Jumping Jack

Now that Blackjack has a respectable level of fitness, Trainer G is getting him going again over fences. Like I said before, things have been a little on and off due to the weather and with both lessors being back in school. That being said, Blackjack has really enjoyed doing up downer lessons.

I was supposed to have this lesson on September 26, but a full torrential downpour left the ride cancelled. Okay, I need to digress for a moment. Weather on the East Coast is far from tolerable; I've lived here my entire life. I know the drill. Florida, however? Batshit. Fully insane. At least in Maryland when we get the regular 2pm, out of nowhere thunder storm, it happens, then it's over, and it drains in a reasonable amount of time. When I tell you, if it is damn near a hurricane in Miami, it is fully a completely different weather situation once you go 10 miles in any direction. Not to mention, when it rains, it pours. And this year is even more inconvenient then last year. Long story short, after driving for an 1 hour and 15 minutes through two separate systems of blinding rain, Trainer G couldn't leave her house due to flooding. I rescheduled and went home.

Ask me if it rained on the way back . . .

I came out again the next week but verified beforehand that the weather wasn't an absolute nightmare. I showed up early because I wanted to give polo wraps a try for the first time. Apparently this is a shocker for some people, but . . . I never learned how to do polo wraps lol. And I really am not keen on them anyways. The risk vs. reward for me ain't that favorable. Plus boots are just easier, even if I'm still struggling to find a pair that won't produce leg sweat. Still, I gave it a shot and kind of sucked (which is to be expected), but Trainer G is a pro and talked me through it.

I hopped on while Trainer G was setting some things up in the arena. Then she left to go tack up her older gelding. When she got in the ring, we kinda just walked around for a while. She wasn't saying anything and seemed confused when I asked if I could pick up a trot. Turns out she completely forgot that I even had a lesson; we just happened to ride at the same time. Go figure lol. I had already started trotting around and dropped my irons before we realized what was up. We were a little disconnected at first, but once Trainer G and I were on the same page, Blackjack gave some pretty nice work at the trot.

The canter was . . . odd. This lesson was the first time that I've had him fully lock his jaw and brace against me at the canter. We attempted to work through it, but it took some real effort to get him off my hands and pushing from behind. Trainer G assured me that it wasn't a reaction to heavy hands or any of my other riding ailments. I figure he was just not having a great day.

We did end up jumping as well, which seemed to improve the canter greatly. The jumping itself was so so. I'm still struggling with my timing and pace at trot fences. Remember when I was jumping, like, 2'-9"??? How'd I do that???? Who was I??? Once we began cantering in, everything came a lot more smoothly. I don't know what it is about trotting in that screws with my jumping habits. I notice it in old videos, too; I get too forward too quick, look down, and give the reins like a 6 year old doing short stirrup.

Imagine this but over a crossrail with a placing pole

Trainer G has us go over the same fence several times. The last two times through, she bumped it up to 2'-3". Blackjack gave me a solid canter going in and heading away, and carried me over like it was a walk in the park. What a good lad.