I wish I could do a Wordless Wednesday
But there is literally so much that happened today that I can't be satisfied unless I say it all.
Quick summary if you're in a rush: I rode four horses, Molly was awesome, and I jumped 3'0".
Long, drawn out version: I opted to join the group lesson today instead of having the private on Monday. It worked out better, actually. I got there super early to help Miss S set up everything that I wanted to do: Swedish Oxer, gymnastic, narrow fence, and a four stride line. Simple stuff. I wasn't too enthusiastic about moving the poles, though. A lot of them are wooden and heavy, and it was cold and rainy today, literally the two worst weather related things that could happen.
We got everything set up, then I head out to bring Baby down to the indoor and tack her up. I got on and just two-pointed until Miss S had us pick up a trot. We did basic posting, sitting, and two-point at the trot, then some no stirrup work. After that, we did the outside line a couple of times at the trot, then we cantered out, then we added the narrow as a trot fence, which Baby did perfectly two times in a row.
After that, it all just fell apart. Miss S had us do a course. We started out with the gymnastic, then the narrow, to the outside line, then the Swedish. For this course, the outside line and the narrow would be taken from the opposite direction. The second we got out of the gymnastic, Baby just hit the gas pedal. Luckily the turn going to the narrow was too tight to take going fast, but then she refused the narrow multiple times, and it wasn't pretty when she finally did go over it. Outside line was iffy, then going to the Swedish required a circle and a very sloppy simple change, and the approach was just the two of us fighting each other and somehow getting a nice distance despite the absolute separation.
The second time wasn't any better, especially considering that Miss S took our stirrups away. I didn't want to start at the canter, so I trotted Baby into the gymnastic. At that moment, she was so laid back that she knocked the pole of the 6" high cross rail (reddy 4 teh grom pre), then she cantered away slowly but still collapsing on the forehand and leaning to the inside. Miss S wasn't happy with that decision of mine, and she told me to do it again at the canter, and I asked her if I really had to (Whenever I don't want to do something because I feel uncomfortable, I ask, "Do I really have to?" instead of flat out saying, "No," because asking sounds slightly less rude, right?). I had to, so I did, and it was decent minus Baby running to the turn, but, again, she couldn't do that tight of a path without slowing down. She refused the narrow again, and when I did manage to get her over it, she leapt over it. I went back, she went forward, somehow I stayed on, and I stopped her when we were only 20' out of the arena. I took her back in, we finished the course, then we all got our stirrups back.
I was feeling all kinds of emotion by that point, so I took a much needed break before getting back on. Miss S asked if Cas and I wanted to try 3'0". I said yes. The lesson couldn't have possibly gotten any worse. We started at 2'3" and worked our way up. When we got to 2'9", I had Miss S take a video. 2'9" came and went, which I am honestly super happy about because I can finally say that I jumped 2'9" instead of the disappointment that is 2'8.25". Then came 3'0", but the video was blurry, so I did it again, and the video was clear.
Yay, I jumped 3'0", whoop whoop, but the entire middle part of that ride was not okay, and, to be frank, I never want that to happen ever again.
Quick summary if you're in a rush: I rode four horses, Molly was awesome, and I jumped 3'0".
Long, drawn out version: I opted to join the group lesson today instead of having the private on Monday. It worked out better, actually. I got there super early to help Miss S set up everything that I wanted to do: Swedish Oxer, gymnastic, narrow fence, and a four stride line. Simple stuff. I wasn't too enthusiastic about moving the poles, though. A lot of them are wooden and heavy, and it was cold and rainy today, literally the two worst weather related things that could happen.
We got everything set up, then I head out to bring Baby down to the indoor and tack her up. I got on and just two-pointed until Miss S had us pick up a trot. We did basic posting, sitting, and two-point at the trot, then some no stirrup work. After that, we did the outside line a couple of times at the trot, then we cantered out, then we added the narrow as a trot fence, which Baby did perfectly two times in a row.
After that, it all just fell apart. Miss S had us do a course. We started out with the gymnastic, then the narrow, to the outside line, then the Swedish. For this course, the outside line and the narrow would be taken from the opposite direction. The second we got out of the gymnastic, Baby just hit the gas pedal. Luckily the turn going to the narrow was too tight to take going fast, but then she refused the narrow multiple times, and it wasn't pretty when she finally did go over it. Outside line was iffy, then going to the Swedish required a circle and a very sloppy simple change, and the approach was just the two of us fighting each other and somehow getting a nice distance despite the absolute separation.
The second time wasn't any better, especially considering that Miss S took our stirrups away. I didn't want to start at the canter, so I trotted Baby into the gymnastic. At that moment, she was so laid back that she knocked the pole of the 6" high cross rail (reddy 4 teh grom pre), then she cantered away slowly but still collapsing on the forehand and leaning to the inside. Miss S wasn't happy with that decision of mine, and she told me to do it again at the canter, and I asked her if I really had to (Whenever I don't want to do something because I feel uncomfortable, I ask, "Do I really have to?" instead of flat out saying, "No," because asking sounds slightly less rude, right?). I had to, so I did, and it was decent minus Baby running to the turn, but, again, she couldn't do that tight of a path without slowing down. She refused the narrow again, and when I did manage to get her over it, she leapt over it. I went back, she went forward, somehow I stayed on, and I stopped her when we were only 20' out of the arena. I took her back in, we finished the course, then we all got our stirrups back.
I was feeling all kinds of emotion by that point, so I took a much needed break before getting back on. Miss S asked if Cas and I wanted to try 3'0". I said yes. The lesson couldn't have possibly gotten any worse. We started at 2'3" and worked our way up. When we got to 2'9", I had Miss S take a video. 2'9" came and went, which I am honestly super happy about because I can finally say that I jumped 2'9" instead of the disappointment that is 2'8.25". Then came 3'0", but the video was blurry, so I did it again, and the video was clear.
Yay, I jumped 3'0", whoop whoop, but the entire middle part of that ride was not okay, and, to be frank, I never want that to happen ever again.
that jump looks great! way to finish on such an excellent note despite the rest of the ride :)
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