Destario
Well-Known Member
So had a nice early lesson at a local 4* event rider's yard today - such a nice arena and surface, very jealous!
Started off well this morning, horse not slept in poop and tail was still reasonably clean after last minute wash last night. Had her breakfast and stood like a pro for boots and travel gear. My father offered to load the car up but it turned into a nightmare and he just stood around liki a lemming after managing to put a saddle in and nothing else (not even my hat). I didnt even need my saddle as it was a jump lesson and I was borrowing one of the trainer's. Turned into a hectic rush to get everything on the transport. Apparently my fault for not leaving everything in a pile on the floor, but I'm glad he was willing to drive us even if he's not the best groom!
My mare hasn't been out since November so I was a little worried about loading but she waltzed on and stood munching her net and looking out the front of the trailer happy as anything.
We set off and my preferred route was dismissed as too wiggly (it's not) and the motorway was chosen. I dont know the way from the motorway (my fault too haha) and my father decided we were late (we weren't at this point...) and went a bit crazy with the driving and decided to overtake a lorry, even after I told him not to worry and just make her first trip out in a while a nice one. Well, overtaking a lorry whilst being overtaken on the motorway proved too much and poor mare started seriously bouncing the trailer to the extent I was worried she'd fallen. So we had to stop. On the motorway. At half 8 in the morning. Popped the jockey door and poor thing was very upset. We'd lost a hind boot and half the other (soft wraps) and she was snorting at all the cars flying past. All four legs still in use and on the right side of the partition and a quick few pats and she relaxed and off we went. Now we were late and I kept getting snide comments from the driver about how I didn't know where I was going, even though he'd chosen the route.
Arrive at trainer's and the sun was shining, it was warm, mare hopped off and stood very nicely for tacking up. Just a little kore jumpy and stressed in herself than usual due to the journey. Trainer saw this and offered to warm her up for me as new place and scary bits etc which I thought was very kind, especially as I was a little worked up too - bad journey, we were a bit late, and we were supposed to be jumping!
I used to jump when I was a teenager and I'm happy to jump ponies but I'm a bit terrified of jumping my mare. I'm not sure why as she is amazing and is so forgiving. Mare was warmed up and popped over a x pole and then I hopped on. Was reminded a few times we were jumping and not doing classical dressage!
We had a technical set with cavaletti aed angled uprights, oxears and dog legs. All a bit daunting on the baby horse and apparently all the 5 year olds she has in had been struggling with it a bit. Started with the cavaletti bounces which was great for her and helped me sort my position out (with reminders). Started connecting them to an upright on a tight turn which we made every time (if a bit overshot) and mare started really enjoying herself. We added in the dog leg x poles from the bounces and back over them. Had a break and a chat about the oxer after the bounces, look up etc bit of pep building and off we went.
Or didn't! Trotted a cirlce before the bounces but she trotted them as cavaletti and I was kicking in a panic as we approached the oxer trying to get some impulsion - still in trot! I thought for sure we were doomed but she finally clocked just one stride away and pushed into a big jump much to my relief. Trainer laughing about mare falling asleep, how good she is and what a lovely jump. Meanwhile I'm slowly dying. Trainer decided to up the complexity and adde in another oxer with a scary plastic pipe filler that shared a line from a x pole as well as all the rest. At this point I'm convinced I will be dead at the oxer with filler, 'pish' apparently, bet the baby hosse won't even look at the scary terrifying filler.
We start the course, going well, manage a tricky angled pair well, do the bounces again, perfect stride and jump over oxer number one second time round and head to x pole to scary oxer. I messed the placing pole up after the corner (looking at the scary oxer!) so big jump and line all wonky to the oxer. I'm sure it's all going to fall apart but mare does me pround and jumps it off my dodgy line, cracks her back and feels amazing. Massive pats then 'that line was awful! Do it again!' so we do and it was 100 times better and I didn't die
end of lesson announced and I suddenly felt very very sick as all my terror and adrenaline caught up with me.
Mare was washed down and cleaned up and popped herself back on the trailer and off we went back home. (we went my way this time) and sde travelled really well and wasn't even sweating when she got off at the yard.
I'm so pleased with her (and a little pleased for me, even though my riding was abysmal), she is such a star over a jump and the lesson was brilliant. Makes such a difference having an amazing coach wdo knows exactly how far to push the technical with the ease for a baby horse. It was bang on. I'm hoping I can afford to go again and maybe I'll even brave a xc clinic!
I'll see if I can pull some photos from my father who very kindly brought his fancy camera along, though I'm not sure I want to see my awful person on top!
Started off well this morning, horse not slept in poop and tail was still reasonably clean after last minute wash last night. Had her breakfast and stood like a pro for boots and travel gear. My father offered to load the car up but it turned into a nightmare and he just stood around liki a lemming after managing to put a saddle in and nothing else (not even my hat). I didnt even need my saddle as it was a jump lesson and I was borrowing one of the trainer's. Turned into a hectic rush to get everything on the transport. Apparently my fault for not leaving everything in a pile on the floor, but I'm glad he was willing to drive us even if he's not the best groom!
My mare hasn't been out since November so I was a little worried about loading but she waltzed on and stood munching her net and looking out the front of the trailer happy as anything. We set off and my preferred route was dismissed as too wiggly (it's not) and the motorway was chosen. I dont know the way from the motorway (my fault too haha) and my father decided we were late (we weren't at this point...) and went a bit crazy with the driving and decided to overtake a lorry, even after I told him not to worry and just make her first trip out in a while a nice one. Well, overtaking a lorry whilst being overtaken on the motorway proved too much and poor mare started seriously bouncing the trailer to the extent I was worried she'd fallen. So we had to stop. On the motorway. At half 8 in the morning. Popped the jockey door and poor thing was very upset. We'd lost a hind boot and half the other (soft wraps) and she was snorting at all the cars flying past. All four legs still in use and on the right side of the partition and a quick few pats and she relaxed and off we went. Now we were late and I kept getting snide comments from the driver about how I didn't know where I was going, even though he'd chosen the route.
Arrive at trainer's and the sun was shining, it was warm, mare hopped off and stood very nicely for tacking up. Just a little kore jumpy and stressed in herself than usual due to the journey. Trainer saw this and offered to warm her up for me as new place and scary bits etc which I thought was very kind, especially as I was a little worked up too - bad journey, we were a bit late, and we were supposed to be jumping!
I used to jump when I was a teenager and I'm happy to jump ponies but I'm a bit terrified of jumping my mare. I'm not sure why as she is amazing and is so forgiving. Mare was warmed up and popped over a x pole and then I hopped on. Was reminded a few times we were jumping and not doing classical dressage!
We had a technical set with cavaletti aed angled uprights, oxears and dog legs. All a bit daunting on the baby horse and apparently all the 5 year olds she has in had been struggling with it a bit. Started with the cavaletti bounces which was great for her and helped me sort my position out (with reminders). Started connecting them to an upright on a tight turn which we made every time (if a bit overshot) and mare started really enjoying herself. We added in the dog leg x poles from the bounces and back over them. Had a break and a chat about the oxer after the bounces, look up etc bit of pep building and off we went.
Or didn't! Trotted a cirlce before the bounces but she trotted them as cavaletti and I was kicking in a panic as we approached the oxer trying to get some impulsion - still in trot! I thought for sure we were doomed but she finally clocked just one stride away and pushed into a big jump much to my relief. Trainer laughing about mare falling asleep, how good she is and what a lovely jump. Meanwhile I'm slowly dying. Trainer decided to up the complexity and adde in another oxer with a scary plastic pipe filler that shared a line from a x pole as well as all the rest. At this point I'm convinced I will be dead at the oxer with filler, 'pish' apparently, bet the baby hosse won't even look at the scary terrifying filler.
We start the course, going well, manage a tricky angled pair well, do the bounces again, perfect stride and jump over oxer number one second time round and head to x pole to scary oxer. I messed the placing pole up after the corner (looking at the scary oxer!) so big jump and line all wonky to the oxer. I'm sure it's all going to fall apart but mare does me pround and jumps it off my dodgy line, cracks her back and feels amazing. Massive pats then 'that line was awful! Do it again!' so we do and it was 100 times better and I didn't die
end of lesson announced and I suddenly felt very very sick as all my terror and adrenaline caught up with me. Mare was washed down and cleaned up and popped herself back on the trailer and off we went back home. (we went my way this time) and sde travelled really well and wasn't even sweating when she got off at the yard.
I'm so pleased with her (and a little pleased for me, even though my riding was abysmal), she is such a star over a jump and the lesson was brilliant. Makes such a difference having an amazing coach wdo knows exactly how far to push the technical with the ease for a baby horse. It was bang on. I'm hoping I can afford to go again and maybe I'll even brave a xc clinic!
I'll see if I can pull some photos from my father who very kindly brought his fancy camera along, though I'm not sure I want to see my awful person on top!
