Jumping beans!

Jump training has started. Circe was up first with Michelle on board. After her normal flat work, Michelle decided to take Circe over a few cross rails and a couple of little jumps to see how she did. Circe loves to jump! Who knew!? Shes a careful jumper with scope to go higher then the little baby jumps shes going over now and she tucks her front legs up underneath her. Every single time her ears were perked forward and she never refused anything. It looked like she was having a good time. I really didn’t expect to be able to start this work with her this quickly, so of course i’m tickled pink. Especially because she really seems to be having fun. I’m consistently amazed at how well Circe is doing in the new place.

Sammy was next up to jump Circe. She put the whole jump course down to Circe’s level and when i asked her she though maybe they were 18 inches. though to me the looked bigger cuz i don’t know squat about squat. After a flat warm up she took Circe over a few jumps and hot damn if she didn’t look great going over them. Again ears perked forward every time and the tucked front legs. She pushes off evenly with both hinds and really seems to get up under herself! She took her over cross rails then a couple verticals and then took her though her first combination and Circe did it all with out complaint. She wasn’t sure about the combination the first time and showed some confusion and i thought for a second she was going to refuse the second jump but Sammy pushed her though and Circe Jumped it like a champ. After that she new what a combination was and took it like it was old hat. She even jumped Circe over the coup and out of the ring and up the bank when they were done. Awesome! Sammy thinks shes my event horse which is a surprise to me because i always thought of her as a dressage prospect.

I’ve been riding Circe alone few times now and i feel confident and not nervous. Shes been a real doll baby and taken very good care of me. I’ve been riding on my own up to the upper ring and back and have ridden her in the indoor as well. I’m woefully out of shape so our rides are easy as i slowly try to get myself back into horse riding shape. I also have been dealing with a lower back issue (getting old sucks y’all) so trotting too much hurts but i’m trying push myself a little and Advil is my friend right now. Id like to get into shape enough to start taking lessons on Circe soon. But i have to be in better shape to be able to do that.

Then Jez was up. Michelle has been doing really great work with her on the flat and Jez is being really responsive. She was so good the other day that i decided to get on her after her work out with Michelle. We were in the indoor and i just walked and i was nervous as hell (wtf is wrong with me) but i got on her and walked while Michelle from the ground reminded me to breathe. All the work Jez has been doing has changed how she feels in my hands shes much lighter. Ive always used a fair amount of contact with her but shes accustomed to a much lighter touch now. It felt more like riding the sensitive Circe then the headstrong Jezebel. I was happy that i got on her and i will do it again on the days after her work with Michelle as long as its not a crazy Jez day.

The next day Sammy got on Jezebel and Jez was in a mood. Shes been testing Sammy a lot and getting angry when Sammy doesn’t let her just do whatever she wants. Sammy has been taking it all in stride. Jez was very up as well and there was a lesson going on in the ring so she was distracted and quite the bossy pants. Jez really was making motions to the jumps so Sammy decided to jump her and Jez loved it. She really wanted to run through the jumps but Sammy made her jump them controlled and she begrudgingly complied most of the time. Ears perked forward the whole time, when she wasn’t rushing them or running though them. She looked great. Shes quite out of shape and it was hot out so she didn’t push her too much. After Jez was a little less wild pony and a little more settled. I think she really just wanted to jump. We talked long term plans for Jezebel before and she can do too much jump work she needs to be in better shape. Her fitness is the number one priority. Though i think its okay to let her jump once in a while and maybe some pole as well.

Both Michelle’s and Sammy’s schedule over the next couple weeks is going to be tight so i will be on my own a lot… hopefully riding Circe a fair amount. Were also expecting a rare summer polar vortex (can it really be a polar vortex in July?) next week so if the temps drop 20 degrees im going to try to ride as much as i can before the heat spikes up again. id saw this was a good week.. for sure.