I got down the yard as the sun rose to tack up Erik and try on some new equipment; I've decided we are going to trial a grackle and he seems to be happy in! After that fitting I tacked up and got ready to go, to say Erik was raring to go would be an understatement! I had to ask him to stand 3 times at the mounting block while usually I 'park' him at it and he waits but Saturday he was fidgeting about and as soon as my bum hit the saddle we were off, when usually he waits for me to tell me. Naughty E!
Despite being absolutely freezing Erik and I had a lovely ride, had a few trots and a canter and he loved going on a new ride that we haven't done in months!
Sunday came and luckily the wind had died down and the cold arctic winds had moved on and we actually had a nice mild day for my second jumping lesson with Erik at the beautiful Palace House in Newmarket. I was hosting RoR lessons there that day and a last minute cancellation meant an empty spot so I asked G if she'd take me when she went for her lesson with Beanie, to which she kindly said yes and off we went!
After my first lesson I was feeling confident that I could jump a little bigger and had much more of an idea of what I was doing with this big galumphing horse. We started off with a grid of poles on the floor to get Erik and I thinking about what we were doing and me 'allowing' him to find his own stride instead of trying to over control him. He likes to stand off fences so that takes some getting used to but after a couple of runs he stopped rushing and found his own stride.
In no time at all the grid was going up and up and we were away! I really liked this grid for adding in some 'gymnastics' time to a lesson rather than just jumping whatever is needed.
We had successfully done the grid a few times and then a double was put in and then another double so the next thing I know we're snaking down one side if the arena, across the diagonal and down the other side. I really was enjoying myself, and so much so that once my lesson had finished I hadn't realised that we had in fact been jumping 90 to 100cm!
Erik what a good egg he is!
After my first lesson I was feeling confident that I could jump a little bigger and had much more of an idea of what I was doing with this big galumphing horse. We started off with a grid of poles on the floor to get Erik and I thinking about what we were doing and me 'allowing' him to find his own stride instead of trying to over control him. He likes to stand off fences so that takes some getting used to but after a couple of runs he stopped rushing and found his own stride.
In no time at all the grid was going up and up and we were away! I really liked this grid for adding in some 'gymnastics' time to a lesson rather than just jumping whatever is needed.
We had successfully done the grid a few times and then a double was put in and then another double so the next thing I know we're snaking down one side if the arena, across the diagonal and down the other side. I really was enjoying myself, and so much so that once my lesson had finished I hadn't realised that we had in fact been jumping 90 to 100cm!
Erik what a good egg he is!
End of the grid, flying!
must remember, elbows in!
Windy ride the day before, on my Birthday!
No comments:
Post a Comment