Get it? ;)
Gavin and I have had a couple rides out at the new barn. Sadly, there aren't any mirrors (which help me gauge exactly how we're doing), but there are LOTS of jumps. As I've mentioned in a previous post, Gavin and I have been trot/canter transitioning over ground-poles and then cantering over them after the transition. It sounds ridiculous, but it has been REALLY fun for me. It sounds ridiculous, because it sounds like nothing. But to me it's not nothing, and I can tell by Gav's ears that it isn't nothing to him either.
What I like the most about it is that it makes my brain switch gears. Normally my brain is like "frame, frame, frame, movement, movement, movement, is his tail swishing? Does he hate his job? Was that circle more like an egg shape? That was definitely an egg. Shit, another egg. Inside leg, outside rein. Wait - is that too much rein. God I'm a pussy with the outside rein.", but when you put a cross-rail out in the arena, Gavin goes to it like a heat-seeking missile! And my brain goes "FUN!!! but also sorta scary". So I stop thinking about the above mentioned egg-shaped circles, and start thinking about making it over this three inch pole lying on the ground.
And, I'm proud to announce that yesterday I was riding Gav with my friend Laura and his gelding BFF, Sterling, and we started off with the trot-canter transitions and ended up doing the transitions, followed by a straight canter over a baby cross-rail. I'm talking like 6 inches off the ground! He did great! He's not particularly careful with his feet, but luckily he doesn't spook or freak if he knocks stuff down. We just go about our business. And once we moved up to the six-inch baby cross-rail he didn't hit it at all, and did sorta-kinda hop over it.
Anyways - I'm having fun, and looking forward to learning more about jumping. Now to find someone who wants to teach me more about it... :)
Sounds like you guys are having a blast. Kika & I love jumping, but sadly rarely get to play. Nancy isn't too sold on the jumping thing, but she hasn't had enough practice (my fault) and doesn't quite get the "jump" side, she tends to plow through the poles rather than go over - in saying that I have only twice tried to jump her in the year and a half i have her; so she hasn't exactly had much practice *blush*
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