Jumping Babies

As I looked at my calendar yesterday it occurred to me that I am showing Ketel in 2 weeks.  Eeek!  Baby's first show!!!  Now, we are just doing cross rails but I've been focusing on his flat work and poles so I haven't jumped him in quite awhile.

I last rode him Friday so last evening I stuck him on the lunge for a few minutes.   He had a couple woohoo bucks but other wise was like getting molasses to move on a freezing day.  On I climbed.  He was good, continues to want to "jog" versus trot.  It takes soooo much leg to get him going.  He does go but goodness does he wear me out. 

I set up a small cross rail and he trot stepped over it.  Ok so the pole work is making this unimpressive.  We tried it again and when he tried to trot step again he knocked it down.  The poles hitting his legs scared him and he bucked a little but came right back.  I had to get off and fix the jump which also gave me time to wonder how he will deal with this.  With babies some will go back and jump it again like no big deal.  Some feel traumatized by poles hitting their legs and don't want to play anymore and some will way over compensate and jump the moon. 

Example:

 I whispered a "please don't kill me no one is home" prayer and tried it again.  He trotted right over it like a champ and cantered away nicely.  He did the same a couple more times and I let him be done.

Such a good baby.  Though he is not my preferred kind of ride his good brain keeps winning me over.  His naughty moments aren't even really that, more like baby moments.  He gets past them and really just seems to want to please.  I try to reward him for this and keep our sessions short.  As he gets older I will challenge him more.

As for my plan for the show, I will take him over the day before to hang out and school.  I will have to see how he handles everything so our plan will need to be flexible.