An Eventful Ride With Gatsby - 24th January 2015.

Well guys, I don't think that this post is going to be very long from me as I am still not quite 100%  back to normal. I've been on antibiotics all week for my throat but that is not getting any better and my ear is now starting to get painful as to. So I think on a day off I need to get back to the doctors. 

Saturday I had my weekly lesson on Gatsby and to say it was eventful was an understatement. It started off really well, Gatsby was warming up nicely, he was providing me with a good stretch before I even asked him to pick up the contact in both walk and trot. He was a little bit lazy off the leg but other than that he was being very well behaved. 

When I started asking him to pick up the contact he was willing to do it, we needed to get more hind end engagement but it was still really really good. He was soft and forward, we did a small amount of canter because it was important for Gatsby and I not to over do it with the canter work before we tried riding the test as that is what makes me really tired. We first off practiced riding the intro B test, this was the first time that I had ever rode it so I wasn't sure how it was going to go but it went fairly well, we had lots of consistent moments in an outline and we're getting better and more confident at actually riding a dressage test. Intro B is for me to get confident when we get to the show, before I do the test with canter in it. We managed to maintain an even rhythm and get through it smoothly I was so happy with it and Fiona even said that I'm looking much more confident. The key for me is just riding the tests over and over again. 

However we then moved on to the Prelim tests, this is where things got interesting. Gatsby had decided he was done and because Tubby was standing in the middle of the school he was constantly wanting to go to tubs, (you will be able to see this on the video) I was starting to feel very week in my hip and was struggling to get Gatsby off my left leg and away from Mr Tubs. I then got to the point where my hip was pushed out of place and I was blocking Gatsby because I was closing it off. I DID ride through the whole test which I didn't think I was going to be able to do. It wasn't very good but we did get through it. When we stopped I talked to Fiona and we've decided even though it will make me un even in my stirrups when my hip starts getting this bad I need to put my left stirrup up two holes, to take the pressure off my leg and make it so I can keep riding. After I rode through the prelim test I did get really upset while I was on Gatsby and then when I took him in to the stable to get sorted he know I wasn't very happy. Normally Gatsby would go straight to his food but not on saturday he stayed by me and followed me around he kept resting his head on me. I think he thought that I was mad at him and because of the bond that we have got I think he wanted to try and make that better. So we left on a good note after lots of cuddles and kisses. 

Having cuddles and Gatsby trying to say that he was sorry. Bless him. 

I have got some videos from our lesson, I got a video of the Intro B test all the way through and I got a video of our very bad prelim test. While I am so annoyed at how the prelim test went, the positives is we got through it all, and it didn't look completely awful. We know what we need to improve before we go to Broomfield, and we know our strengths and weaknesses. I've still got just over a month to ride through it and perfect it and we will just have to see what happens. 

Now to end my post with the 5 things Gatsby did well. 

1. Warmed up well, he provided a good stretch and was listening from the start. 

2. When we were warming up we did some small rein backs to get him stepping underneath. He was foot perfect on these and it really helped him out. 

3. When asked to go in to an outline he did it straight away, without hesitation and he kept in the outline until I asked him (Whether on purpose or by accident) to come out of it. 

4. His free walks are amazing! He stretches so well and really goes in to the contact on the long rein while covering a good amount of ground. 

5. He knows how to make me feel a million times better, yes this isn't riding related but still. Gatsby was great after our lesson, he knew that I just needed some Gatsby time where I could stroke him and hug him to cheer me up and that's what he gave to me. He is the worlds best horse and I love him to pieces. If I am any where near as lucky to find a horse like Gatsby when I get my own horse I will be over the moon. 

Until Next Time 

A Girl With A Dream