First jump lesson (in Finland that is)

Yesterday we had our first jumping lesson. I have noticed that Rainbow has been a bit reluctant to be working hard of late. Not that I have pushed her too much as I realise it's not been that long in the new surroundings and also the 24/7 field life is probably a bit tiring for her... and the changes in temperature (last week and the week before it was sunny and closer to 30 degrees here and yesterday barely 10 with northernly wind and a flurry of sleet!) have probably affected her a bit too. But, after running out of ideas on Sunday what to 'hone' in the school, on the flat, I decided to pull myself up by the bootstraps and book in a jumping lesson. 

I jumped together with two other girls who are about half my age, but no matter! They were more advanced than me and Rainbow, easily jumping 80–100cm with their horses. Although, once, one of the girls fell off as her horse wasn't so sure about the height of one of the jumps, so he half refused and half ploughed through the fence. She was soon back up and going over the same fence. Very impressive!

This is image is not from yesterday's lesson. Just for decoration.

But our new instructor rather pushed us too and even though I had said at the beginning that I'll only do easy cross poles and such, 'confidence building' stuff, by the end of it we were easily going over 60–70cm ourselves, including doubles and oxers. 

Being a first lesson for a good two or three months at least, I was very nervous and forgot to breathe most of the hour-long lesson (which makes any performance a bit hard) and forgot to look up ahead instead of staring at the jump. The new instructor was very good at shouting at me, so I did start getting grip of the jumping again and remembered to stare at the trees in the distance instead of worrying about the jump in front. Rainbow, as usual, did her best and despite taking a few leaps (I wasn't riding her forward enough), she was very good and genuine. Tried her hardest and worked for mummy in the best way she could. 

Not used to whole-hour jumping lessons we were both slightly knackered afterwards. For when we stopped jumping the 'cool down' was going over cavalettis in trot and canter! I was so tired I was just bopping along in the saddle, hardly any rein contact and hardly could even make Rainbow raise canter. We had to canter over three cavalettis set up on a three-leaf serpentine across the school. It wasn't pretty. My legs were jelly, Rainbow was trotting along, hardly wanting to canter and my abs were screaming too. 

Good lesson! Back for more next week!