Post by cesca on May 7, 2007 19:17:36 GMT 1
Well I hope everyone has had a great Bank Holiday...we did!
Saturday I went to Badminton for the first time in years, and had an absolutely terrific time. Looking at those fences, some of them I couldn't even believe a horse could be capable of clearing it, they were so big and s o o w i d e!!! But then a beautiful horse and its rider would come along in a fantastic rhythm and soar over them. It was amazing to watch.
Yesterday I had XC training with our riding club. I did feel nervous and then got nervier because of the nerves...if you know what I mean? On the way to the XC fields one of the horses got spooked (there were 4 of us) and the horses took off in a stupid narrow bit at the end of the fields with electric tape at the end. Managed to stop. It was a good start - woke me up and got me RIDING!
We jumped the water, tiger traps, stiles (one BIG one, with a drop), ditches, coffins, walls, the lot. I only freaked out at one pretty big (and wide) downhill fence - it was on the edge of a ridge and the landscape just fell away behind it...I kept going at it but at the last second the "stupid voice" would kick in and I'd pull him out yelling "NO! I don't want to jump it". The instructor (and my friends in the lesson) were wonderfully patient and eventually I did it - to hearty cheers from the spectators, which was wonderful. Then I did it AGAIN. It was a proper buckle end job but such a thrill to have got over it!
The best bit about it was learning how to jump these horrible (they probably have a name, but I don't know it) log pile type square, narrow things, without running out. As my lad is so strong and forward going I find it hard to balance and steer him, so it's hard to get a good line and he runs out. I just kept him up together and walked him up to them, until a few strides before, and then - bam - over we go. By midway through the lesson we were jumping them out of a canter with NO RUNOUTS!!!
And today I went on a fun ride and jumped everything. I can only remember one runout all day, and that was because I got too close behind my friend (whose horse runs out at everything) and when her horse went, so did mine. He was an absolute superstar and so brave. At one point there was a line of jumps everyone was missing out because there were cows in the way. I just went down them anyway! The poor cows, one was having a lovely rub on the edge of one jump but soon got out the way when we came charging over it! I even did some bigger stuff. I'm still having stupid moments where I'm trying so hard to see the jump from a distance, thinking how big how wide how scary how technical etc. etc. can we do it? But what I've noticed about my boy, yesterday and today, is that he's come on so much that a few times, when I've got it all wrong and not expected him to jump (because I didn't deserve it because I haven't ridden it well enough) he still has!
Also, he didn't tank with me once today, so I am one fantastically proud mummy.
Still got loads of improving to do, I still have tension in my hands and need to get a lot freer with them, and not quite strong and consistent enough with my leg - both are my nerves, I am "freezing" on the way in. But the main thing I'm trying to concentrate on is the fact we're getting over them - and this time last year I wouldn't jump a thing. And the more I get over, the better we get.
Photos to follow as soon as they are sent to me! Gosh I'm tired now though!
Saturday I went to Badminton for the first time in years, and had an absolutely terrific time. Looking at those fences, some of them I couldn't even believe a horse could be capable of clearing it, they were so big and s o o w i d e!!! But then a beautiful horse and its rider would come along in a fantastic rhythm and soar over them. It was amazing to watch.
Yesterday I had XC training with our riding club. I did feel nervous and then got nervier because of the nerves...if you know what I mean? On the way to the XC fields one of the horses got spooked (there were 4 of us) and the horses took off in a stupid narrow bit at the end of the fields with electric tape at the end. Managed to stop. It was a good start - woke me up and got me RIDING!
We jumped the water, tiger traps, stiles (one BIG one, with a drop), ditches, coffins, walls, the lot. I only freaked out at one pretty big (and wide) downhill fence - it was on the edge of a ridge and the landscape just fell away behind it...I kept going at it but at the last second the "stupid voice" would kick in and I'd pull him out yelling "NO! I don't want to jump it". The instructor (and my friends in the lesson) were wonderfully patient and eventually I did it - to hearty cheers from the spectators, which was wonderful. Then I did it AGAIN. It was a proper buckle end job but such a thrill to have got over it!
The best bit about it was learning how to jump these horrible (they probably have a name, but I don't know it) log pile type square, narrow things, without running out. As my lad is so strong and forward going I find it hard to balance and steer him, so it's hard to get a good line and he runs out. I just kept him up together and walked him up to them, until a few strides before, and then - bam - over we go. By midway through the lesson we were jumping them out of a canter with NO RUNOUTS!!!
And today I went on a fun ride and jumped everything. I can only remember one runout all day, and that was because I got too close behind my friend (whose horse runs out at everything) and when her horse went, so did mine. He was an absolute superstar and so brave. At one point there was a line of jumps everyone was missing out because there were cows in the way. I just went down them anyway! The poor cows, one was having a lovely rub on the edge of one jump but soon got out the way when we came charging over it! I even did some bigger stuff. I'm still having stupid moments where I'm trying so hard to see the jump from a distance, thinking how big how wide how scary how technical etc. etc. can we do it? But what I've noticed about my boy, yesterday and today, is that he's come on so much that a few times, when I've got it all wrong and not expected him to jump (because I didn't deserve it because I haven't ridden it well enough) he still has!
Also, he didn't tank with me once today, so I am one fantastically proud mummy.
Still got loads of improving to do, I still have tension in my hands and need to get a lot freer with them, and not quite strong and consistent enough with my leg - both are my nerves, I am "freezing" on the way in. But the main thing I'm trying to concentrate on is the fact we're getting over them - and this time last year I wouldn't jump a thing. And the more I get over, the better we get.
Photos to follow as soon as they are sent to me! Gosh I'm tired now though!
