Had a lie in which was much needed, walked the dogs and was somewhat gobsmacked to see my physio walking an elderly Labrador as 1/ he lives miles away & 2/ his Lab is a 10 week old puppy.
Turns out his daughter lives nearby and he was Charlie sitting :-)
Faffed about and ended up going to yard with barely time to get stuff never mind ride (my bad) am really not good when going to yard PM as just faff about all morning before I go over and achieve nothing!
Picked Clare up and went to the Steph Croxford demo at Moreton Morrell. We did not go directly to demo due to too much nattering and had to pull into layby and get TomTom to assist us as we'd missed a turning ...
Steph Croxford Demo
First rider
Started with mare at Novice level that has tendency to be inattentive and neighs.
Mare of course proved owner wrong by being pretty quiet.
Horse and ride both crooked and sure Steph saw both but tended to address horse as I guess no one volunteers as a guinea pig to be pulled apart in public so makes clinician's life pretty hard to effect real change in demo situation.
Steph very encouraging and did a fair number of things that are familiar to help this combination.
In and out on circle then shoulder in/fore and transition to canter.
Second rider
I seriously wanted this mare as loved her attitude and also less positively wanted to wrench rider from saddle remove her spurs and poke her with them at every stride. Yes I realise the irony in that sentence given how I ride and my flapping legs.
Lovely mare really got some good pointers from this combo.
Neck as a shelf - This is from Richard Davidson's teaching of Steph and basically neck should come *straight* out of withers and top of neck should be straight and long and thus shelf like.
Then pick up so ears highest point (ears up!) whilst keeping neck long.
Ears up! - Half halt with upwards feel and LET GO outside rein to keep poll highest point.
Steph VERY keen in give and retake in canter to ensure horse is not balanced on hands.
Also on long side LY three/four strides in off track, forwards the trot, LY back to track and similar on diagonal.
Steph Croxford on young horse
Steph then rode her very tense six year old that has a stamp of Rimmer (Mr President) about him.
Lots of shoulder in and Clare's 'bend him' walk past it but don't look at it so bend him around inside leg to get past monster.
Steph was amazingly honest and admitted how difficult this young horse had been putting both her and her husband in hospital and how long their journey had been to the point where he now trusted her (was quite teary eyed at this point)
Steph also admitted how difficult it was to actually let the rein go post a spook and not just keep him on a contact, really refreshing to hear that yes even the top riders find stuff like this hard going.
We then had a break for coffee and supper :-D
After the interval Steph came in with a young rider Louise on a nice horse Lindor the combination training with Stephen Clarke.
Louise a lovely rider and horse another one I'd have liked to take home but on the night horse not very forwards and through IMO.
In the absence of Mr P (suspensory injury) Louise rode through her music.
Really good evening.
Sunday
Got up feeling totally shattered I do not do getting in after midnight very well any more, maybe I never did?
Got to yard turned boys out and had a putting the world to rights chat with Steph which was thoroughly enjoyable. Again ironic as I'm another one with grand plans who doesn't always prioritise riding enough and was also daft enough to buy a lame horse (Fred)
Mucked out got boys in, rode C said hello to new livery, went home for lunch had a little nap.
Back to yard skipped out pooh picked field home to supper and am more than ready for my bed!
Good weekend :-D
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