New Training Methods pay off for Paddy Muir at Bramham
Last month, as in my previous article, I made some fairly big changes in the way I rode and trained my Advanced horse Stanley Brown. I had three weeks leading up to Bramham CCI*** to make some major improvements to my flatwork and show jumping.
Chris Bartle had been an enormous help to me on my first visit to him on the flat – so I booked in for a show jumping lesson with him the week before Bramham. I had been working very hard on getting Stan lighter and more engaged in his medium canters and trots, softer in his poll and more forward through his corners to the fences at home.
Chris had me work in medium canter and then start to jump with that attitude. He quickly picked up on the fact I moved too much over the fence in an attempt to free the neck – but he pointed out that this was flattening the jump and had me sit totally still, in a slightly forward light seat and let the horse take the rein over the fence. This helped Stan enormously. He jumped really well round a full up 1.30m course and I couldn't have been more pleased.
I arrived at Bramham in a much more confident state of mind and was really looking forward to the challenge, trying to forget that my record at this event was not great – I had competed here about eight times before – I had fallen a total of four times on the cross country, fallen once on the steeple chase, broken my pelvis once and failed the vet on day three once. Not a great event for me!! But as I hadn’t set foot on the place for over 10 years I hoped my jinx had gone.
After a really much improved Dressage and a super Cross Country round we were lying in 17th position. I was thrilled with his fitness on the Cross Country only 2.4 time penalties which was one of the fastest of the day. His new diet and canter program had really paid off.
Sunday I arrived at the show jumping feeling fairly apprehensive to say the least. Stan was feeling very fit and full of the joys. It was a boiling day and Chris kindly came to help me warm up and only allowed me to jump four or five fences (which he didn't jump particularly inspiringly)– but he was using himself and correct over them and his canter was good, though he felt a little weary. Chris's instructions were go in, ride medium canter and sit still!! As we rode into the main arena Stan came to life, pricked his ears and jumped a cracking round only having a rail off the third last which on watching the video, was the only time I didn't ride him through the turn and sit still!! We finished 13th which I was very pleased with.
Stan has had a two week holiday and I have been to Spain for a week so we will pick up work again aiming for Blair CCI** in August. He is carrying bit of holiday weight (I might add he’s not the only one!) on so will stay on Dengie Hi-Fi Lite, oats and restricted grazing for a while – and I will be on the Human equivalent!!!!
