: 

1.      Calmness and Rhythm in trot canter

2.      More balance and slower in canter

3.      Correct canter leads

4.      Calmer trots after cantering

5.      Turn on forehand

6.      Shoulder in on left rein

7.      Leg yield circles (spirals)

 8.      Small jump (maybe a bit bigger)

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Until next time!

Jo