First XC Clinic on the baby horse!

stilltrying

stilltrying

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I took the little mare Rose to her first XC clinic on Sat and I’m still buzzing. : ) It was a very last minute decision to go (night before at the pub!) but so glad we went. She has just turned 5 and started jumping a few months ago.

We were in a group with 2 younger girls, one of whom took a tumble early on and while Rose looked on wide eyed as this riderless horse careered about, I did wonder if I’d done the right thing! But then it was our turn. I explained we’d seen logs and popped in / out of water but that was it. She had a good look at the first fence – some sleepers sat on tyres – and slowed to a walk. “KICK ON!” was shouted, I kicked, and she popped it and soon got the idea. After practicing everything individually, including a little house and roll top we were given a small course to jump, including a skinny! She had a look at this but represented, kept my hands straight and still and she popped it, then went on to jump a further 2 skinnies without question and some scary silver barrels.

We moved onto a different field and this time encountered a couple of bigger fences plus a small step up and down. She had a good look at some meaty tyres, but after allowing her to have a look and a sniff she gave it a go. I’d been coming in trot but she started to take me into the fences, so after a bit of shouting by the RI to “LET HER CANTER!!” I did and she gave me such a good feeling. Again we finished with a small course and by the end she was jumping from a forward canter stride...and that was just awesome. Reminded me just how much fun XC can be. : ) I am so pleased I went, just need to work on my t-rex hands and trust her to go.

First fence
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T-rex!
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starting to go with her
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Scary Tyres!
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Sounds like a great experience for you both. T. rex hands - haha! I've got a terrible habit with my hands, have to remind myself to go forward with them, holding onto a neck strap or mane helps me !
 
She is beautiful :)

OMG T-Rex hands...that's what I suffer with! I'm just learning to move with my boy, but not learning quickly enough and suffered a crashing fall last week. Am meant to be going xc-schooling for the first time this week, only pray I do as well as you.
 
Thanks everyone! Yes the r-rex hands are due to the lovey ginger boy (profile pic), who developed a habit of charging at his fences with his nose in the sky....and occasionally stopping/crashing. So I've got into the habit of riding rather defensively. With the big boy i would grab his mane but with her she's so dinky in comparison, there isn't much neck in front of me!

This clinic was with a new instructor so it was quite nice to be taken on face value. Really positive tho. Can highly recommend to anyone in the south east : )
 
Well done, given me itchy feet again! What's her breeding? She looks exactly the same as mine, same face and similar markings, mine doesn't have the front white sock but at first I thought it was my horse!
 
wish upon a star said:
Well done, given me itchy feet again! What's her breeding? She looks exactly the same as mine, same face and similar markings, mine doesn't have the front white sock but at first I thought it was my horse!
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haha, glad i've inspired! I am literally grinning in all the photos it was great fun. : ) I dont know her breeding unfortunately, defo looks like plenty of connemara, but she's quite fine so maybe a bit of TB in there? The chap i bought her from said he thought she was anglo arab(?!) not sure where he got that from as there is definitely some pony in there. She's just about 15.2 but very compact. What breed is yours?
 
It does look fun, just the photos made me smile :) Agree with the connie as mines connie x warmblood and honestly they could be twins, even the same age! Mines fine but taller at 16.2.
 
If I knew how to I would. No me neither as I actually bought her as connie x ID, looked in her passport and there's no mention of ID so not sure where the seller got that from. Spoke to her breeder who confirmed it was warmblood as the passport says! Mines got a few full brothers and sisters who look the same so thought you might of been one of them but then realised it's can't be given the age of both.
 
wish upon a star said:
If I knew how to I would. No me neither as I actually bought her as connie x ID, looked in her passport and there's no mention of ID so not sure where the seller got that from. Spoke to her breeder who confirmed it was warmblood as the passport says! Mines got a few full brothers and sisters who look the same so thought you might of been one of them but then realised it's can't be given the age of both.
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You need to go to your profile, add photos, then you will get an image code, copy and paste into here. Simples! : )

Had her second proper show jump lesson yesterday and finished with 2 x rounds at 60 cm and was absolutely pinging them. : )
 
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