On the road... in August!

We went to the annual South Peace Horse Club eventing clinic which was absolutely awesome!  We learned a ton, one thing being that Koda can jump Entry (BN/N) level cross country fences from a trot... maxed out.  So, that was pretty cool :)

On the road again

Had a quick stopover to see Keith!  Hot shoes for Koda

My eventing friends JK and JS didn't make the long trek up for the clinic and event, so it was me tenting solo (Hubs was back to work).  Over the three days, Koda and I worked through doing grids, cross country elements, and putting it all together on the last day.  Again, we rode with one of my favourite clinicians, Sandra Donnelly.

Second water complex

The main things I took away from the clinic were:

1) Leg on
2) Keep the line straight

3) More leg

4) Follow through with the arms
5) Can never have too much leg

The digs

Some pieces of homework for Koda and I are to get out there and do more cantering in open spaces, work on connecting the canter (canter poles!), and getting Koda to respect my leg more.  Once my leg goes on, he needs to say "yes ma'am" instead of "yeah.... maybe?" sometimes.  Dressage schooling, here we come!

Training on the left, Entry on the right

During the clinic, we had the opportunity to audit three different clinicians, all with different teaching styles but with the same underlying concepts of balance, tempo, pace, and LEG!  Not to have the horses going faster, but to get them reaching more under themselves, or to load the haunches, or to help lift the front end etc.  Another one that is a good reminder is, if you have the horse straight and in front of your leg, once you're 3-5 strides out from the fence, you've essentially done your job, now it's time for them to do theirs.  Stop picking, stay steady and balanced with leg on, and GO!

At the end of the day

Infield area

Watching the Prelim group, they had the opportunity to school an Intermediate line went like so: Up bank - 2 strides - bank up with ditch - 2 strides - six foot drop.  As the riders went through the exercise, you could tell how much leg they really needed to use for this type of question.  Of course, the riders had to be on their game as this was a big question.  Once all the riders went through, you could see one of those moments that I absolutely love in the horse world: the absolute JOY of riding, and what these animals truly give us...

Wings!   

Sleepy Super Koda