Boxing Day Meet
We made it! The sun was blinding and it was perishing cold but I had my long johns and two jumpers on. I used my Christmas present hip flask for the port to sip at checks. My brother made warm mulled wine before we set off and the hotel we met at served more - cold! Certainly an acquired taste, cold mulled wine.
Jazz was quiet at the meet and as long as we were walking and trotting. He never jogs, which is wonderful for the seatbones :-) But he tossed his head about at first and lost his curb chain. He quickly realised that I had no brakes or steering, and he ran away with me, and tanked me over all the fences at a speed which simply was NOT safe :-0000 What a change in him though - to be pulling my arms out to jump fences.
I got off at the next check and replaced the curb with one of the straps from his breastplate. I struggled back on board and off we went on the next leg. After about one minute, the curb broke and I was back in the same boat again! He was pretty dangerous, threatening to go through or over wire in order to catch up with the horses that he could see on the other side of the fence, instead of taking the detour to jump the wooden hunt fence. There were several occasions when I steered with two hands on one rein!
At the next check we were still alive, and I used the other strap off his breastplate to replace the broken one as a curb. That, thank goodness, held and I had a lot more control for the rest of the three hours we were out. We jumped absolutely tons today, and had loads of gallops across the farmland we'd been allowed on.
We had a fabulous time and Jazz has pretty much established his credentials as a class hunter :-) What a great way to end a very odd horse year!
C
posted by cptrayes @ 6:26 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Are you sure it's the same horse? *lol* What an amaaing change from a fellow who thought the jumps were going to eat him several months ago. Then again, a bit over enthusiastic with the missing cub strap. Perhaps a chain with a leather or rubber cover might hold up better?
Once, at a show, I was warming Russell up over the course and the bit broke! Bless his heart, he let me pull him down with just the reins attached to the flapping crownpiece. Then again, that was Russell R. Used to jump him with baling twine around his neck...back when I was a jumping fool myself.....
Not that you are a jumping fool...but it's beginning to sound as if Jazz may be...! *G*
What a grand holiday season you are having.
"Cub" strap? Gee, is that some new kind of tack? I think I meant, "cuRb" strap. I used to use a rubber guard on the chain on my double bridle. They make leather guards too. The chain might have a longer life span...but perhaps you'd need to carry a spare in your pocket, just in case. *S*
ooer, bet that was as scary as it sounds! as well as exhilarating....
It was a bit dangerous a couple of times Claire! Next time I will tape the chain on so it can't come off.
I have to buy a new one first, it got lost somewhere on the first leg!
I'm using a double link chain Jean. I can be soft with my hands if he doesn't need it, but if I need metal and it's not there, I'm risking my neck!
C
Forgot to tell you that the hunt included fording a river in full flow - twice! No little stream, either, a proper torrent about two feet deep in the middle and with steep banks on either side.
Also that it's a bit hairy jumping fences with him where the top pole has been removed from a post and rail fence. Jazz always swings to follow the rest and catches my leg on the post on one side or the other! No harm done yet, but a bit close yesterday when I hooked one with my foot.
But he was absolutely grand. We were jumping fences with big drops on the landing side, so I sat back as he went over. And a few of the fences were a decent size, particularly the last, a tiger trap. When he is unsure of the footing around the fence he has begun to jump very early, and VERY big to make sure he gets over them safely. He will also go in close and fiddle himself over it if he needs to.
Soon now I hope to get some smaller hedges to jump (small is 4 ft or less in Cheshire !) so we can have a go at them. I really got a lot of confidence in him yesterday by jumping so many fences, so we can start to do a bit more when we get the right hedge to try it on.
C
Impressive fording the stresm.
I misunderstood then about the curb. I thought you had a strap to start off with. The tape sounds like a wise idea and maybe carry a spare chain just in case. Some horse might be OK without, but Jazz certainly doesn't seem to be the kind.
Now you know why some jumper riders slide their legs way back, heel up over the fences. Not at all a secure position, but it does help avoid the toe catch on the standards. Never would recommend it myself uness I knew disaster was on the horizon.
Chain has been replaced - £5. Not too bad I suppose considering how it's made.
C
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