CJF Wrap-Up, and Jump Start

So where does all this leave us?  Videos at the bottom.

Connor is too regal for this photography business.

A lot better off than we were before!

Some random CJF thoughts:
- On his canter: "His canter is phenomenal, so much better.  He didn't have a canter when I first met you (May of 2012), he was the king of trantering.  It's a testament to [you and trainer] that you have made so much progress with his canter, because it's a lot easier to improve a trot than a canter."
- He's a lot stronger in his body, and has a lot more "tools behind" to create that compact canter.
- "Balance first, then move".  The canter has to be balanced first before you can go forward.
- On Geometry (video here, for those of you on RSS readers):

The first time I rode this line, it was good, but a little awkward at the purple gate because I took the first vertical slightly off to the side and rode a straight line instead of a dog leg to the gate.  That video is the second attempt, after she explained to me that "With a careful horse, the geometry of your ride becomes very important."  Basically, he's not just going to jump anything well from anywhere, he thinks so hard about where his feet are, that he is going to jump better with as much time to take the fence in as possible.

Another video clip - (normally I edit the sound out, but you can't hear much of anything in these besides instructions on where to go - CJF gives feedback after you've returned on XC)

One more - I get lost on this one.  Can't be ballin' all the time!

So this weekend gave me the confidence to enter one final event this year, Jump Start HT at the KHP the last weekend of September.  Anyone else going?