Back in jumping position

I pestered my trainer last week about doing a polework/small jump lesson. She was too busy last week and we couldn't really match our schedules, so we left it. But later she mentioned to me that why don't I join Monday's group lesson and she will make us do some jumps then. This suited me as I haven't jumped Rainbow since end of last year and wanted a gentle way back into jumping. So it was high time for me to get back in the jumping position. My trainer had jumped Rainbow yesterday, in an unaffiliated show jumping competition at our yard, so she was in a good jumping mode. 

Today was quite windy and we were outside which made all the horses a bit perkier than normal, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Rainbow and I were the first ones in the sand school and we could hear horses in the distance galloping around their paddock and neighing, I was little bit unsure about Rainbow's state of mind. She's always ears pricked and more upright when we're outside anyway. But it was good; I just rode around the school and, as we were joined by others, kept going around in trot, etc. She wasn't concentrating all the time but I made sure I rode through the initial excitement and didn't let her completely lose interest in me. After the warm up trotting and cantering I could feel we were back to normal and she wasn't bothered about the surrounding horses and fields anymore. 

We did little triple poles in trot to get everyone in the jumping mode, then we went onto cross-poles and eventually to a normal fence of about 2 feet high. So nothing spectacular, but exhilarating enough for us. Rainbow jumped each fence well, only I had some 'stylistic' trouble with knowing what kind of a jump we were in for; she sometimes does massive leaps, so I now prepare myself for one and try to stay on...! So, when she was just jumping 'normally' I was preparing for a leap anyway, so wasn't always in perfect rhythm with her and my trainer said I stay low a bit too long after the jump, which is fine when you do one jump but would cause problems in a course of jumps. 

Overall I am very pleased with today's lesson. This is a good place to start practising regularly again. I am trying to organise so that will jump her once a week if at all possible – to keep it going for both of us. In the meantime my trainer can still jump her in competitions.

Otherwise Rainbow has had a chilled out weekend in the field! 

Cheeky morning hack

There's nothing better than starting the day with a hack. We had a lovely time with our friends J and O. I had partly mentally prepared myself to try cantering again, but we ended up nattering all the way around, so didn't in the end. The horses were good even though we had a few 'scary' moments of other horses lurking in the bushes and fields and a whole gaggle of race horses and jockeys trotting up the road. 

Our route felt a lot longer as we mostly walked, so when I mapped it out, it only came to about 5 miles all together. But I guess it's nice to get out with the horses and not always rush around. R seemed sufficiently tired when we got back. I let her out in the field with others for the rest of the day. 

In the summer owning a horse, riding and being able to let them out in the field regularly is so nice. Much easier and carefree than winter. Here's to a long summery season. :)

Such a shame no dressage this Sunday

Tomorrow's Dressage is cancelled due to lack of entries. Typical, just when I wanted to enter two classes. 

So instead of fetching Rainbow from the field to spruce her up this afternoon, I am giving her a whole day in the field. I will decide later if I collect her this evening or tomorrow morning. I have agreed a hack out tomorrow with a friend.

I find that she's always a bit more energetic and vocal when she spends a long time in the herd. So it might be good to have a night in the stable before going out with her tomorrow, find that calms her down a bit and she's not quite so 'swoosh' about things.

Ummm... totes amazeballs!

I am not one to usually use the latest 'slang' but I have to today. Today was hopefully the first day of rest of our lives: Rainbow went in an outline and stayed there. 

The first time we had a lesson where the emphasis was not on getting her on the bit but concentrating on other things. We practised our dressage tests and it was useful to hone a few points, but I won't practise movements with Rainbow too much this week. Actually just going to ride her tomorrow and then give Friday off. Hopefully do a little hack on Sat and then go for it on Sunday. 

Take today while waiting for our lesson to start.

Until next week...

I am possibly having some kind of a blip but have decided to not only enter one class but two classes next weekend's dressage. 

Will be doing W&T Intro B and Prelim 14. We have done W&T B quite a few times now so I am fairly confident I can remember it without a reader. But will have a reader for Prelim 14. It's got 15 movements, so quite a lot to remember and cantering as well.... 

Here are the routes, ripped from the internet: 

Prelim Intro B Walk and Trot 

Prelim 14