It's totally my fault... I came to battle unprepared!! Beth had to cancel our lesson so Christina and I decided to jump and trail anyways. I set up some fun jumps... nothing huge, but not all wimpy stuff. But because I was thinking it would be a fun day... I didn't put on my spurs, left my crop, and rode in my dressage bridle. And I guess my mentality was more of a "let's just hop over some stuff for fun" instead of "let's prep for the horse show" without realizing it, so..... It wasn't a great ride prior to a show.
He jumped the first few low jumps just fine but then I came to the oxer and he stopped. Christina said I picked and shortened and never added leg. So I came back with a lot of leg and he stopped again. Argh!! So I smacked him a bit. Came again and he jumped it. So we carried on and then he stopped at the coop a few jumps later. So I smacked him again, even though I believe that one was my fault too. So then we jumped and it was scattered crazy jumping and he was bolting on landing. So I got mad and smacked him, then started crying because I knew it wasn't his fault and I was still smacking him. Sigh.... Christina talked me down... And then I really started riding and Fleck took his punishment like a man and manned up. We even got to the swedish oxer on a cross canter, crooked and way to the left.. and he jumped it!
We finally ended with some really good jumps. And Christina pointed out that maybe it was a good thing to get the "brawl" out and done with before the show... that way I'd ride sharp and correct at the show. Yep... good point. And once I got in the right mindset, it was fine.
So then we went for a hack and had fun splashing in the lake! It was a good day after all. Now just a few more days of work and then off to Pine Top!
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