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I am totally clueless when it comes to structured jumping, but the video is cool!

My Mom came and watched my last lesson yesterday. She went to VC afterwards and was like "Is this the same kid that I left here 2 months ago?"


VC told her that she is very happy with how I have been improving and that ALL of the horses like me - Even Sam who she says is sometimes hard to get along with. Tomorrow morning I leave for Ireland!

I didn't think that I was going to fit any more lessons in because yesterday and the day before I had my orientation at college. I am REALLY glad I don't have to stay in one of the dorms longterm. One night to "see what college was all about" was enough for me. It was teeny tiny, with a community shower that is worse than one you might see at a horse show. The entire dorm was like a 12x12 box and you could never get away from your roommate. They need to convert it to a barn so I can bring my horse.... It was super old and smelled.

However... the honors dorm was BEAUTIOUS. I accidentally ended up in one of the single dorms that just shares a bathroom with one other person. But the person I am sharing with is someone who I've been communicating with for about a month now, and I think that they will work great!

Make sure they are oiled really really well! I use mink oil, which you can find in the store with the shoe polish. Some people use beeswax to waterproof their boots as well.

Take your work boots too, if you can. Often what impresses experts is your willingness to pitch in, and if you're worried about your boots in the barn they'll see. Congratulations on really fast progress! I never got that far, but then I never got very regular lessons.

Yes. For sure taking my work boots. I have my western boots that just graduated to barn boots, so they'll be nice enough we can tour castle leslie and such, but I won't feel bad if I get them dirty.

Yea, the sitting up in a 2-point constantly seems unusual to me as well. It's been the vast majority of my issues. I'm used to sitting back and driving forward. The little I've jumped before they never asked for the 2 point the whole time, but I don't know if that's because they really only had a day to crash course me in jumping! (my trainer isn't really a "jumping" trainer, so at the shows one of her "friend" trainers would help me with the jumping.

Yes, I love that mare and am super grateful to get to ride her. In fact two lessons ago she was like "Well you're making it look to easy on that mare - so you have to ride someone else tomorrow!" (Which ended up being Sam). Then the girl who had been riding Sam rode Callie.

I just did my english boots with regular leather stuff yesterday, and the mink stuff today. Would another coat of the mink be overdoing it? They look brand new its amazing! (Which actually this pair is fairly new, although I kinda ended up in the dirt yesterday....)

I hope that I am progressed along enough that I don't waste the instructors time. I wonder what level kids he normally gets.

(Just out of curiosity - are the pictures working? On my PC where I am logged into gmail they come up, but not on my phone. However, the video link works on phone and PC for me)

Yea it’s definitely been interesting riding different horses. The similarities between a horse of the same discipline and then the differences of their individuality. I think I’m glad I rode 3 different horses because I’ll be riding at least 2 different horses in Ireland.

No clue if this link will work


https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipP97WfGUPb7FgsQo6E5X2e-_ohcEEaADGrjVroc

Thank you!


Wow! I honestly am amazed that I'm alive. I thought that I was in one group. I told her my name. (I think so at least). And then seemed to checkmark me off. She asked my riding experience. I said riding my whole life but jumping only 3 months. (Which is mostly true). She assured me that we would go slow, and then assigned me "Nikon" a super, super cool looking half draft with pinto markings! She told me that he was steady, and tall and knew what he was doing. He was also one of the tallest horses there. But then a little bit later someone started calling for me. Apparently, I ended up in the wrong group. She also asked me my riding abilities and I said the same thing. She then pointed me to a different horse. She was more brusque than the other lady and had an accent. We warmed up only a tiny bit. She asked for two-point until I was exhausted and could hardly breathe. My horse kept spooking at everyone that was watching. The cantar was extremely fast, and I felt like the horse was going to take off with me. She had us trot over some poles on the ground. Except my horse got about 30 feet away from the jump and TOOK OFF at a MAD gallop. I'm used to braided reins. These were rubber, and my hands were sweaty. After that she had us work stirrupless. Which was fine with me actually. But then she had us trot a tiny crossrail. Same thing. My horse took off at a mad gallop. I firmly repeated "Trot! Trot! Trot". And my equivalent of a death grip on that horse. Didn't work... Lady told me "Your horse doesn't speak english"

Then she raised the jump up. 2 foot maybe? Maybe 2ft6? Mad gallop again. Then she set up a course. 3ft3 oxer included.... I still couldn't really get the horse to slow down, but then that speed was a reasonable thing to do. The horse wouldn't let me adjust her stride at all. I had never jumped that high before and I was terrified. And then she raised the jump more! It looked huge, and I considered not jumping it. But I stayed out of the horses way, although still held the reins really tightly and we did the course. A couple of the jumps looked so huge that I was too terrified to have fun, and instead wondering the consequences of not doing it....

Afterwards I went back and one of the oxers was as high as my belly button.

To my relief the cross country course has smaller jumps. There were some ups and downs. I don't know if I got used to her stride, but from the combination of her getting tired, me getting used to her, and less sweaty hands things got better. Once I actually had to add leg. Then she started to get really tired, and then all of a sudden I was in charge of striding, and I didn't do very good of a job, but she never refused and I started having fun.

Having lots of fun! Have lots I wish to share, but have been going on non stop!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/xGXcFDRH7dnBEYxy6

https://www.facebook.com/danielle.stephenson.144/videos/2328754220678899/