We went to our favourite little local friendly jumping competition today but this time I was determined to go higher so I'd said I'd do the 45cm class AND the 55cm. As it's been so cold and frosty, the weren't many there and to be honest, I don't go for rosettes (although they're nice), I just go for the fun and experience.
The 45cm class was only 3. I rode with great determination and for some reason gave G a running commentary as we went round "right turn here. kick on a bit..... ooh a spread, we'll need some speed, gooood girl". Gracie cantered the whole course, which was a first as she'd normally drop to trot at some point, but it was a neat and tidy round and she went clear. The other two had one down each, so we won that one.
In the 55cm she had the first fence down, cleared the rest but it wasn't as tidy as the first, with bouts of trotting and trantering. I tried not to be nervous of the heights but I haven't jumped show jumps that high for over a year... and only once or twice ever anyway. We came 3rd out of 4.
Then it got interesting and a 6-bar grid was set up with one stride in berween each jump. G and I have never done more than two jumps with one stride in between so I was unsure what she would make of it. They were set up as tiny cross poles and I worried that she'd just charge through their low heights and we'd get eliminated in the first round. Well.... to give her credit, she DID jump them all but in that first line, she added a couple of extra strides, got too close to one and knocked it down! However, as there are only 4 of us, we were allowed to continue for experience. Second time round, small bars now, we attacked with more verve and G bounced along beautifully...... here's a vid of it (excuse the "hups".... I have no idea why..... and they soon stopped as we did more. Gracie absolutely LOVED doing them and towed me into the first jump each time. She was FAB.
This was the boost that Gracie's confidence needed and she absolutely LOVED subsequent rounds. We went up to an amazing 70-75cm and she flew them!!!
So.... looking back.... that 55cm class doesn't seem so scary now that I know what my girl is capable of.
My confidence was still sky high from the good news about her back yesterday (yes, I did ask my physio if it would be ok to jump her today) and today was just brilliant. So proud of her.
The 45cm class was only 3. I rode with great determination and for some reason gave G a running commentary as we went round "right turn here. kick on a bit..... ooh a spread, we'll need some speed, gooood girl". Gracie cantered the whole course, which was a first as she'd normally drop to trot at some point, but it was a neat and tidy round and she went clear. The other two had one down each, so we won that one.
In the 55cm she had the first fence down, cleared the rest but it wasn't as tidy as the first, with bouts of trotting and trantering. I tried not to be nervous of the heights but I haven't jumped show jumps that high for over a year... and only once or twice ever anyway. We came 3rd out of 4.
Then it got interesting and a 6-bar grid was set up with one stride in berween each jump. G and I have never done more than two jumps with one stride in between so I was unsure what she would make of it. They were set up as tiny cross poles and I worried that she'd just charge through their low heights and we'd get eliminated in the first round. Well.... to give her credit, she DID jump them all but in that first line, she added a couple of extra strides, got too close to one and knocked it down! However, as there are only 4 of us, we were allowed to continue for experience. Second time round, small bars now, we attacked with more verve and G bounced along beautifully...... here's a vid of it (excuse the "hups".... I have no idea why..... and they soon stopped as we did more. Gracie absolutely LOVED doing them and towed me into the first jump each time. She was FAB.
This was the boost that Gracie's confidence needed and she absolutely LOVED subsequent rounds. We went up to an amazing 70-75cm and she flew them!!!
So.... looking back.... that 55cm class doesn't seem so scary now that I know what my girl is capable of.
My confidence was still sky high from the good news about her back yesterday (yes, I did ask my physio if it would be ok to jump her today) and today was just brilliant. So proud of her.
