xcountry schooling (self indulgent)

[4whitesocks]

In October/November we did some schooling over the xcountry across the road - then the rain came & we haven't been let on it since! I was pretty nervous back then & tended to jump the littler fences when there was an option & had a paddy one day with a roller in & out of a water jump....since then we've done a fair bit of local not very big S-jumping, 5 or 6 friday nights in an indoor over 75/85 & lots of work on turns/doglegs/strides etc at home... not enough hacking out due to weather but a bit & have found the 3 ring gives me just about enough brakes to have some semblance of control

anyway - aiming for my local Hunter Trials on easter saturday (have taken entries, marked fences, made the tea, been a starting judge, handed out the bibs BUT never ever been around the whole course on a horse...)

Today gave me hope! Hadn't jumped in two weeks as arena is being resurfaced - went out w Yo & her youngster - both Neds v on their toes cos they knew what was coming...
and we pinged every fence we came to - went for the bigger option each time (not v big but big enough!!LOL!!)
Did the roller out of the water, the coffin, ski jump, nice solid wall, tyres, barrels & managed to canter onto & off a bank (dunno why but they scare me)

We sort of had brakes (I could steady but not necessarily slow him down) & no matter how he met the fences he never even tapped anything

Hoping to school over a different course on Friday but god it's so much fun...last time we were out he knew I was nervous & took the proverbial...today there was not one hesitation

Sorry for the length but am chuffed with the two of us!

 

[CastleMouse]

Aw, well done!

Glad things are going well

Will I be seeing you out Paddy's day? I might be at the Easter Saturday hunter trials, will you be hunter trialling the 15th and/or 22nd of April at Annaharvey as well?

 

[Jemayni]

Aww well done; by the sounds of it you'll be fine! Loving your horses name btw (I have a "Celtic Gamble")

 

[4whitesocks]

Yeah hoping to do the two at Annaharvey too - would have been better to have Annaharvey first as they have a littler course than Stradbally but I have been working towards doing this since I bought him so...
(I'll have him a year on 19th April!)

 

[mad_egg]

Well done and good luck!!!

 

[pagancluf]

Well done!! - bet your heart was in your mouth at the start!! - SSM and I are borowing our riding instructor to go XC schooling when Newton opens up again - so fingers crossed!!

 

[buzzles]

Well done, sounds like you had a great time!!! Can't wait to do xc again, am debating whether to go hunter trialling next week, my guys just back properly from 2 weeks off and a week of light work so not sure if hes fit enough?! He was very fit before he was off and probably just go for a canter around the novice as someone wants me to give them a lead, but don't want to injure him at the start of the season, think I'll see what the weathers like and give him a good canter work out this week and see how he is!!! Good luck in Stradbally, I love that course, it's nice and open so suits mine who likes to motor on!! Don't know if I'll be heading down there this year though, have to see how things go!!