vervet_monkey (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
vervet_monkey) wrote2011-05-21 06:31 pm
vervet_monkey) wrote2011-05-21 06:31 pm
(no subject)
Why is there no one home when I want to dance round over riding? Maybe because they get bored of me dancing round after riding...
Such a good lesson today, on the pony. Jumping grids and he was just a little superstar. They are 3 fences with 2 strides between them, starting at 2'6" and ending at 3" spread (very small spread, but enough to make him stretch), working up through the fences. And he just flew over them. Really, beautifully smooth and together, just flying. Only twice did I have to pull him up and circle round because he decided that sideways was more fun.
And even when he got it wrong and seemed to just forget about the second jump, try to stop then realise he had too much momentum I just tapped him with the stick and he jumped it anyway (admittedly I think I was going over the jump whatever happened, but I'm glad he came with me!). And when I got it wrong and mucked up the striding for the first jump so we were wonky by the time we got to the last he STILL jumped it, practically from a standstill!
The perfect jumps feel wonderful and leave me with a huge grin, but the fact that we managed to save two not-so-perfect jumps is more impressive. It's not so long ago that either I wouldn't be forward enough to push him on or he would be too stubborn to listen anyway, that we could get ourselves together and I had the guts to just push him on and trust that he would land me safely is a huge step forwards :)
I also went for a walk this afternoon through the park behind our house. It was so British you couldn't have written it better. There were two proper cricket games (with the uniforms and umpires and stuff) and multitudes of people playing with the little plastic set. Families were sat everywhere with picnics spread out, kites, rounders, dogs. Students laying around with books and picnics. Families out for bike rides. Ice cream vans and kids feeding the ducks. It made me happy. The planes from the airport broke the illusion slightly, but never mind!
Such a good lesson today, on the pony. Jumping grids and he was just a little superstar. They are 3 fences with 2 strides between them, starting at 2'6" and ending at 3" spread (very small spread, but enough to make him stretch), working up through the fences. And he just flew over them. Really, beautifully smooth and together, just flying. Only twice did I have to pull him up and circle round because he decided that sideways was more fun.
And even when he got it wrong and seemed to just forget about the second jump, try to stop then realise he had too much momentum I just tapped him with the stick and he jumped it anyway (admittedly I think I was going over the jump whatever happened, but I'm glad he came with me!). And when I got it wrong and mucked up the striding for the first jump so we were wonky by the time we got to the last he STILL jumped it, practically from a standstill!
The perfect jumps feel wonderful and leave me with a huge grin, but the fact that we managed to save two not-so-perfect jumps is more impressive. It's not so long ago that either I wouldn't be forward enough to push him on or he would be too stubborn to listen anyway, that we could get ourselves together and I had the guts to just push him on and trust that he would land me safely is a huge step forwards :)
I also went for a walk this afternoon through the park behind our house. It was so British you couldn't have written it better. There were two proper cricket games (with the uniforms and umpires and stuff) and multitudes of people playing with the little plastic set. Families were sat everywhere with picnics spread out, kites, rounders, dogs. Students laying around with books and picnics. Families out for bike rides. Ice cream vans and kids feeding the ducks. It made me happy. The planes from the airport broke the illusion slightly, but never mind!
And who in... 15 minutes :)