ImmyS
Well-Known Member
A couple of weeks ago I booked for me and a friend to go to a fairly local XC clinic. Got up this morning super excited, until I looked out the window and saw the not so glorious weather, a heavy mist and the start of some showers. Rubbish but wouldn’t be put off! Me and my friend started to get the horses and trailer ready and the rain just got heavier and heavier, thought about giving it a miss entirely but made myself put my brave pants on and get on with it.
So got all ready and loaded the horses up with no problem and set off. Super nervous at it was my first time towing he horses any further than a few hundred metres down the road since passing my trailer test. We arrived in one piece and horses very calm so my driving couldn’t have been too terrible, phew!
Got he horses out and tacked up. Arlo was super, really calm off the box and easy peasy to tack up and get on. We had one other person in our group and we head over to the XC field. Luckily the weather was slightly better at the venue and the ground was perfect!
Arlo started off a bit a excited but settled really quickly, trotting and cantering around on both reins and was really good going away from the horses.
The instructor was very understanding that Arlo was only 4 and we took things really slowly, dealing with each obstacle one at a time and then gradually stringing more fences together. This is the first time Arlo has ever jumped more than one fence in a sequence. He was SO good, I am so proud of him. He took everything in his stride and was completely honest going over everything I asked. We are an extremely green combination but I’m really pleased with how today went. All I wanted to do was boost both our confidence and survive, which we did! Yay!!
Here’s a couple of videos towards the end -
And waiting to head home after his efforts -
Any constructive criticism is always welcome. I know I have lots to work on and ride very defensively, I know I need to give more and try and relax so any tips always invited!
So got all ready and loaded the horses up with no problem and set off. Super nervous at it was my first time towing he horses any further than a few hundred metres down the road since passing my trailer test. We arrived in one piece and horses very calm so my driving couldn’t have been too terrible, phew!
Got he horses out and tacked up. Arlo was super, really calm off the box and easy peasy to tack up and get on. We had one other person in our group and we head over to the XC field. Luckily the weather was slightly better at the venue and the ground was perfect!
Arlo started off a bit a excited but settled really quickly, trotting and cantering around on both reins and was really good going away from the horses.
The instructor was very understanding that Arlo was only 4 and we took things really slowly, dealing with each obstacle one at a time and then gradually stringing more fences together. This is the first time Arlo has ever jumped more than one fence in a sequence. He was SO good, I am so proud of him. He took everything in his stride and was completely honest going over everything I asked. We are an extremely green combination but I’m really pleased with how today went. All I wanted to do was boost both our confidence and survive, which we did! Yay!!
Here’s a couple of videos towards the end -
And waiting to head home after his efforts -
Any constructive criticism is always welcome. I know I have lots to work on and ride very defensively, I know I need to give more and try and relax so any tips always invited!
