Victus

How would one expect to start off a lesson with a green 4-year-old? But with canter/trot transitions over poles, of course.

One very tired pony after our lesson. <3

I might have warmed Shiraz up possibly five minutes before coach threw down two poles and said, okay, lets start with canter. In days of yore that right there would have had my heart racing because fresh greenies might, you know, have some sillies in there? I guess I'm mutating into some sort of 'rider who can do things' because I said, "Sure" (and I meant it (WTF?)).

Trailer tire needed air badly before I headed out for my lesson. No big deal, its only -25 C outside!! >:/ ugh.

So I picked up trot and headed over the first pole with a sharp turn to the second pole, asked for canter over it and then worked on cleaning up our downward transitions. We did a variety of directions, switching up canter/trot or trot/canter, both directions and then it was on to a cross rail.

This time it was a very small cross rail with one trot pole in front. We came in and stepped over it like champs. humph.

And this happened. Major accident left me sitting at a standstill for 25 minutes and I ended up late for my lesson. Sorry coach!!

Coach was determined to see my horse actually jump so she raised the cross rail a few cups higher. This time through, Shiraz sort of half jumped, half stepped. Of course I cheered out loud like we just became real jumpers and were now ready for the Olympics. Funny thing though, something clicked in Shiraz's brain on that half jump. I felt a completely different horse coming around to try again. Suddenly on the next approach her ears were pricked and pony was LOCKED ON, and then she jumped for real!

Guyz! Dis not stupid stuff in my way--dis is JOMPIESSS!!!!!--Shiraz, for realz.

Those five strides out from the jump, feeling that shift in her brain, it was pretty cool. Shiraz just discovered jumping with a rider was possible (and she felt pretty excited about it!). Coach was just as jazzed as I was. Poor fuzzy pony needed a walk break though, so we worked at a walk doing shoulder-in, haunches-in and lead yield until both Shiraz and I were so frustrated I thought she might end up tossing me in the dirt and I would not blame her. Lateral is HARD. We then called a truce and came back to jump the cross rail a few times from a canter. Both our moods magically improved exponentially.

This was just all too much fun to go two weeks until our next jump lesson, so I ended up booking another lesson for next Thursday. What's money right? (Face palm to forehead/baloney sandwichs for everyone!)