Fun Jump Lesson

So... after Sunday, Fleck got Monday and Tuesday off because of work. Then Wednesday I had a jump lesson with Beth. It was at Robin's farm just down the road so I emailed her to see if I could bring Dan along for the adventure. She said Sure thing! So we loaded up and hauled there. Both boys stood tied to the trailer while I groomed both and tacked up Fleck. Then I put Danny in the paddock right next to the pasture I was riding Fleck in. I told Robin I didn't quite trust Danny to leave him away alone just yet. She understood and said the paddock was fine. Then I jokingly said "But I bet Fleck will be worse about it than Dan". Boy was I right!!!

So, we got Dan turned out and then hopped on Fleck. Jeesh! He spent the first ten minutes in giraffe mode screaming his fool head off. Even though Danny was.... RIGHT... THERE...!!!! And answering him. Oh well. ;) Silly spotties! Eventually Fleck settled down to business and we had a good ride. We worked on bending lines. Beth had me jump a log, then do a dog ear to a vertical than an opposite dog ear to an oxer. They were some tough lines, but we managed. I turned him in the air some and then also really rode his shoulder instead of just using the inside rein to turn. More outside rein and inide leg :) It was kinda funny cause I kept telling Beth what I did wrong instead of having to ask. It was a nice feeling :)

Then she had me come the opposite direction. Then she added a coop then wanted me to overshoot my turn and come back and angle the oxer. Yeah... Now I needed her help for sure. ha! I don't know why I can't do basic geometry. I basically way overshot my turn and then expected Fleck to spin 118 degrees and jump from two strides away. He did.. but it was ugly and he grunted nicely. So then Beth fixed us and had me start my turn way earlier. It worked! I was still able to angle it the way she wanted but Fleck stood a chance.

So then to finish she built them up a bit higher and just had me come at them normally, do a roll back and come to the other one. Wow.. funny how a few holes up and a long approach make them look big! Robin joked that she was going to have to go buy bigger standards since the 4' standards weren't high enough for us. Hee hee... I really don't think they were that high though! They were big, but not that big! So, we sorta bobbled the first one, but when we came back the second time I rode properly and Fleck jumped it great. Yay!! And no sluggishness or anything, despite it being super hot. So.. who knows?!?

But anyways, he finally settled and then when I took him for his bath, the bellowing started again. Jeeesh! So I got Danny out and sponged him off and took the boys home.
Then... at dinner time... Fleck was all grumpy and nasty to him again. Silly boys! It cracked me up though cause Dan was in his stall and I wouldn't let Fleck go in and beat him up so he just stood there staring at him. But every time Danny tried to come out, Fleck snaked his head towards him. So after two minutes, Fleck just slammed his foot into the ground, like "Dammit.. I'm hungry" and Danny bolted out past Fleck. hee hee.. Such silly ponies....

So tomorrow we'll try the bigger perfection and see if it makes me as happy as it makes Fleck (in a way I hope it doesn't, cause it's more expensive!) and then finish/start packing for Poplar... Area Champs!!! Whoo hooo. Though it is a little bittersweet. I should be riding him prelim.. not training, but... at least it's training champs. Then we can hopefully find another prelim to get back out at. Unfortunately I'd LOVE to do Windridge but it's the weekend after and I'm working. But that would have been a great one to do. Then there's not much I can do until Chatt Hills I think. Unless I tried to do June Poplar but I'll have been working or out of town the two weeks prior, so that's probably not ideal. Sigh.... Doesn't look like my chances of qualifiying for AECs are good either. I only need one clean round at prelim to qualify for the Horse division, but I'm not sure I want to go to the AECs with just squeaking in with two clean rounds. But in order to go at training, I'll have to run at least two more events to get my three clean runs. (Assuming I go clean at Area champs). And I also have to either place 1-5 at Areas or get a first or second. So.. yeah, it's not looking good for Team Awesome this year. Oh well.... I suppose I can always think about driving to Texas next year. :(