AT LAAAAAAAAAAAAAST !!!!!
It was the most gorgeous spring day here today. I have even turned them out with summer weight rugs on. We couldn't resist, and since Jazz seemed so perfectly well, with no aches and pains anywhere, we took him cross country. We had no intention of doing a full-on schooling session, this was just an attitude tester. In the end there was no need to stay long anyway and we were out there just 20 minutes including the warm-up.
I went to the far end of the ground and cantered back at quite a pace. He was enjoying it a lot and so was I. I jumped two warm up fences as a test and he took them both easily. I jumped a set of five as another test and he was taking them on and often going early and big. Not panicking, just realising that they were small and it would be easier to go early than to fuss about adjusting his stride.
At this point I have a huge grin on my face, and put him at a log without conviction, expecting him to take me over it. Well stupid me! Then the next log I put him at was a bit bigger than I'd thought and he stopped again. He did it the third time, very well.
I settled him down, then set him up into a rolling fast canter, and did all the fences down the far side of the field, around the bottom and back to Superhubby, stood with a big smile on his face. He was jumping from a long rolling stride, confident, happy and enjoying himself. He jumped a big house that I couldn't get him near five months ago (the last time he was there). The only fence he refused was a pallisade that he has always hated and he even did that from a standstill (and would have done it without the refusal if only I'd ridden him into it instead of sat there like a prune :-)
He was great. He's definitely going to get round an Intro course this year. It was all a piece of cake and he was really having fun. We walked him back to the yard and went to MacDonald's for a celebration. As if it was an omen, his ballot stickers and entry forms had arrived in the post while we were out. It's taken so long and so much effort to get him this far. This performance upgrade is a great reward today. We are all still smiling.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 6:02 PM
9 comments
9 Comments:
Having ridden cross country a good number of times on a good horse, I know how exhilarating it is! I am thrilled to hear how well Jazz did today, and actually feel a bit of nostalgia for my own eventing days. Once you have the right horse, it is a wonderful, indescribable feeling as you soar over a good jump in the field.
Way to go, Jazzman! Once you realize how much fun it all is, you are going to be able to demand carrots after every ride. (I made that deal with Toby and stick to it. I think Jazz should strike a similar bargain. *G*)
I do get a chuckle out of your "reward" trips to MacDonalds. Around here, "Mickey D's" is a routine visit for most people. I try to limit my own visits, but every once in a while I just need a cheeseburger. (then again, within a mile or so of each other we also have Wendy's, BurgerKing, TacoBell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, et al.)
Jeanie now please don't encourage bad behaviour in my horses - bargaining for carrots indeed :-)
I'm afraid to admit that I really do LIKE a Big Mac :-))) Much to my more refined friends' horrors!!
C
Well done. There - it wouldn't have been the same if it had been easy all along.........
Have you read Lucinda Green's book about Be Fair? She was just about to start at the Olympics and someone rushed over to her and said "Remember to kick into every single fence."
It is so nice to start planning the season ahead. And the weather today was lovely!
Judith
Here is another addcit of MacDo ...once a month. I love it but it is so much slat ... I drink litres of water after eating anything there LOL
Well done Jazz, I could imagine the rolling canter ^-^
YEAH sounds like Jazz has turned a corner and actually realised it's FUN :))) Great news!!
Mmm I love MaccyD's but Burger King 'burgers' are much nicer just their chips that are pants.....ive actually been known to get chips from Mcdonald's and a burger from B.King how sad is that!!!
I do limit myself to having it only as a treat once a month.
Once a month? ooh dear, I've been in there three days in the last week and two of those days we went in on the way to get a coffee and breakfast, and AGAIN on the way back to get lunch.! I did have a salad twice though, honest.
I'm opposite from you Nicola, I like Burger King's chips but I don't like the taste of the flame grilled burgers. MacD'S coffee is pretty good these days too. And I like an egg muffin before going into court.
You're right of course Judith, there is such a sense of achievement in having cajolled and encouraged and plotted and planned for sixteen months to get Jazz this far.
The sense of triumph when we complete our first one day event will be enormous.
C
Yuk I duno how you can eat that stuff ;-P
Good news on the Jazz front though....he's just gaining more confidence as he goes isn't he!
cheeseburgers without the extra stuff on top (the advantage of that is that it comes freshly cooked and thus steaming hot, rather than luke warm). chips from either? no thanks, prefer my own...
He's improving noticeably every week now Mandeigh - about time too :-) !
I wouldn't dare cook chips Claire, I'd eat a plateful of 2 or 3,000 calories all in one go!!
C
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