JennBags
HHOSS Wonder Woman
Sorry no pics to accompany the long post but I can offer prosecco and fruit scones 
I had a super sj clinic after the early start. Driving to the venue, it started pouring with rain, then we had a horrific hailstorm, I thought the windscreen might crack, and the rain continued after the hail had passed us by; I was wondering what on earth I was doing as I very stupidly hadn't brought a coat with me
The very kind lady I parked next to had a spare coat, which she lent to me, we got on and the sun came out and stayed out for the duration so I took the coat off again as it was a long one and it was flapping around everywhere
The jumps were all set up at about 80-85 which is pretty big for me, normally I will start off 60-70 and build up but the other ladies were all very competent and Russell obviously felt I was ready to start off at this level :eek3: G was being a bit sticky over the practice rail but I kicked on and we cleared it a couple of times on each rein. Then we started doing the first few fences of the course. Put in a huge jump over f1 and I totally lost my balance and rode to f2 flopping all over the place, so understandably we had a stop Came round again with me in balance, and growling at him and we went over it. Got to f3 which was a double, and we had another stop, yet again not coming in straight, and G falls out through his left shoulder and ducks out that way. Russell got me coming in in an angle, left to right, which just shuts down that opportunity for him which is his favoured evasion.
Cleared the double, then we came round the bottom of the school to get to f4, there were some scary plants which were blowing in the wind so we napped and napped and came into the jump sideways, there was no chance we were going over it. Came round again, opened up that right rein and refused to let him drop through that shoulder again, then flew f5 which had scary sharks underneath, didn't even look at them :cool3:
We had a break watching the others, then jumped the second half of the course: although it wasn't pretty we didn't have any stops this time. Then Russell asks us if anyone wants to pop round the course before he put them up a hole :eek3: I put my hand up and also said I didn't want to go round with them any bigger, all the other ladies agreed with me on that point, so we set off to do the whole course. Stopped at f1 :mad3: but after that there was no way I was letting him get away with it and we flew the rest of the course. Again, not always pretty but I was really having to ride every stride. The other ladies said to me that he's not helping me out much, they could see the pony club kicks that I was delivering to him :lol:
Afterwards Russell gave me a big "well done", went on to say that he hadn't babysat me with the heights, and I'd done really well to keep my nerve and keep going.
I'm going to get my friend to give G a jump for me this week, to give him a little confidence as I've spent a while eroding his confidence which is why he's stopping for me, and then on Friday we're off to Aston :thumbup:
Although on paper it sounds like I had a bit of a disaster, I think it was a fantastic session. The point of training is to deal with the issues when they arise, and I really feel like we did that today. I KNOW I have to come in straight, or even at an angle, and I know I can't get away with leaving G to jump, I have to kick on every stride and tell him we are going. I now just have to learn to go with him a little more, and fold, I seem unable to fold!
Really wish I had some pics to share with you all
I had a super sj clinic after the early start. Driving to the venue, it started pouring with rain, then we had a horrific hailstorm, I thought the windscreen might crack, and the rain continued after the hail had passed us by; I was wondering what on earth I was doing as I very stupidly hadn't brought a coat with me
The very kind lady I parked next to had a spare coat, which she lent to me, we got on and the sun came out and stayed out for the duration so I took the coat off again as it was a long one and it was flapping around everywhere The jumps were all set up at about 80-85 which is pretty big for me, normally I will start off 60-70 and build up but the other ladies were all very competent and Russell obviously felt I was ready to start off at this level :eek3: G was being a bit sticky over the practice rail but I kicked on and we cleared it a couple of times on each rein. Then we started doing the first few fences of the course. Put in a huge jump over f1 and I totally lost my balance and rode to f2 flopping all over the place, so understandably we had a stop
Came round again with me in balance, and growling at him and we went over it. Got to f3 which was a double, and we had another stop, yet again not coming in straight, and G falls out through his left shoulder and ducks out that way. Russell got me coming in in an angle, left to right, which just shuts down that opportunity for him which is his favoured evasion.Cleared the double, then we came round the bottom of the school to get to f4, there were some scary plants which were blowing in the wind so we napped and napped and came into the jump sideways, there was no chance we were going over it. Came round again, opened up that right rein and refused to let him drop through that shoulder again, then flew f5 which had scary sharks underneath, didn't even look at them :cool3:
We had a break watching the others, then jumped the second half of the course: although it wasn't pretty we didn't have any stops this time. Then Russell asks us if anyone wants to pop round the course before he put them up a hole :eek3: I put my hand up and also said I didn't want to go round with them any bigger, all the other ladies agreed with me on that point, so we set off to do the whole course. Stopped at f1 :mad3: but after that there was no way I was letting him get away with it and we flew the rest of the course. Again, not always pretty but I was really having to ride every stride. The other ladies said to me that he's not helping me out much, they could see the pony club kicks that I was delivering to him :lol:
Afterwards Russell gave me a big "well done", went on to say that he hadn't babysat me with the heights, and I'd done really well to keep my nerve and keep going.
I'm going to get my friend to give G a jump for me this week, to give him a little confidence as I've spent a while eroding his confidence which is why he's stopping for me, and then on Friday we're off to Aston :thumbup:
Although on paper it sounds like I had a bit of a disaster, I think it was a fantastic session. The point of training is to deal with the issues when they arise, and I really feel like we did that today. I KNOW I have to come in straight, or even at an angle, and I know I can't get away with leaving G to jump, I have to kick on every stride and tell him we are going. I now just have to learn to go with him a little more, and fold, I seem unable to fold!
Really wish I had some pics to share with you all
.