In this Sunday's lesson it was a pretty big group of different abilities. We did very low bounces, some of us worked up to maybe a foot off the ground, and the best jumper popped over something around 3ft at the end. I'd never done bounces before, and I realize a tiny jump is not the same as real jumps, but the feeling of going up and down was new to me and I really enjoyed it. It also really showed how Calvin picks his feet up now. I first started riding Cal as my practice ride and he would trip all of the time, even at the trot. He would barrel through crossrails, but somehow my instructor knew he had potential. Well, not 'somehow'. She's explained to me that years of training horses with her husband and working in partnership with an awesome farrier has created a "dream team" of seeing potential in horses. Calvin was a 'companion pony' to racehorses for the first few years of his life, so he is technically off the track, but not from racing, from being the chill guy in the tense environment. And he just needed to get some weight on him and to learn his new job.
He's an amazing ride now. Not only was the bounce easy, I don't get nervous jumping him, so I focus on other things other than, "OMG We're heading for that jump! OMG we just went over a jump!" Instead, I can focus on keeping him from drifting out, and focusing on improving my position. My instructor had me put the reins in one hand and pop over a jump while making a rolling motion with my shoulder. The idea was it set you in the correct position over the jump. I think it was also a great confidence tool. Just realizing the reins aren't helping me with my position and to literally let go with one hand was great. My confidence over jumps has been sky rocketing lately. To be honest, I'm lucky I don't own my own horse and can't go in some backyard and see how high I can jump because I'm feeling rather reckless ;)
He's an amazing ride now. Not only was the bounce easy, I don't get nervous jumping him, so I focus on other things other than, "OMG We're heading for that jump! OMG we just went over a jump!" Instead, I can focus on keeping him from drifting out, and focusing on improving my position. My instructor had me put the reins in one hand and pop over a jump while making a rolling motion with my shoulder. The idea was it set you in the correct position over the jump. I think it was also a great confidence tool. Just realizing the reins aren't helping me with my position and to literally let go with one hand was great. My confidence over jumps has been sky rocketing lately. To be honest, I'm lucky I don't own my own horse and can't go in some backyard and see how high I can jump because I'm feeling rather reckless ;)
 |
| A firm grip on Calvin so he doesn't drop and roll on his fresh bedding...He dropped and rolled mid-lesson while some poor beginner was riding him! |
No comments:
Post a Comment