Well: happy to say that we all survived the weekend's cross country clinic, and that as a bonus despite horrendous weather forecasts, the weather pretty much behaved itself - apart from being slightly (very) cold.
Day one:
We started with some warm up grids and jumping on an angle before heading out to the XC jumps. We did some work on maintaining rhythm and balance into the fences on a short course of jumps - sitting up some six strides from the jump to ensure that the horses weren't too strung out on their take off strides...but of course remembering to keep them moving forward.
We then moved on to some slightly bigger jumps in succession, again establishing the principles of moving forward into the jumps, in rhythm and in balance.
A few splashes into the water, finishing with a baby trakener and palisade.
Willie was a very good boy, and thoroughly enjoyed himself (as did I - which is always a good sign)
Day Two:
Straight out to the XC course, warming up over a small combination, ensuring our horses were listening to us, and able to pop in four even strides rather than three yeehar ones! Willie was excellent as, although very keen and strong, actually listened and shorted up coming into the combination.
Then onto some bank combinations (Willie of course holding a perfectly straight line as usual), the dreaded trakener (at which Willie pretty much took charge and I became a passenger), before some more short courses of straight forward jumps to be taken pretty much out of our stride.
Onto the palisade, at which I was thrilled with myself as I had no anxiety at all, and because of which Willie simply popped over, given that there was no need for him to take charge - not that I have issues with Palisades - it is just those dreaded trakeners; but I think we're getting there slowly.
Finished again with some jumps off the bank into the water. Willie was a little sticky, having never been the fondest of water jumps, but he did go.
Synopsis: Altogether a very worthwhile two days. Both Willie and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and I felt that as a combination we were jumping very confidently - Vaughn did ask if I had taken some 'brave pills'.
I definitely feel that I am on track to commence the season at Pre novice, and do well - if of course I can beat the show jump phobia!
I would like to aim to do well at Puhinui championship pre novice, before moving up to novice (arghhh) in the Autumn; all going well of course.
(Still awaiting photos - so hopefully there will be some pics to show I did actually manage to successfully jump over the weekend)
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