Sunday P and I headed to Windridge for the 3rd weekend in a row, this time for XC schooling! We were meeting up with Bette, Sara, and a local horse friend, Paula. My goal was to get out and school P on some of the things we didn’t have on our course last weekend, like water/ditch/bank, and jump some BN jumps.
P is not the most fun horse in the world to take group schooling anywhere. He always has to know where the other horses are and gets annoying if we venture too far away. It can definitely be a challenge to keep his attention on what we’re doing and off of the others. He doesn’t get like that when we’re alone (which is 99% of outings/competitions), even when he’s in a sea of horses, but he definitely knows when he’s in the company of friends.
Thank you to Bette for all the pictures! They gave me the warm and fuzzies.
After warming up, we headed right to the water.
Well, that was easy.
So then I added in a jump we jumped last weekend to the water. Omg, the right drift is killing me. More on that later.
Then in an attempt to correct our my ever present right drift, I aimed to go left on landing. Still drifting. Ugh.
So then we headed down the hill to the BN/N bank. P has only ever schooled the baby one at Kingfisher, so this one was about double its size.
P hesitated for a second going down, but was still a willing participant. Definitely more practice is needed for me before we add speed to a bank like this that lands on a downhill slope, but this was a good starting point.
Then we headed to a line of jumps. In a continuation of the right drift, let’s play a game of “Did P jump the starter or BN jump?”
I mean, come on.
And again:
It’s definitely more me than P…I sit heavier to the right. And we’ll get a straight approach….then something happens in the last couple of strides when I focus more on leg on to ensure he actually, ya know, JUMPS, and I must do something that causes the last second drift. Many gymnastics are in the very near future.
Then the others moved to the warmup area since Bette, who was horseless thanks to a loooong, drawn out abscess, hopped on Sara’s pocket rocket, Gem.
And mean old me made P head to the start box to continue jumping.
We started with the blue rolltop that we did last weekend.
Then the BN rolltop.
Then we all headed to the ditch area. P didn’t care about it at all, which is his usual response to ditches, unless I TELL PEOPLE THAT.
Next I asked P to jump the cabin we jumped last week. Except this time I stopped riding a few strides out and he stopped. Because forward, remember? Well, he jumped it the second time when I actually put my leg on. 100% my stop, not his, and I don’t want to jinx it, but stops in general are getting much fewer and far between.
Then the other way because Bette said she could get a better picture that way. Anything for a picture, amirite?
And then after a swift kick in the pants from dear Bette, put together the BN cabin and ditch. P obviously had trouble.
Then a little hanging log/stones to the small cabin.
And finished with another trip over the BN cabin to ditch.
But goodness, BN is looking quite small (and feels even smaller)!
look at him zoom zoom zoom. Great job. There is NO way i would have jumped all that without a trainer telling me to do it (Friends dont count LOL). 🙂 Glad you did so well and had fun. he looks amazing. BN small? NEVER 🙂 HA HA HA
LikeLike
Hey, I never thought they’d look small either! And on the ground…they still don’t. But P just jumped them so easily, and it’s soooo nice when he actually jumps. I love working with Trainer J and Trainer B, but between their schedules and mine, if I had to wait for them to do stuff, I’d never do anything!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those blue painted jumps are hurting my eyes. Lol. P looks great over that cabin!
LikeLike
That’s why you’ve gotta just gallop over them and get away! Ironic that he has no trouble with blue roll tops, but green is the devil.
LikeLike
So muh fun!! Confidence boosting xc rides are the best. The pictures were awesome! You both look so happy!
LikeLike
We had fun! I’m pretty sure P did, he’s usually pretty easy to read if he’s not enjoying himself!
LikeLike
Definitely sounds like an absolute win of an outing 😀
LikeLike
So was!
LikeLike
You guys ROCKED it out there. Made me wish I was a better rider to keep up with you. It was a fun morning and I can’t wait to do it again and even get to show along with you. P is looking so good and his mental maturity has sure rocketed.
LikeLike
FENCE next week! You and Gem will be out there killing it in no time.
LikeLike
I am soooo excited to go!!!!! So many baby jumps for us plus my trainer to tell me to put my big girl panties on. I wish Paula would come. She’d love Trainer and the jumps there are perfect for her
LikeLike
Did she say she couldn’t??
LikeLike
Fun! And hey, isn’t it nice to be at the point where you’re more concerned with the quality of the jump/straightness then the ever so exciting “will we/won’t we jump this obstacle P has seen 100x” hahaha
LikeLike
Bahahaha, completely!
LikeLike
I’m loving watching you progress it makes me smile.
Looks like such fun too !
Mel x
LikeLike
SO much fun!
LikeLiked by 1 person
so much fun stuff – what a fun day with friends, and even better that P was such a star! he looks so game and easy! good luck with the drift too, i feel that pain haha, since izzy and i always had a monster left drift….
LikeLike
Mine is ALWAYS to the right. Then I had a jump lesson through gymnastics on Friday and had this crazy LEFT drift. Then XC schooling it’s back to the right. I can’t win!!
LikeLike
Awesome job! What a fun place to school
LikeLike
It is!
LikeLike