CAT Combined Analysis Training

Never a dull moment. Get back from Aston Le Walls really late, go straight to bed and then up and off the next day to the wonderful place that is LMEQ (Littleton manor) for Jon Pitts combined actual training.

What's combined analysis training you may ask well....

It's video analysis and experts advice from Lucy Thompson and Jon Pitts . Show jumping is first, you do a round of 10 fences as if in a competition, whilst being videoed and watched by Lucy Thomson, then you have a chat with Lucy about what you may have to improve on and you try it again. The cross country you do the same thing, there is a cross country course set out. You go around the course again whilst being filmed and timed and Jon watches you then has a chat with you and he helps and advises ways you may be able to improve. This now explains the title Combined Analysis Training.

Anyways.......
I took Hector along to this ( I was meant to take Arabella too but she lost a shoe). He was a really good boy, it was a great thing to do especially with Tweseldown this weekend. With his showjumping he is super tricky because he tends to put his head up and run through the bridle, when he does this I usually just soften with my hands, but Lucy told be by doing this he was the being lazy in front and knocking fences, he also does a very bouncy canter but isn't travelling anywhere or going into my hand this is when he can run through the bridle. Lucy gave me some fab tips to try and correct this, she said to really ride the canter from behind to make him come up in front and to me in my hand, then, when turning to a fence if he runs to it I should shut my fists.....MAGIC... He picked up in front then after doing that a couple times he stopped running and started jumping big and round, it was honestly like waving a magic wand!

Then cross country time! Hector was great xc even though I didn't ride my first round to my usual standard, he is a xc machine.
I had a chat with Jon after my first round and we both came to the conclusion that it wasn't to my usual standard, but you can't always be on your A game,(feeling a little tired from the day before). I learnt from it and remembered how to ride and did a much better 2nd round remembering how much to set up before different fences. Something that has really stuck in my mind about what Jon said is
' I am now starting to make you think and ride like a 4* rider, you need a process how you ride cross country and need to practice and practice at this level'
This really hit home, since he said that I've been looking on YouTube at all the top riders to try and see what they do, how they set their horses up and the process which they use! I am also going to start asking them when I see them too!

I found this CAT very interesting it definitely gave me a lot to think about, I would fully recommend anyone to do it.

Big thank you to Littleton Manor for hosting this and to Lottie Clay and David Smith for organising. The ground on the XC was fantastic and it ran like clockwork. It was great to meet and talk to Fiona from Local Rider too.