It has been 6 weeks since Hector (owned by Sarah Millard) came to Upper Barn and what a difference a few weeks can make. If Hector can consistently get his brain in the right place he might just be one of the most talented horses I have had the pleasure to ride.
Hector's past is unknown, he came over from Ireland a year ago, he oozes star quality but look carefully and you will see he some tiny scars around his face and some marks on his body, and boy do you have to work to earn his trust. What luck that Sarah Millard happened to be over in Ireland visiting friends and spotted him over a stable door.
We have taken everything really slowly, he is sensitive and is a horse you cannot rush, one wrong move and we go two steps backwards. He loves to be loved and when he trusts you he is a very affectionate horse. When I first got him I had a lesson with Tina Cook, she asked what he was like when I take my feet out of the stirrups, well he leapt across the school and then galloped off, (I stayed on) but again another example of a confidence issue. I am pleased to say that I can now take my feet in and out of the stirrups, when I am in the school, when I am out hacking and he in absolutely fine.
To begin with we have worked on relaxation, he can get quite stressed particularly in dressage, so for the few weeks I just worked him long and low, gradually he stretched his neck lower and lower and started to really stretch over his back. To compliment this Mum gradually introduced him to a Pessoa, he has been lunged in this once a week, he wasn't sure at first but now he goes beautifully. Currently we are working on engagement of the hind quarters, oh my goodness this horse can really move. As he is getting stronger he is getting this more and more consistently. He certainly can have the wow factor when he gets it right.
Show jumping was also little bit of an issue, he tended to rush at the jumps and become very strong, with him it was definitely confidence again, when he rushed, he didn't listen to me and crash went the jumps, which of course then frightened him and then he rushed off. After a couple of weeks of this, even at cross pole stage Mum decided to loose jump him. Well he was foot perfect, with perfect rhythm and cleared each jump. So after giving it some thought I decided to try and emulate that when riding him. I let him have his head, gave him a loose rein and did not fight him. What a difference, he slowed right down, got a perfect rhythm and the jump came very easily to him, he didn't rush off afterwards either. So this is what we did for 2 weeks. Canter pole either side of a cross pole, I let him take me to the jump and I just sat in the centre of balance and had reins like washing lines. Gradually his confidence built up and he let me take more and more of a contact and started to listen to me, He has the most incredible jump, he almost suspends in the air and clears everything by a mile. We decided to put a martingale on him so that should he decide to put his head up and rush I would have more control. This also had to be done slowly, I put a breastplate on him without the attachment and schooled and hacked him in that, then we started lunging him in one with the attachment, then I schooled him in it very loosely, then I jumped him, then each time I rode him I tightened it up a hole and now it is completely normal to him. He still has his moments but each time he jumps he gets better and better.
My first time with Hector XC was caught on camera by my sponsor Micheal Rogers of MDR Photo. We went over to Littleton Manor and took it quietly. He was fantastic, jumped everything. I kept it all pretty small and low key. With the bad weather we haven't been able to get out until this week. This time I took him to Coombelands. It feels like we have the perfect partnership, he just floats round the xc in perfect rhythm. We did all the pre-novice jumps. He was so bold, I had to check I was riding Hector and not an impostor!
http://www.harrietupton.com/xc-schooling---25th-june-2012.html
No one can believe the difference in this horse, Tina was amazed, Mel Breen (dressage instructor) who saw him when he first came to England was amazed and most of all Mum and I are amazed. I cannot really put into words how much I have grown to love this horse. He tries so hard and has been so rewarding. Tomorrow is our first competition, it may all go backwards and I wouldn't blame him if it did, the important thing is that we know he can do it, Sarah Millard believes in him, we believe in him, we just need him to believe in himself.
Judging by the result on Saturday I'd say all your hard work has paid off! It's amazing the difference in him already. His behaviour when handling, movement, jumping and body shape have come on so much since I saw him last. Well done on the 2nd place, can't wait to see him over some bigger jumps soon!
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