3/2/08
Nero's First Combined Test

I entered Nero in a local Combined Test at the
Elementary Level. After schooling on Saturday, I think
we'd have been fine at the Beginner Novice level, but
without the benefit of having a course to practice over
I  stuck to the level that I knew we could walk over, if needed.

Nero was great for schooling. I still had a case of nerves, but
Nero wasn't silly, even with the wind and flags, so we got over
all the jumps a few times. We had a number of knock downs
(he doesn't necessarily respect PVC poles) and one refusal (more
my fault than his) while schooling. But hey, that's what schooling's for.

The day of the show we only had one pole down, a dressage score of 33.7% (tied for
first after dressage), and we won our division. We should be ready for Beginner Novice
for our next event.
Before we headed to school the stadium course we did a little warm up.
 

When we got near the course there were flags and horses jumping, so I hopped off to let him see it all without a nervous rider aboard.
After watching a few other riders do the course, I hopped up and we took the jumps.
 
We are pleased with his progress in jumping. Emily started him over jumps last summer, and just in the past few weeks introducing him back to it, we've seen improvement as he's started to really jump and not just climb over or trot through (most of the time).
It was very promising to have him going over everything. The brick wall was a refusal, but I was hesitating on the way to that one and he just listened to me.
 
Of course he did try to trot some of them not very successfully. The day of the show I gave him a tap for each jump, just as a reminder.
I think he's figuring it out.
 
Yee haw. He didn't trust that roll top. It felt like forever 'til we hit the ground.
Nice to know that we have the ability to jump at least 3'. 
I just don't want to try until I know he won't over jump it like this, though. Clearing the standards wouldn't be my idea of fun.
 
This is more like it.
I need to give more with my hands.
 
Good boy.
Schooling in the dressage ring the day before.
 
I can't believe how long I showed dressage in this jumping saddle. Now I'm so much more comfortable in the dressage saddle.
Coming up the center line for the test.
 
There was a lot of bending in this test, with the short diagonals. We've been practicing.
We had 7s for most of the test, but the canter work got 6s. Our final halt was an 8. The judge would like more energy in the trot. It's in there, if I remember to ask...
 
We're still working on the canter. Transitions happen, and leads are correct, but he's a big horse, and we've still got a lot of work to do on balance.
I tried to concentrate and position my body correctly for all the bending. Mostly I succeeded.
 
It was dark in the ring, hence the blurry pictures. They're still useful to see things like position.
Warming up for jumping. He was ready from the first jump.
 
The warm-up vertical was a nice jump.
Silly pony, it's not a good idea to trot through an oxer (this one went flying).
 
A tap of the whip, a flip of the tail, and he made the effort to jump.
Much smaller than the day before, but he truly jumped all but one.
 
I need to work on me, but I revert back to my old style as the course wears on.
The one pole down. It was a two stride combination if we'd have cantered in, but trotting in made it an awkward 3, which put us too close. He tried to avoid hitting it, but his take off was almost under the jump. Yesterday we trotted through the combination, so I didn't even think of striding. Not Nero's fault.
 
He was such a good boy.