It can’t always be perfect, right? Jump School – 6/4/14

I don't want to go to a jump school today Mom!

If I can choose one word to explain last night’s jumps school it would be disappointed.  But I should have seen it coming.  For about 2 weeks Liam hasn’t really been good.  He has been very resistant in the bridle and just not supple all around.  My friend said he just doesn’t look as soft and adjustable as he has been.

I flatted to warm up and he was the same as he has been at home.  Playing with the bit, throwing his head a little and rooting.  He did get a little supple, but just not where we were.  Started circling a low vertical off the left and he was being good.  Then we raised it to a solid 2’6” and he was being good left and right.

The bad behavior started as soon as I asked him to canter for my first course.  He leaped into the canter, jeez Liam.  I headed to the first jump and it came up beautiful and he landed and started playing up, bucking bronco style.  Then he just felt a little stuck after that.  Making the rest of the jumps all come up on the long side.  We landed from most of the jumps and played up.  Grrr, just quit it Liam already.

Second course didn’t get much better.  I rode up to everything and now the jumps were coming up really tight.  I was pushing him past the distances.  Ugh, now he was pissed and really playing bucking bronco on the other side of all the jumps.

I decided to do the course one more time and it did get a little better.  Still rough, there was still mistakes, but not as bad.  I guess I can be happy with that, we had a small improvement J.

Really, what should I have expected though?  We haven’t been having great rides at home, so why would the jump school get any better?
 

Looking at the positives, as I am trying to be a positive person, I am happy with Liam that he did jump all the jumps even when the distances were awful.  He got all his lead changes pretty much auto.  What I am most disappointed in is he just didn’t HELP ME OUT AT ALL.  He made it very difficult to find a distance by pulling down in front of the jumps and sucking back.  When I would push him forward, instead of a balanced uphill canter I would get a flat on the forehand canter. 

The up side is I have some work to do.  I need to get him more supple at home over the next couple of days.  I have decided not to show on Sunday and instead go for another jump school Sunday morning.  I am thinking of changing his bit because I think the full cheek has too much leverage for him and he is curling in it, but I am not so sure that is it.  I will keep you guys all posted.