At our last event of the season, Plantation Fields, Union and I were having an amazing round, Union was jumping well and tackling the hard fences with ease. Union tends to land from a fence and run, this gets us into trouble in 4 or 5 stride combinations. The 1, 2, and 3 stride lines aren't as much of a problem because the next fence is right there on landing and it usually backs him off. The 4 and 5 stride lines are harder, there is enough room for him to land and surge, I have to get him back right on landing in these combinations. At Plantation, there were several combinations, we were making easy work of them, Union was very rideable and listening. The last combination on the course was a corner five strides to a skinny log, slightly down hill. This was very close to the finish line with only one more fence to go, Union left out a stride at the corner and I didn't get him back enough in the five strides and he hung a leg at the log and I went flying. Thankfully Union didn't fall and galloped off unhurt.
This was so disappointing, I was one fence from finishing a tough intermediate course and a stupid mistake ruined everything. When I got home Denny and I had a long talk about how dangerous eventing can be and how we need to try and get Union to more a part of the equation. He needs to back off the fences a bit more and think about what is coming next, not just land and run. I also need to ride better, I need to react quicker I needed to really sit him down on landing, especially when I realized he jumped in so big, also the line was separately numbered, I should have realized I couldn't get him back and circled without penalty. All in all we both need work for next season.
So, instead of giving Union down time right after his last competition we decided to address the problem. Since Union can be so aggressive we have avoided gymnastics with him, they always made him nervous and he would just blindly run down them. We need to get him more aware of his footwork and to land, wait and think not land and run. The first day we did the gymnastics Denny did not want me to help Union at all, just press my knuckles in his neck and let him do what he wants to do. This was very hard when I could feel him accelerating and making mistakes. Instead of me helping him we created a gymnastic line to back him off. We had to make it very complex with V poles, landing rails, lots of bounces and guiding rails. Finally, Union came down the line and paused after each fence accessing what was coming and what he had to do. The change in one jump session was amazing, I had never felt him actually pause to think (in a good way)!
Since that first time we jumped the gymnastic, we haven't had to make the gymnastic as hard for him to come down it quietly, thinking. The gymnastics are making him use his body so much better and it is carrying over to single fences. The other day I was able to quietly canter down to a 4'6" vertical plank and have him stay absolutely relaxed and really crack his back over it. This has all been done in a snaffle, something I would have never thought possible with Union. It is an amazing feeling to be able to have this usually very aggressive horse, come so quietly so such a big fence and not try to run at it.
I am so happy with the work we are doing for Union's jumping. I think it is absolutely the right thing for him and that he is going to come away from this falls cmuch better horse. When we move to Southern Pines in a few weeks Union will then have his down time before we gear up for next season!
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