Summer 2010

  • Keep very slow

2010-06-12 (01)

Exercises

  • Warmup
  • Cut shots
  • Length of pitch
  • Neck shots

Problems

  • Knees come off as I get tired
  • Turning clockwise - inside leg makes hard contact and pushes the pony to the left
  • Still riding with my hands
  • Neck shots - not committed forward enough

2010-06-19 (02)

  • Helmet cam
  • New Pony (Conquita??)

Exercises

  • Nothing in particular

Problems

  • Pony very sensitive to lower leg
  • Not riding with my legs
  • Not rewarding the pony
  • Off balance, too much lower back

2010-06-26 (03)

  • Helmet cam
  • Pony "Ella"

Exercises

  • Nothing in particular

Problems

  • Dropping out of canter constantly
  • Almost came off again
  • Damaged lower back

2010-07-03 (04)

  • Helmet cam
  • Pony "Faustina"
  • Connected with a near-side backhand :)
  • Possibly identified the slow-riding problem
    • Bottom of rising canter pulls pony back. Must be more up/down!
      • Nope, that's not it...

Exercises

  • Turning
  • Closed forehand

Problems

  • Dropping out of canter
  • Broken mallet?

2010-07-10 (05)

  • Pony "Ella"

Exercises

  • Riding, posture, much better
    • Foot eversion
    • Not dropping into the saddle after rising canter
    • Dorsi-flexed ankles, lower leg angle
    • Reins much lighter when turning; off otherwise

Problems

  • No balls on the pitch

2010-07-11 (06)

  • Abandoned
  • Pony "Ella"
  • No balls on the pitch

2010-07-17 (07)

  • Pony "Ella"
  • Reasonable Stick & Ball
  • Couple of good runs.

2010-07-24 (08)

  • Pony "Faustina"
  • Still some problems keeping canter going
  • Some good long runs
  • Near-side still weak (Should be right lead to avoid fouling)
  • Open backhand and Tail shot need more work

2010-08-22 (09)

  • Pony "Seany"
  • Very good session
  • Stopping and turning need improvement

2010-08-28 (TODO) (10)

2010-09-04 (11)

  • Pony "Seany"
  • Near side shots
    • Very poor, not getting forward (and low) enough
    • Bend at the hips
    • Angle wrist as if hitting away

2010-09-08 #1 (TODO) (12)

2010-09-08 #2 (TODO) (13)


Winter 2010/2011

2010-10-30 (14)

  • Pony "Max"
  • Arena orientation - getting used to the weight of the ball
  • Compensating for poor riding by stretching beyond my centre!
  • Mallet head kept turning

2010-11-06 (15)

  • Pony "Max"
  • Good session
  • Good rhythm
  • Flying changes
  • Good twist on off side

Problems

  • Poor timing of neck shots
  • Failing to twist on near side

2010-11-13 (16)

2010-11-20 (17)

2011-01-08 (18)

2011-01-15 (19,20)

  • Two stick and ball sessions
  • Somewhat ragged. Using a broken mallet in the first.

2011-03-05 (21)

2011-03-11 (22,23)

2011-03-17 (24,25)

2011-04-01 (26)

  • Pony "Seany"

2011-04-02 (27,28)

  • Pony "Faustina"
    • Stumbled and rolled early on
    • Impossible to stop
    • Mostly off-side shots
  • Pony "Apple"
    • Some excellent fast runs
    • Near-side practice

Problems

  • In half-seat way too much putting strain on my back and stopping and turning slower.
  • Near side: Not accelerating the swing means my hand is ahead of the mallet
  • Swing is outside-to-in when not concentrating
  • Not getting my weight on to my left heel

2011-04-06 (29)

  • TODO

2011-04-23 (30)

2011-04-29 (31,32)

  • New Zappala mallets

Summer 2011

2011-05-06 (33,34)

  • Pony "Apple"
    • Very busy field - Jamie and varsity players
  • Pony "Maximo"
    • Broncking initially
    • Had Hayfever
    • Difficult to Stick and Ball
    • Ran off when I started collecting balls on foot

Problems

  • Near side still not getting my weight into my heel
  • Leaning too far out or forward, rather than twisting

2011-05-11 (35)

  • Pony "Apple"
  • Riding with stirrups too long
  • Not such a bad session after all (Greater expectations!)
  • Turning the ball is improving
    • Managed to turn on the near-side (on purpose though?)

Notes

  • React sooner to mishits

Problems

  • Taking my eye off the ball
  • Topping the ball
  • Near-side not rotating, not allowing the mallet to swing