If in doubt.....

Ambers Echo

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Leave a stride out!

My crazy mare having fun while scaring the life out of me at our arena eventing clinic today. My RI said I needed to jump a bit bigger today. Not sure she meant quite that big though :eek:

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Ambers Echo

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Flip... I would be off....


Fiona

I very nearly was!

48168177_2060376284042442_4707175210275569664_n.jpg
 

Bernster

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She does like to give a big ole leap doesn’t she? She’s clearly got a super scope jump and it’s great that you seem to have got the hang of it. Well done!

Genuine question, and I think you may have commented on that thread about horses having lots of ability (whether they are wasted) but do you feel pressure to move up in heights or anything? I’m sure your horse doesn’t give a monkeys but I have a friend with a super talented jumper who had the scope to go far, so it made me wonder. Don’t answer if I’m being nosey and rude though! I think you make an awesome pair.
 

Ambers Echo

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Genuine question, and I think you may have commented on that thread about horses having lots of ability (whether they are wasted) but do you feel pressure to move up in heights or anything?

It's a good question and I have doubts all the time about whether she is the right horse for me, and whether I am the right rider for her! The answer to both those questions is probably no - she would do better with a better rider and I might progress a bit faster with an easier ride. Before I bought Amber I had not jumped higher than 80cm since childhood - and 2 years ago found 70s looked terrifying. I was an incredibly nervous jumper so to try and ride a horse that jumps about 1m20 over 80cm fences has been a huge challenge and she has literally jumped me right off her before now.

But I adore her and I have been reassured that I am not ruining her and so we are just going to have to find a way to cope with each other and bimble along the slow path.

I have had some external pressure - especially from a trainer I had on camp last year who said I should send her away for him to move up as it would take me forever to get her to where she could be. He said he could compete her at higher levels which make her easier for me at lower levels. I said I was happy taking the slow path and he more or less said I was not a good enough rider to ride a horse as good as her and she would be wasted on me which was a bit gutting.

But my usual trainer disagreed completely and says we are doing fine. I will obviously progress more slowly than if I sent her to a pro or sold her to a more experienced rider but a) Amber does not give a stuff if she stays at BE80/90 her entire life and b) I am riding her well enough. She is not learning bad habits, it is not a safety issue around being over-horsed. We are improving all the time. Just slowly!

I did not set out to buy a horse as capable as Amber. She was bought from the field as a total unknown. But I feel incredibly lucky to have stumbled on an awesome horse and it is up to me to learn to ride her.

Having said all that I do put pressure on myself. I want to do well and I'd love to move up eventually. I don't know how far I can get. I'd love to think BE100 is possible one day.
 

milliepops

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I'm really sad that a trainer would say that to you AE, what a total tool. Glad your regular trainer has a more positive outlook!

I had similar with an old SJ trainer who came to us occasionally. I was eventing BE novice but she said my horse should be jumping 1.40s :rolleyes: lol, nope :eek: I sacked her after that!

I think you have it absolutely correct, you're riding her well enough :) No one is in any danger, no one is unhappy, and what better way to progress than on a very capable horse? She looks like she's enjoying her work, wheeeeee! :D
 

Pearlsasinger

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If you provide for all her physical needs and enjoy riding your horse and she enjoys being your horse, that is all that matters, surely. No horse is 'wasted' because it is not jumping (or anything else) to the level that it could do with someone else. You carry on!
 

Ambers Echo

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I had similar with an old SJ trainer who came to us occasionally. I was eventing BE novice but she said my horse should be jumping 1.40s :rolleyes: lol, nope :eek: I sacked her after that!

My old YO was a showjumper. She kept telling me I shouldn't be eventing Amber at all as I'd ruin her for Showjumping. Even though I kept saying I like eventing and I have no interest in pure showjumping. I am sure plenty of people think Amber is wasted with me. But I don't think Amber would agree so I no longer let it bother me. I do sometimes think about letting someone compete her for me. But at the moment I am enjoying her too much myself to want anyone else to compete her.
 

silv

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You need to put a parachute on your christmas list! What a fabulous jump.
That trainer was out of order and sounds like he had only his self interests at heart ie. making money by competing your horse. What a cheek.
You are obviously having a fantastic time together and that is how it should be.
 
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