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Description
Show: SVI Schooling Show
Class: Showjumping
Horse: SSS Albatross
Rider: Bennett Holmes

Albie flicked a colourful tail as the Bennett clipped his breastplate to the saddle. The stallion had come along in leaps and bounds as of late, finally realising that not every mare is an excuse to scream and prance. His first few shows had been hair raising, but now that the stallion finally had strong boundaries and a job to do he was flourishing into more of a gentleman. He was huge and eye catching, his spots garnering attention whenever they stepped into the ring. Ben had ridden a few eye-catching horses before, but nothing like Al. People came up to him and asked about his breeding, about his stud fee - pretty much anything that would let them get closer to the big stallion. This was Al's biggest track so far - he had climbed up the ranks quickly. Thanks to his older age and slow upbringing, Ben felt comfortable pushing him a bit faster sooner. His jump technique was developing well, and he cleared bigger fences easily. His specialty was longer courses, he struggled to come back and get tight turns as well as the smaller horses could. Regardless, he was placing well at local shows.

The warmup ring was busy, horses blurring in every direction and four horses trying to jump three jumps at the same time. Albie snorted, neck arching and nostrils flaring. Bennett talked to him sharply under his breath, monitoring the stallion's attention. A squeeze of the legs got the spotted stallion to step forward into an uphill trot, forelegs flicking up the sand of the warmup ring. Their round was on grass, a fairly spread out course with a short timer for how spread out it was. His round was the 1.40m round, with a joker fence of 1.60m. He hadn't decided on whether or not to take it on, but depending how Albie was feeling at the end. A few laps of trot and he urged the stallion into a rolling canter. He had come to enjoy working, holding a good frame and cantering along easily, ears flicking at passing horses while he concentrated. A few of the horses had left the warmup, giving them a little more breathing room.

Entering the arena, the noise quietened. Their ring was towards the back of the showgrounds, with a view out over the plain towards the forest on one side. He walked Albie past the joker fence. It was huge - three white poles stood on brick wall standards. Hmm, maybe it was worth a go. He lifted his hands and allowed the stallion into a trot, then a canter. He looped around, past the triple bar and towards jump number one. Albie locked on, raising his head and charging his canter with more power. He lifted off, front legs scooping the air and tucking beneath his body. The timer started, and Ben tilted his body forward, egging the stallion on. His canter lifted to an in-hand gallop, approaching the second jump at blazing speed. A few strides out from the oxer, he sat back, lifting his hands and bringing the stallion back to collection. Too much back, he pushed with his legs and the stallion's strides ducked from too long, to too short and finally to the sweet spot, just in time for take off.

Reference
ISH Gelding Clover Walking LuDa-Stock (skeleton traced)

Description
Show: SVI Schooling Show
Class: Showjumping
Horse: SSS Albatross
Rider: Bennett Holmes

Albie flicked a colourful tail as the Bennett clipped his breastplate to the saddle. The stallion had come along in leaps and bounds as of late, finally realising that not every mare is an excuse to scream and prance. His first few shows had been hair raising, but now that the stallion finally had strong boundaries and a job to do he was flourishing into more of a gentleman. He was huge and eye catching, his spots garnering attention whenever they stepped into the ring. Ben had ridden a few eye-catching horses before, but nothing like Al. People came up to him and asked about his breeding, about his stud fee - pretty much anything that would let them get closer to the big stallion. This was Al's biggest track so far - he had climbed up the ranks quickly. Thanks to his older age and slow upbringing, Ben felt comfortable pushing him a bit faster sooner. His jump technique was developing well, and he cleared bigger fences easily. His specialty was longer courses, he struggled to come back and get tight turns as well as the smaller horses could. Regardless, he was placing well at local shows.

The warmup ring was busy, horses blurring in every direction and four horses trying to jump three jumps at the same time. Albie snorted, neck arching and nostrils flaring. Bennett talked to him sharply under his breath, monitoring the stallion's attention. A squeeze of the legs got the spotted stallion to step forward into an uphill trot, forelegs flicking up the sand of the warmup ring. Their round was on grass, a fairly spread out course with a short timer for how spread out it was. His round was the 1.40m round, with a joker fence of 1.60m. He hadn't decided on whether or not to take it on, but depending how Albie was feeling at the end. A few laps of trot and he urged the stallion into a rolling canter. He had come to enjoy working, holding a good frame and cantering along easily, ears flicking at passing horses while he concentrated. A few of the horses had left the warmup, giving them a little more breathing room.

Entering the arena, the noise quietened. Their ring was towards the back of the showgrounds, with a view out over the plain towards the forest on one side. He walked Albie past the joker fence. It was huge - three white poles stood on brick wall standards. Hmm, maybe it was worth a go. He lifted his hands and allowed the stallion into a trot, then a canter. He looped around, past the triple bar and towards jump number one. Albie locked on, raising his head and charging his canter with more power. He lifted off, front legs scooping the air and tucking beneath his body. The timer started, and Ben tilted his body forward, egging the stallion on. His canter lifted to an in-hand gallop, approaching the second jump at blazing speed. A few strides out from the oxer, he sat back, lifting his hands and bringing the stallion back to collection. Too much back, he pushed with his legs and the stallion's strides ducked from too long, to too short and finally to the sweet spot, just in time for take off.

Reference
ISH Gelding Clover Walking LuDa-Stock (skeleton traced)