2/8/03 Cross Country

(Starting up again for the new season. Can't believe it's only Feb. Really cold and windy - we were supposed to have snow. We jumped some jumps I thought were novice level, and was later told they were Training. It's good that these are starting to look smaller to me.  I was pleased to be the only one in my group not to go off. I did have some refusals at a Training fence. Not sure why, but we did get over it after a couple of tries. I have to think that the fox hunting has helped. We did one gallop after a fence, where I got tears in my eyes. I was scared, but thought about how it felt when we'd done that hunting and told him to keep going. He was very responsive, too, and slowed up immediately, when I asked.)

Yippie. He took it like a brush jump and didn't over jump.

 

Novice jump from a different angle.

I'd turn him to start toward the jump, and could just feel the enthusiasm. A little scary, but he only galloped when I put my leg on and asked for it.

 

I know, toes out and stirrups a little too long. My trainer told me to shorten them, but I wanted the length in case he acted up. He was perfect, I could have shortened them...