Kim (another student) on her hopefully new horse, Chili (Chili is Ozzys field buddy, who believes that Oz is his mum) and myself on Oz and we had a lesson together today. This was my first true ride in my new saddle, and yep we don't have a girth that fits. I have on of my old gel padded girths, but I need to find my extender which I hope I didn't sell. Brianne managed to use her muscles and fit my largest girth on him with a lighter pad. He looked pretty darn smart!
We started off in the ring, and I also borrowed Brianne's hinged stirrups to test drive before buying a pair for myself. Instantly I felt a difference! And it felt good. The saddle is still a bit firm shall we say, so doing a sitting trot doesn't feel wonderful. But as soon as I start to jump in it, or two point it just feels perfect. Not to mention I finally wrapped my leg on my horse. Before it was everything for me to keep a leg on, basically tying stirrups to my girth was the only thing that worked. And even then my leg still felt like I was on and off and on and off and on and off... (see a pattern?) Definately not a quiet leg. Today, I'm not sure what it looked like on the ground, but damn it felt quiet in the saddle. I could just wrap my legs around him and go.
The stirrups had my legs and ankles not burning and just felt more natural then ever. I didn't feel like I had to bring up my heel to put a little spur on him. We did a couple of cross rails, and oh it just felt like 100% better... now I know I wasn't THAT much improved, but everything felt better, and easier.
Who would have thought that a saddle would make that much difference! He still spooked from the flowers... but I think I also bailed on it, as I wasn't as prepared as I should have been. We did a couple of hops over the jumps. Kim and Chili did a couple of hops over the cross poles. Chili was a doll for Kim and they make such an awesome pair!
Then we headed out to the dreaded cross country field. Currently its tall in flowers so its a bit difficult to see some of the jumps. But we started jumping in there as well... just a little cross pole. We did it at a trot which was fine, but then we tried it at a canter, and I totally bailed on my horse. I didn't come off, but at the last minute I just got completely scared and pulled him left. We tried it again, but again I pulled him off at the last minute... I know, I know, as I type this I think you idiot! What have you just taught him to do! But when your on 2000 lbs that has a history of not listening to your leg at a canter in this huge field, I just got nervous. So we dropped it on the ground and trotted over it, and eventually cantered over it. I think Brianne raised it to a cross bar again, and honestly I don't remember if we cantered over it or not. She did have us work on the canter in a small circle, and finally I got how to control that massive beast in that field. Just a wee bit of give and take was all it took and I finally gained control over him! WOW - A break through! I know its small and rather pathetic, but that field has been intimidating me for the past little while. Just aways felt just out of control in it.
We did a mini course, a couple of cross rails, over the stumps that scare him, then over the row of log cut stumps which sends him spiraling! But we approached it, I don't think I looked down. I felt myself start to worry and then I just thought damn it, put on your big girl panties, put your heel down and get er done! And he didn't even flinch, then up to the top of the hill to a vertical that we weren't expecting and over that - weeee!!!! And back down the hill to the log stumps again, and again I got a bit worried as this was going in the even worse direction for him, but I knew he'd deek left, and just kept that left leg on him and up and over we went.
I was just soooooo happy. The jumps felt amazing, he finally got it, and I finally trusted him in the field!
So now tomorrow we are off to Lanyard for a schooling round in the afternoon, and off to show on Saturday. It sounds like its going to be a great show! MANY entries, but we stayed with just the hunter / jumper classes only.
We also made the decision to not go to Vernon H/J Show, I didnt relize that I needed my Bronze card to show there, and there is no way I'm going to be able to grab one of those in a week. I could pay $30 a day instead, but the bronze is just $20 for the year... um why would I spend $60 instead.... I think I will just keep my thoughts about the EC changes to myself at this point... but needless to say its certainly not encouraging me to show at these shows.
I will need to purchase all that for Maple Ridge, and yet I know there's not a hope in hell we are going to win anything at Maple Ridge. Its just for the fun of it, but yet I'm still expected to have an EC membership, the bronze card, and all the other hidden fees..... And what am I getting for my money exactly?????
Anyhow after this show I think our next one will be in Peachland towards the end of June for the South Okanagan Horse Association. Again we are doing the h/j classes only. But its only two months till Maple Ridge! Yikes!!!!