Troting courses!

[toohorsemad]

I have a ODE yesterday and it had VERY some fences eg 50 cms anyway Vic troted over all of them in the first round! And only really woke up in the 2nd round and only half cantering the course! When it comes to like a 90 cm course he will canter no problem and fly over them :D So my question is what do I do? Do I get him faster over smaller fences or enter harder show jumping courses?

[casey]

Well, if he's better over the larger course. Then I would suggest entering for them. But if your not ready, keep to the smaller courses but make him wait.

You can practice making him wait at home, so it will be better for you at shows.

Well done, sounds like you had a great time:)

[Ross]

I'm a bit confused about you mentioning first and second rounds? Did you mean the SJ was first and the XC second?

I would try and get him cantering over the smaller fences - there's no reason why he shouldn't, and cross country is about going at the right speed. You run the risk of getting time penalties on both phases if you're too slow...

Ross

[toohorsemad]

When I say first and second rounds I mean the first round of show jumping and hen the jump off! I didnt get placed in the show jumping part and I came second in the xc part and that was because I was too slow... its really hard to keep him going forward!

[loser88]

I have a ODE yesterday and it had VERY some fences eg 50 cms anyway Vic troted over all of them in the first round! And only really woke up in the 2nd round and only half cantering the course! When it comes to like a 90 cm course he will canter no problem and fly over them :D So my question is what do I do? Do I get him faster over smaller fences or enter harder show jumping courses?


If he's a gelding- take note of your sig.! :)

[toohorsemad]

I know but its unbelievable how unresponsive he is to whip let along the leg when he wants to... like I come back really really tired and he looks like he hasn't done a tap of work

[loser88]

I know but its unbelievable how unresponsive he is to whip let along the leg when he wants to... like I come back really really tired and he looks like he hasn't done a tap of work

Perhaps spurs then??

[Ross]

When I say first and second rounds I mean the first round of show jumping and hen the jump off! I didnt get placed in the show jumping part and I came second in the xc part and that was because I was too slow... its really hard to keep him going forward!

sorry, now I'm really confused! In a ODE you do a dressage test, show jumping round, and cross country round - no jump off. Then the penalties from all three are added together to give your overall placing...

Ross

[toohorsemad]

It was a pc ODE and it was kind of just for fun so it wasnt that serious and there was a jump off after the first round to see the placing after showing jumping! I was thinking of spurs but I've never used them and I am not sure if my leg position is good enough to use them and I don't want to use them if it makes matters worse!

[toohorsemad]

Just an update.... I forgot to mention when Im talking about troting courses he trots over courses of 90 cms/1 m! He is completely desenetive of the whip at this stage :( I cant go any higher that those competitions at the moment because of nerves and a lack of confidence in shows! Any ideas?