More jumpies

 Poor Lyric. I didn't plan this as well as I should have. We had our XC lesson Thursday and she got yesterday off. Then today was Beths' cavaletti clinic day. I was expecting to do grids... with jumps. But, because it was just me... we just did small courses. In retrospect, I should have just flatted but I didn't think it through. Especially since I'll probably have a lesson on Tuesday too. But maybe I can do a flat lesson on Tuesday instead of jumping. Whoops. Oh well... at least the jumps were tiny today. 

 

 

I tacked her up and we went to the arena in hand to do our pillar work, thoracic sling work, and trot stretch to warm up. It was quick, but.. it seems to help, even when it's quick. Then we got on and headed to the arena. I trotted and cantered to warm up and Beth said she looked great. She felt good too! 

 

Then we started jumping. We warmed up over a cross rail at the trot and then the canter. And then we did some small courses. Basically the theme of the week is.... Keep my hands low. And shorten my reins. When my reins are too long, my hands have to come up or back and then I sort of lose any efficacy. Plus, it probably inverts her too. So then Beth also told me that she was getting too long and flat and dropping in the front end. So instead of just lifting my hands and holding and letting her hang on me and get flatter... to try something else. One sided half halts.. or alternating half halts. So I tried that, which was better but... she was still essentially ignoring me. So then Beth told me to get in and get out. Make my half halts effective. And that worked! I could feel her lift up in the front end and rock back onto her haunches. And.. it's like.. ugh... I should know this by now! But I didn't appreciate the downhill feel until I felt the uphill feel. Argh. So... when I had slightly shorter reins (I should be able to grab my neck strap easily, not way back at the wither base), kept my hands low (again, should be able to touch the neck strap not be floating way above it), and had effective half halts, it was much smoother! She also got a little quick today so the half halts not only balanced her but slowed her tempo a teeny bit. 

 

We had some good jumps too! She was pretty much jumping out of stride and even took a few long spots when I asked. And I got a little better with my hands. It had gotten really hot and muggy and because we were the only ones, she didn't have a ton of breaks. We let her walk a bit in between the 4-8 jump courses, and we only did a course like 4 times, but she was still puffing. So we quit with that. Besides, she was good and I was figuring it out so there was no need to do more. 

 

Sadly I didn't get to take her on a hack because I had to adjust Beth and Jamie's horses and they had been waiting, so... she got hosed off and fly sprayed and she happily and quietly sat there and munched hay while I adjusted them. She's so easy. Good girl!

 

And I got some beautiful photos of her today!

 

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