XC Schooling: Dutch

Ok, so before we get to the XC schooling I know I posted a bit about trying to keep/ put weight on a very picky older horse.  His diet has not changed from that last post each feeding is 3 lbs Fiber plus, 1 pound Ultium, .25 pound Cavalor Senior.  He gets his fescue round bale, timothy inside, and 3 - 6 hours (weather dependent) of grass.  He is actually eating his entire ration and leaving a clean bucket!!

This is about perfect, he looks chunky in pictures, but his ribs are still just barley visible. 

The Cavalor is a trial at our local Southern States and while I do not buy the hype about it's nutritive difference, as a topper for increased paltability it is awesome.   I am really happy with how he looks right now, I am just going to put him back on Tri Amino and add some lunging with side reins to help get that last bit of muscle cover. Sadly I do not think the Cavalor is selling well, if people are going to spend $30+ for a bag of feed from Southern States, they are probably going to stick with Triple Crown.

Just needs a bit more muscle along the top of his back and croup.

On to XC!!

So Dutch has not been XC schooling in about 10 years and I only went once last year out side of shows... which meant that the first hour was a bit of a shit show.  He was not bad, he is just very different to Uno and highlights ALL of my weaknesses as a rider.  If you point Uno at a jump, as long as you do not pull him off it, he will jump.  If you point Dutch at a jump you have to tell him that you WANT to jump it every step of the way.  If you weaken your commitment even a little he stops.  This meant that we pretty mush stopped at each new fence/ or combo at least once.

Lots of this.

I would be more upset about this if I didn't know that it 100% comes from my confidence to put my leg on.  Although this issue would crop up at each new complex, I am going to focus on what went right and just know that the confidence will come.  There is no point in beating myself up about it, being mean will not make my brain focus on the job. I had several bad falls, my brain is right to be worried.  Time and repetition will show me that I am ok.  Also - I didn't cry.  Which I did every time I XC schooled Dutch with our old trainer.

Like so much of fail, on my part.

After jumping a few single drainage pipes, we put together a line that was on a slight hill.  The theme of my day became apparent from step one.  I need to keep my eyes UP- if I death stare at the jump Dutch will stop.  After I get my eyes up I need to keep kicking - not just leg on - KICKING.  Dutch needs the constant reinforcement to convince him that I want to go over the jump.

After we did that up and down the hill, we added a 3rd log.  I think it was BN in height, but it may have been a bit smaller.  It was still scary.  Repeat last lesson. Once I got my eyes and legs under control it was easy.

The pipe we were refusing at before.

If I just keep my eyes up it is easy!

Then we added a run down a hill to the water, then up to a bigger ( still prob only BN in height) hanging log... cue melt down.  I could not convince myself I wanted to jump.  Magic trainer backed off and let me end with the 3 jumps, then a smooth run through the water, but I felt disappointed.  My hubby gave me a bit of tough love and I watched everyone else rock around a much harder set of fences.  When we went to move on, I asked my trainer if I could try again.  She waited on the other side and had me look at her.  The first time he stopped, but we circled around and popped over dead straight.  VICTORY!!

No pictures of victory log - but look how sounds and even he is!

Then as we were working on bending lines through the terrain around the bank complex, our brains clicked on.  The jumps were all 2' to 2'3", but were placed along the side of a bowl shaped depression.  We jumped a little drainage pipe, ran down a shallow hill to a log, up a shallow hill to a bigger log. Then directly up a steep hill to curve through the woods and down the steep side hill in an S curve back to fence 2, then back up and out over fence 1.  We refused the first jump twice, but then as we cantered down to the 2nd, I looked up and the third and KICKED.  Dutch flew through the exercise like it was no big thing.

This is where my brain kicked in.

So it was good.

This is where Dutch's brain kicked in.

And it got better.

Spicy tail = happy horse.

Instead of the up bank, I asked to go back and do the related down hill line of pipes and logs into the water and up to the hanging log again.  I circled in the line, but we were forward and looking for the next jumps, Dutch never even hesitated.

He hates this... Princess Ponies should not have to run through water.

He loves this - when I am brave and bold he is SO happy about this job!

After that we went to the faux ditch and guess what?! We refused it. Trainer said that I rode much better, but he was truly scared of the ditch... after walking around and through it, he was scared of the mowed grass around the ditch.  Once we walked around it enough for him to stop snorting, he gave it one more hairy eye ball, then JUMPED.  I got majorly left behind, but stayed on and we came around and did it again.  Once we got it without me getting left behind we called it a day.

OK. We jumped it.

Better - he touched the mowed grass.

GOOD. He didn't wiggle at all and I stayed with him.

Over all I accomplished WAY more than I thought I would.  Dutch is by far the more difficult horse to jump, because I have to actually be confident.  Even though Uno is back in the game, I am going to keep plugging way with Dutch.  He is sound, he loves this stuff, and he makes me actually ride well to get a good result.

I love this horse!!