First Jump Lesson

Walker and I had our very first jump lesson today.  I'm sure that to anyone watching, including the other riders, it was hilarious with me all over the place, but it actually felt really good.  First of all, even though I've dabbled with jumps before, I've never actually had an official jump lesson - not on Walker or any other horse.  So I was super ecstatic to get some instruction.  Unfortunately, the exercise was really hard, and my trainer even said that normally she would start out much easier but because I was doing a makeup lesson with girls who already jump, instead of running around switching jumps, she just asked me to try it anyway.  She pretty much said that she was throwing me into the thick of things, and I definitely agree with her!

The exercise was like this:  There were three crossrails, one on each long end and one on the short end so that you had to keep your horse bent and turning around the jumps.  I only did it at a trot of course, although Walker broke into a lope a couple of times and I just let him.  I know I have complained about the size of my indoor arena before, but it makes the world of difference with a course like this because there would literally have been maybe 2 canter strides (at least quarter horse strides) between each jump on a turn for someone like me who hasn't even been taught how to jump straight!  I have to give Walker credit though.  My instructor said that he didn't seem like the type of horse who would be "eager" to jump but that he was more than "willing" to jump.  In fact, because I had a really hard time turning him fast enough to hit the centre of the jumps, we were literally jumping them sometimes on the side where it's higher instead of the middle.  But he never refused once and he never gave up.  Considering the flailing going on on his back with me trying to push him faster, keep him halfways decently centred, and trying to tighten up those stupid reins, he was a pretty good boy!  

I actually intended to ride Western in the lesson but one of the girls conned me into riding English.  I didn't have my good English boots with me, but I had a really cheap pair in the back seat of the car (you know, those $50 rubber boots with a heel).  I borrowed a pair of English spurs and changed his tack at the last minute.  Some of the girls in the lesson actually ride in cowboy boots with Western spurs, but I figured that I would just end up jabbing him with the spurs when I jumped if I tried that.  They're more coordinated than I am!  The only problem with the little English spurs is that I got winded fast, and when we were working on cantering earlier in the lesson, I could feel how hot my face was.  I was pretty much panting, and Walker was loving it that I had to work to keep him going.  I'm not sure, but I think he may have won the battle for whose fitter.

Despite my complete lack of jumping form/position/ability, it was a great lesson!  I can't wait to start doing it in my own lessons.  Now that I've done it once, I'm pretty sure that I will start to beg my instructor to let me do it more often.  My trainer also complimented Walker on his form earlier in the ride before we were jumping.  She said that he had a great head position and that he would look really good in some English classes this summer if I could get him to go like that all the time.  I was pretty proud, but I know that it was all because of the clinic.  The clinician really helped me get a handle on Walker's form and my own position.  He pretty much told me things that my instructor and trainer have been telling me for months, but for whatever reason, he just got through to me better.  I'm so glad that I did it.  Our rides have been infinitely better.

Walker gets Monday off like usual and Tuesday off because I have an appointment.  Then I have my lesson on Wednesday. :) Until then, I'll be dreaming of jumping.