Charlie with the long sought after cooler

Charlie with the long sought after cooler
Spring NWEC 2013 Novice

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Aspen derby and jump lesson

Yesterday was the second Aspen derby of the year and today we had a jump lesson.  Charlie was a bit of a slug at the derby; he got a 30.5 in dressage (broke to canter in first trot lengthening), had a run out at the narrow corner the first round jumping, and did fine the second round, but had no go.
So I was worried about his health, and did just at tiny amount of warm up for both dressage and jumping, trying to save him for the jumping and to see how it would affect him today.  We got to John's, I said I waited to warm him up so John could help me as if it was the third day of a three day and Charlie was pooped, and he just trotted out like he was feeling his oats.  It made John laugh and laugh.
At the derby, I don't know what happened with the lengthening, but the jumping was instructive in a humble pie way.  The run out was the same mistake I made like three years ago, it was a long six stride (six strides, then 6') and I jumped the first jump in the wrong place at the wrong angle, then didn't even think to run him long and just got him to the second fence in the wrong spot.
I also had a problem with a rollback turn (on the right lead), the turn itself was fine, but then there were only a few strides to a decent sized oxer, and I didn't have enough power either time, so Charlie had to kind of twist over it.  That one I'm not sure how to fix, but it is progress, I guess, that I know what the problem is.  I didn't fix it between the first round and the second round, but at least I fixed the long six stride, which is something.
The long six stride was a weird angle, and the other riders jumped it making a rollback all the way around and then riding the combination as a bendy line instead of an angled straight line.  What I should have done was walk it both ways; the reason I didn't switch was because I didn't know how it would have walked, and I walked the damn course three times so it would have been easy enough to do once.
Charlie had no problems with any of the other fences, just a general lack of go.
Then in today's lesson, we rode with someone whose name I should know but don't.  She had a black and white paint mare.  We started over some verticals that were down the center line, first going one direction, then the other (just in a 20 meter circle) and then switching directions each time.  The secret here was outside leg.  Whichever leg was the outside of the circle (so if going right, left leg) needed to be active to get the line to the fence right.  I'm pretty sure this is the same thing as the rollback turn …
Then we went outside and rode a 5 stride line that had to be done gently, then the elements of the line with a hard left and hard right turn to a vertical, then a two stride to a bounce.  We had a hard time the first couple times through getting the 5 stride line, but the last time I finally caught on how to come in gentle, and it was no problem.
It was also a relief that Charlie didn't bat an eye at the bounce, although John made me do it again to show me (remind me) to use my outside leg to keep him from drifting to the left (left leg).  And unlike the paint, once he figured out we were turning, he could make the corner.
It was a huge relief that he jumped and was fine.  I was really worried that I shouldn't ride him a third day in a row when he was so tired yesterday, then I realized I'd rather know at home that he can't handle three days of work yet than learn it at a show and disrupt the season.  He did fine, but tomorrow is a rest day and then Tuesday is another lesson, so we'll see how the lesson goes.
May is going to be a busy month and will fly by, and I am looking forward to getting this show season going.
Oh and food.
Charlie is now getting:  flake of timothy and alfalfa am and pm, but if he doesn't eat his am hay, he doesn't get pm.  Full scoop of rolled oats, 1/4 scoop of Purina performance, 1/2 scoop of Senior Active, and 1/2 scoop of rice bran pellets am and pm with about 1-2 quarts of water.  Supplements vary am and pm.  AM is 3/4 cup corn oil, salt, squirt of body builder, and 10 papaya pills (which we are about to quit).  We just used up Red Cell and I didn't get more.  PM is his smartpak, salt, probiotics, papaya, corn oil, and ration plus.
Goal is to get him to:  1 scoop Purina performance, 1 scoop oats; then corn oil and smartpak.  Once he has enough weight on that it is turning to muscle.

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