Lockdown continues

June 01, 2020

Lockdown continues

So it's been about 20 years since my last post, or what feels like it! We've reached the stage now where we're allowed go 5km and meet up with 4 friends for a socially distant catch up. What that has meant for me is I can now do lessons in the showgrounds with a full course of jumps!!

I've been very lucky in that I live within 2km of my jumping instructor, so I was able to hack over and get lessons during lockdown with Cu Chulainn. The lessons were great! They were very technical and worked on a lot of different issues, because they highlighted so much........sooo much! Examples include, him falling in on the right, tug and war between jumps, me driving him into a tiny jump and then sometimes dropping him, the list is endless. So we had plenty to practice on which was a nice goal to focus on, rather than just riding for the sake of riding.

Hacking home from lesson

Part of me wondered would it all stay with me. When I went for a lesson with the full course would I remember all the stuff or would it come naturally to me? I was both excited and nervous for that first lesson in the showgrounds. I was doing it with my friend Wendy, which I was equally delighted about, not alone to actually be able to see a friend but also to watch someone else ride. Lessons by yourself can be really intense and it can be great to watch someone else doing an exercise to see what it looks like or even should look like!

We had booked our lesson for the Saturday after Stage 1 of lift of lockdown, but there was a wind warning that managed to surpass covid 19 in conversations, 'jaysus tis fierce windy out there' or 'great bit of drying out!'. Needless to say we postponed, to just the next day. It was still breezy but it was a fabulous day. I'm glad to say both of us were feeling the nerves! Nothing like a bit of camaraderie to quench some of the nerves. Lads, there were 13 jumps, not including a triple!! I'd gone from 4 maybe 5 jumps to having to remember a whole course! Luckily we did 1-8, then 9-13. Even after jumping 1 I was thinking where the hell is 2 + 3 even though I had already jumped them! This is along the lines of stuff that can happen on show day, when the nerves kick in the negativity kicks in. But as per usual, I need not have worried. Cu Chulainn was absolutely class and he and I have come on leaps and bounds during lockdown. I think it has actually helped that we haven't been competing, there's been no rush on the improvement. There are still things to work on, but for the most part his head isn't bent in the wrong direction, I'm not in the 'hunting' position over fences, I'm looking ahead (a lot more, lol) and it isn't speedy gonzales, it's smooth and consistent and he has his big canter whoop whoop, if you know, you know.

Cu Chulainn was wrecked after the lesson - I had a power nap myself!

Fred has not been left to one side either. The work we did in the field on the slope has really stood to him. He has bulked up loads and is getting stronger and stronger. His canter is still weaker on the left rein for things like counter canter. There are zero arguments anymore. If I feel him getting tetchy (which happens regularly, bit of a diva) we drop the reins or work on something else for a minute, let him catch his breath and try the exercise again.

I put out 4 poles in the field in a clock position to work on transitions and coming back to me for Cu Chulainn, but I've put them to use for Fred too. We did a few transitions and then I thought, maybe I'll try asking him for a flying change. I've always wanted to try it with him, but never properly attempted it. The first few times he was disunited, which means his front/back legs had changed the lead for canter but the other legs hadn't. It is very uncomfortable for both rider and horse and usually they'll change eventually, either to the new lead or the old. He did get it eventually though and it was the best feeling! I think I'm over doing it a lot with the aids and we're nearly jumping into the new canter, but it's still happening and I don't care if his nose is in the sky!

Turmeric face

The natural shine on him!

Isn't he gorgeous

I'm dying to do a lesson with Vida, but I think I'll just get him a bit stronger in canter first. I have Jessie coming from Precision Equine Dentistry to give him an equine massage this week because I think he's overly sensitive at the poll at the minute and he might as well get a once over after all the hard work he's been doing (Cu Chulainn is graaaandd and is ridiculously flexible!).

Yummygrass

I'm still riding in the field at home and I thought of a great way of learning what mistakes I'm making. Like many riders, I have a helmet cam, which is no use to me when riding because I can't see what I'm doing, but is great fun for beach rides and XC. So I've attached that to an old hat and put it on a rail in the field so I can video myself and watch the videos to see what I'm doing. I've only done it once so far, but it was really good to see. My god my arms are so bloody stiff because I'm trying to sit up straight on CC, and it's filtering through on Fred. So my mission this week will be to ride CC without stirrups, but maybe even bareback! Videos are the worst to watch but the best to learn from because so often you don't realise you're doing what you're doing!

Morning tea break

There have been announcements this weekend of shows opening up and Dressage Ireland are doing some online ones, which I must look into. For now, we've been really enjoying lockdown and working on their individual goals.

Natural frame

I got more hens again so we are a full Zoo now........two roosters too! I actually witnessed them fighting the other day, it was literally handbags at dawn! But fear not, the row was settled and Snowy is alpha again ( having been on a break from the others because he was a bit ill). They're finally starting to consistently lay some eggs, fingers crossed they'll all be laying soon!

Fred looks on as the hens hunt

Rusty, my sidekick

Hanging out

I've also made a vegetable garden, I'm a virgin gardener so it's all new.....really hoping it'll work out and I can have my own fresh veg!

The running has stopped temporarily as I twisted my ankle pretty badly a few weeks ago. The pilates has also stopped and I have no good excuse for that one and I realllllyyy need to get back at it, so that's the goal for this week.