Instead of a dressage test, there was a jumpers round to start. In order for everyone to get ranked, whoever went the fastest set optimum time regardless of faults. Everyone else got time faults- every second over optimum time counted as a fault. Of course it would have been completely unfair of me to ask Jasper for speed and tight turns, so I rode it as a hunter course, used the whole arena, and tried to give him as long of an approach as I could to each fence. Sometimes it wasn't much as the course was curvy and there were some tight lines... but he got himself over everything often with room to spare. We had tons of time faults. Some of the jumps were completely covered with flowers which was new.
Round 1- Jumpers
The second phase was cross country. It was a nice course, inviting, and there was a very small bank, water, and a big deep dark ditch. I think Jasper realized it was a ditch after his front feet had already left the ground and it scared him. It was kind of like a cork coming out of a champagne bottle. The rest of the course rode really well, there were some some spooky things and he chose to trot into some of the fences but didn't suck back or act like he was going to refuse. It's almost like he just wanted more time to get a better look at things.
Cross Country
The last phase was a stadium round based on the rules for eventing. This round felt way better than the first.
Stadium
And Roxie was there for her first jumping show! Jasper recognized her from when we went to take a lesson with Betty last week. It was love at second sight and he had small fits of bucking and kicking in place when she left him. Which meant he stayed tied to the trailer longer than normal on multiple occasions. Hopefully her mom will post her videos because she was SUPER CUTE.
My parents and niece came to watch, my dad has become quite the videographer and took all the videos. We got a picture taken at the end of the show:
Ummmmmmm...
10 comments:
Wait, no dressage??!! My kinda show!
I think you guys did great! I did notice that in the stadium round you were more relaxed and that seemed to make jasper more relaxed. He got more of his leads and spots.
i remember you asking me about my spots for jumping...idea...try to collect Jasper more while you are doing your course. He was a bit stretched out, losing impulsion and it seemed like you didn't have as much control of his hind end...does that make sense? Maybe if you could collect him a bit he would push from his hind and you would be able to control stirdes better. I hope I am making sense. If not, hit me up on FB and I will try to explain my thought. lol
Either way...still jealous of you both :)
Very good confidence building for him - he seems like a real trier!
Yeah Pru, he was flailing around a bit. He's still at the stage where he's building muscle and learning to balance and when he gets off balance he uses speed to compensate. The footing was really, really deep on the outside of the ring as well.
I know he needs to collect more, and he will attempt it if I ask. The problem is that when I attempt to collect and hold him to the base of a fence the timing is off every single time and sometimes he crashes through them. When I collect in the corners and just let him chose his own pace he usually gets over everything and often out of stride.
I feel like my eye has to get way, way better before I start choosing distances. What to do?
What did your jump instructor say about it? I think you need more dressage practice with your SUPER long legs! Bwahhaahaaha! :)
Practice, it makes perfect. Are you going for any more lessons?
Mindy
I so loved these videos of him...
he has done so well! And he has a mighty good counter canter!
Your parents must be so proud of you and your lean bay Jasper TB! They even shared lunch and the lunch box with him!
KK
PS
Well, answering your Trail trial question : I want time to school-on-the-spot with the weirdo obstacles...but they did not allow it at that event.
NICE job! I like that you choose not to push him while he's still learning. He was a good boy on the water (behind the hillock?), but I couldn't quite pick out the ditch (half-way, behind the small logs jump?) and the bank (towards the end, where you circled around to the right?)...
(p.s. Thanks for the Roxie videos, too!)
Yeah! Looks like a super fun day, Jasper is doing soo well. Love all the vids! Yay dad!
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This last pic is hilarious!
I'm with Pru, no dressage ftw!!!!
He did so great! What fun videos. Thanks for sharing and sorry it took me so long to watch them and comment. :) Been busy.
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