Lesson Day

I spent Saturday at my trainer's barn lessoning on Ketel and Poppy. First I got on Ketel. I was so proud of him. I rode him while a couple of kids were lessoning and although he was nervous he handled the other horses in the ring so well. And ta-da I have video and a picture.

Cute BABY!  I will never claim to be an eq. rider.  Eeek!

 

He was so good about trotting the cross rail with a pole for the first time. 

 

 

Next I got on Poppy.  I had given her Friday off and she was a little full of herself.  My next show is in 2 weeks and my trainer told me she was going to prep me like we are going to indoors.  Meaning the courses will be technical.  N also told me if we didn't nail the course we would be back the following Saturday.  So she set all the jumps up to 3'6 to 3'9 and only leaving me one line to warm up over.  This meant not giving Poppy the chance to practice over any of the jumps before they got bigger.  So we started on the line, a 4 stride.  We began with adding up in 5 strides.  We did this a few times then did the 4 strides, then again in 5 strides.  Adjustability is key.  Often times lines in the jumper ring are set on half strides.  This makes you have to come up with the best plan.  For example, maybe adding up is better because you want to make a tight turn after the line.  Or the out jump is a skinny so you want to get there at the base so you add up versus a leave out.  We started the course with a simple 3 standing barrels, right turn over a skinny oxer, 6 tight strides to a gate, 7 strides (broken line) to the liverpool, tight left turn to the 4 stride line, a very airy single, another single, then a narrow box 3 very tight strides to a solid panel, left turn to a single, 7 strides to a one stride, then a tight 6 stride line.  She was great.  Our only issue was the boxes (which can I add was 2 brush boxes stacked) and the three tight strides to the panel.  She lands so far on the other side of the jump I could not make the 3 fit.  I even set her up to jump in deep.  We did 2.  But it worked.  My trainer said I "passed" and we didn't HAVE to come back and lesson next weekend.  If all goes well this week I probably won't.  I want to keep her fresh.  I will focus on flatwork this week, a little jumping next weekend and then hopefully we will be ready.  And boo for me having my phone in my pocket and forgetting to have someone video :(