We had a naughty hack on Saturday, during which I experienced brake failure in all three paces, a gallop from the pony which doesn't gallop, a "whoooppeeee!!!" buck and canter leg yield - nothing wrong with that pony! Ignoring the fact that I hate it when he tanks off in canter (we were at the back of the ride, behind a young & green freisian - I did not want to crash!), he felt the best he has felt in a long time, right from the start of the ride. Really striding out and happy to be there. We led the ride for most of it, we were out for about an hour and a quarter.
Things to work on - standing for mounting from the ground and manners in company - he's fine with both on his own, but we have this gymkana coming up.
It made me worry a bit about our dressage yesterday - was it going to be like the show in November where he was completely out of control?
Actually, although he tried to tank off with me a few times, he was pretty much dead to the leg - nothing to worry about there!
I went with 3 aims;
1. Stay inside the arena
2. Complete both tests without a memory failure
3. Get over 50% in both tests
Well we met 1 & 2, and got 55% in P10, don't know on P14 yet.
Comments were generally that he needs to move more off the leg (agreed), we got 4's and a 5 for our canter - we got some (hurrah!) but he couldn't maintain it long, and I didn't push the issue. We had a few bits of nice work too. I came out feeling absolutely knackered - it'll be transitions, transitions, transitions when the school is done.
I felt P14 went better, it certainly rode better. Got a much better trot in parts, same issue with the canter, but he maintained it for slightly longer on the circles. I'm hoping the comments reflect all that!
We're riding P10 again next weekend, at a different venue, but hoping we can go back to Manor Grange at some point, it was lovely and calm, until Daffy didn't want to come home and towed OH across the field!