Gibbes Getaway!!!!! XC Paradise

Whooo hoooooo!!! Birthday celebration commence!!! 
This weekend I finally FINALLY finally got to go on my Gibbes weekend XC school. And it was epic! Beth took a large group and we cliniced all weekend long. We got up there Friday and Peri and I got to stay at the Gibbes, which is very very lovely. I really like their barn and set up. Fleck was quite content in his stall, despite it being very very cold. They even thought ahead and had water in buckets ready in the tack room since they had to turn the water off. So we got Fleck and Tess settled. (By the way... I'm so proud of Peri and Tess!!! They had a most excellent weekend and she really got a lot accomplished!). The stars there were unreal too! 

Saturday day was technical stuff. Beth had us work on ditches, skinnies, combo's, etc. It was all fun stuff. We didn't get to do the water because it was frozen, but there was still plenty to do. And I tell you.... Fleck was ON FIRE!!! Seriously... he was utterly amazing all weekend long. There was nothing he couldn't/wouldn't do, and he was sooooo pleased to be out there strutting his stuff again. And he just kept going. He was always wanting more. We only had two issues all weekend long. Once when we did the up bank to the ditch/other bank thing. I pulled him back to a walk to the up bank because I thought Beth said to (not for me, but for the other girl) and didn't have enough energy and then jumped up his neck, so he stopped at the ditch, but then jumped it fine from there and then fine the second approach. And the other place we had an issue at was... well, stay tuned!! That one is super awesome! So yep.. technical day went well. 

 

 

Fleck apparently really had to pee. ;)

 

Doh!! I told Beth I thought we were really reaching for this jump. But he opened up the next time and the distance was much better. 

 

This one was super fun too. It was about 12 of these logs piled up in bounces. Lots of bouncing! Kinda felt like a bucking spree. But the ponies all had fun with it. 

 

And then there was this. YES... that is a NOT a smile on my face. See, I don't ALWAYS smile when riding Fleck. And yes.. that is the look of terror!! Hee hee.. This jump is fun, but it really is like a roller coaster. It doesn't look that big, but they gallop up the hill, jump, and down the hill. Fleck actually did it on the first try and surprised me! He kept taking off a stride earlier than I was thinking! But yay... good brave pony!

 And we had so much fun watching and learning from the other groups too. Despite freezing!!

The next day was more of a course/gallopy day. Beth sent us over some technical stuff too, but we also got to string a bunch together and run and jump!! Yay! We only got video of the big hammock table, but that was a fun jump. And again, Fleck was on fire!! Like literally dancing in place waiting for his turn! IT WAS AWESOME!!!!

And guess what?!?! We did it!!! We jumped the dreaded ditch and wall. And this one wasn't wimpy either. Granted, it wasn't the biggest one, but it was a real ditch and wall. We came up to it the first time and I basically pulled him off it. But then I sat down and rode and he took me right too. Beth made us jump it about 8 times. By then I was bored and ready to lock on to the bigger one. :) Whoooo hooooo!!! So proud of myself :) And Fleck of course, but I always knew he could do it.

It was double sided, so we could jump it both ways.

It had warmed up enough to play in the water, so we did.

We managed to sneak in another ditch and wall too! Also, not wimpy though certainly not the biggest one out there. But still!

It was a great weekend!!!! One I hope to repeat soon. And Fleck felt phenomenal! He was never tired, always wanting more, and the next morning, his legs were tight and cold. Yay!!!!

Here's some video links...
The hammock jump 

The ditch and wall 

Hammock jump via Go Pro 

Cloverleaf via the Go Pro 

Ditch and Wall via the Go Pro 

Second Ditch and Wall Via Go Pro

And... it's hard to see, but... at the Lucinda clinic a few years ago, I could NOT get Fleck over this jump. He was terrified of it... but this year... sailed right over!!!
Water Trough Jump

Best weekend in a long time!!!!