ALM Dressage

February 2010

On 6th February Oz went lame during a schooling session, he is currently on box rest awaiting reassessment.

January 2010

Oz has settled into his new home and despite the horrible weather we have had I have been able to progress a little with getting him back up to speed.

December 2009- Oz's fittening has unfortunately taken a back seat to due limited time.  Hopefully in his new home we will be able to make full use of the indoor school and horse walker!

November 2009-  We are continuing fittening (apart from an inpromptu week and a half off due to various issues) but he has started some tempi changes and managed some 3 x s last week.  I still need more fitness, balance and carriage but hopefully we will get there.

October 2009 - Oz now trotting and doing some cantering, I am just building up his fitness slowly and working him with no pressure.

3rd September 2009 - Oz was re-assessed on 30th August and was sound.  So today he began walking - 7 minutes but its a start!

13th July 2009- Oz came in from the field 7/10 lame left fore today. Details of his lameness/treatment in my blog  

11th July 2009

Another fab lesson with James, worked on 2xs and some 1xs and exercises to help the canter pirouettes, mixed in with lots of lateral work, adding more suspension to the trot. James very pleased with the progress and the way he is developing, he tries so hard and will really bust a gut to do as he is asked.

4th July 2009

James came to my yard today for a lesson, as always I was flying but managed to get in the school on time (had been judging). Oz was such a good boy, he worked on bringing the trot right back while keeping it active and using lots of short changed in lateral work, interspered with on and back. Walking through the corners to prevent him getting strong. Into canter and worked an exercise to help the zig zag, then on and back in shoulder fore and center lines in shoulder fore. Mixing in some pirouette canter and holding him on the seat and giving the reins. Lotsof other bits aswell, including working on the canter pirouettes. Very pleased with him. James is very pleased with the progress and the difference in the power and frame. I have been told to learn the Intermediare I!

27th June 2009

Had another training session with James today, it was so hot. After our usual warm up we worked on the 8m circles for the PSG and improving the suppleness, we also cantered 10m circle to 8m trot circle. We then worked on canter pirouettes, starting in walk on the test line, start a walk pirouette and then canter half way though, quitting the outside stirrup to ensure weight is to the inside and then closing the pirouette a little more. He was such a good boy. 

21st June 2009 

Went to West Wilts today to do Oz's first PSG. He found the surface hard going and struggled a bit with balance, a few small mistakes and ended up just under 59%, I had hoped for 60%, but considering his low mileage and conditions I am not too disappointed.

20th June 2009

Another good lesson with James today, my back playing up a bit and Ozzy a bit strong, but worked through it and James said he keeps looking better, did a couple of exercises to help the pirouettes and a few things to ensure he stays on the hindleg, he worked very hard.  

14th June 2009

Fantastic lesson wih James today! Usual warm up, then some new exercises. The trot and canter had both improved and the changes more expressive and clean. He was a very good boy just doing exactly what he was asked. Then to finish we ran through the PSG, felt really good, with no mistakes. Very pleased with him and so is James. 

7th June 2009

Great session with James today. Used some transitions early on just to prevent him from getting stong. Worked on some suppling exercises and incorporated the canter pirouette, which is developing. James was pleased with the progress and Oz felt very good. 

30th May 2009

Had a session with James. He was pleased with our new improved forwardness, I just have to watch that Oz doesn't take over, so we used some waiting exercises and then worked on getting a little more suspension in the trot- felt amazing. Also worked a little on the changes. He was a very good boy considering the heat and James impressed with the difference so job done! 

19th-25th May 2009

Oz is at James's for a week while I recover from a procedure on my back.

4th installment

He is doing so well, trying hard in his work and enjoying his hacking round the woods afterwards with James. 

3rd installment - What a babe! He really tried today and is coming on really well- cant wait to get back in the saddle!

2nd installment - The expression is coming and he is behaving very well!

1st installment - James said Oz is very obedient and well trained, but now just needs more expression and quality, which he is going to focus on for the next week- not really doing the 'tricks', which are quite personal.

10th May 2009

Had another lesson with James Burtwell, this time we went to his yard. Another fantastic session building on what we did yesterday, adding more exercises and adding in the changes and exercises with these. A really great session and Oz felt amazing and really tried!

9th May 2009

Had a lesson at my yard with James Burtwell. Worked on lots of suppling exercises and thoroughly enjoyed the session and especially the technical nature of the session. Lots of helpful exercises, so much so I have booked to go and see him again tommorrow! 

2nd and 3rd May 2009

Oz and I attended the BD Central Region Training Camp. We were trained by Gary Williams and James Burtwell.  I particularly enjoyed the James lesson and will continue to train with him in conjunction with Gareth.

25th April 2009

We went to Gareth's for a lesson today, worked on exercises to keep Oz jumping through things he finds difficult and not to flatten. Some very steep leg yeild in canter mixed with travers on long side, then some work on a small circle in travers, bringing it smaller and tapping him up with the stick and then riding it bigger when he struggled, then onto the half pirouette on the test line, a couple of blips then pulled off his best ever right pirouette! (left o.k really a the moment- could be smaller but basically there). The finished with some trot lateral work just to check its o.k, which is was. He was very good today- very up and forward and tried very hard. 

23rd April 2009

We went to West Wilts today for Oz's first Affiliated Advanced, with the aim to get over 60% so I could apply for my group 3 rider status (and be able to ride a PSG). We havent been through a test for 7 months so both a bit ring rusty, the balance and energy was not there as I would have liked but we still managed 60.9%- so mission accomplished!

4th April 2009

Oz has been getting much stronger and I have felt the right canter work start to become much more equal to the left and the pirouette work get stronger.

We went to a Spencer Wilton clinic at the beginning of the month and focused on the half passes and on increasing The lift and reach in front, which was useful.

March 2009

We went for training with Gareth. We haven't been since before Christmas and so it was good to get back there. Gareth commentated on how Oz was much more 'up' and was pleased with how things had progressed. We started by working on some shoulder in and half pass- which were both good and then onto canter and again the focus was the pirouette work. At one point Oz had a mild meltdown (bless him), but he tried really hard and then we went onto some shallow half pass zig zags and serpentine changes and he was a good boy!

14th-15th March 2009

Oz and I attended a two day Ken Sudsbury clinic. Ken had kindly flown in from his base in Spain to take the clinic. Oz is just back in proper work after the longest break in his career, so it was great to get cracking again. The first day we worked on the canter pirouettes and especially techniques to make the right one better- for example right half pass to pirouette and walk pirouette to canter pirouette. Day two Ken had a brief sit and we decided to change tactic slightly and rode another exercise which really helped and produced the best right pirouette we have had. We looked at the extension in trot, the zig zags in canter and the sequence changes down to 2xs. A bit rusty in places but very pleased with him and we are back on track.

January 2009

Well training pretty much at a standstill due to frozen schools and snow!. Praying that february will allow us to get back on track with the work.

December 2008

Went for a lesson with Gareth, working on the canter pirouettes and did some lovely 4's, 3's and 2's. The collection is really improving and it is just really a matter of strength now for the pirouettes, as he has the knowledge. Gareth said we should be looking to compete at Intermediare I by the end of Summer/Early Autumn next year. 

October 2008

With Oz happy in his new home we can crack on again and start to plan some outings. After an enforced break of a few days he has come back raring to go and the pirouettes are feeling better.