Way to go Lyric!

July 21, 2026

Whoo hoo!! Lyric and I had an awesome jump lesson today. Well, it started a little rusty but we finished great! Especially since she's had a week off!

I probably should have taken Funny instead... or ridden her yesterday, but... alas. It is what it is and she did great. She's had the week off while we were at the beach but today was lesson day, so... we jumped. Luckily Laura had just gotten back on Smarty after his neck injections so the plan was to take it kind of easy. Plus it was miserably hot and humid again, so we took it easier because of that. Supposedly. ;)

I got on and walked around a bit and Lyric was a slug. We picked up the trot and she was not mincy and "navicular" but she was just... lazy feeling. She was in heat and wanted to stand next to Smarty the whole time, so that didn't help. I had her trot for a bit and then finally got her to stretch some. And then she started moving more freely. So then I put her together on a shorter rein and she felt much more normal. We did a little canter both ways and then we started out lesson.

Jacel had us trot a low vertical and then come around on an arc to jump another low vertical to start. She had us trot them both and then canter both. `Then we did the same thing off the other lead. So then we started adding some things and the jumps got a little higher. Jacel said they were small, but they seemed big for Lyric and I. She did great though. The goal was long lines and then bendy lines. And we added some angles too for fun. I was like "angles?? I don't know if Lyric does angles". And they both looked at me like I was dumb because two lessons ago we did angles with Lyric too. ha ha. Oops. My brain isn't working so great in this heat and humidity. We built up to a full course which was really fun. Lyric and I started out a little chaotic/rusty. She was good but I couldn't get in the groove. She was also porpoising a little bit on the backside some. Of course Smarty was too. I think they were just being silly. I hope anyways. Both Jacel and Laura said she looked happy and didn't look uncomfortable or angry. I was riding a little too passively. She's not Funny. But then I over rode. I did manage to fix it mostly at the end. I have to be supportive and encourage her with my supportive leg and hand when we both see the long spot so she takes it, but still wait for her to take it before I move my shoulders. And really, don't even move my shoulders just allow her to take me. And when I did that, she took some good spots! I also have to keep my hands low. That allows her to use her neck more and reach and get a good bascule.

We did some fun and hard things! The final course was the inside diagonal line, the other inside diagonal line, and even sharper diagonal with a slice over the vertical, roll back to that same vertical on a slice and hit the other diagonal line, then down the centerline. It was fun and Lyric was so good with the slices. Except for the one time I fussed with the canter too much and distracted her off the jump. I'm so proud of her! She was jumping boldly and bravely. And I was able to sit up and back and wait for her while also encouraging her to be bave and bold.