Things Are Coming Together

Rio and I snuck in a jump lesson last Thursday evening before I had to leave town for the weekend. I was a bit worried it would get cancelled (it poured the day before) but thanks to amazing footing, we were still able to to ride. I begged, pleaded, and finally bribed Joanne to come and take some media, so everyone can thank her for making this post way more interesting then if it was just a running stream of my word vomit.  THANK YOU JOANNE!

 

Sometimes I like to make my trainer sweat by acting like I mighttt take down the standard. What can I say, jumping the middle of the jump is too boring!
Strut, strut, strut

 

Our lesson went great! Rio and I are both really starting to get the “add” and I’m realizing how nice it is to have that extra adjust-ability. Grant it, it’s not always the prettiest add, or the best jump, but you gotta start somewhere right? With time I think it will become less obvious to the casual observer. I really like that we now have this extra tool in our toolbox, and that I don’t ALWAYS have to take the long spot when I don’t see the correct distance.

 

Ok, onto the video! To changes things up a bit, I’ll  describe how I thought the round went.

 

 

 

4.26.18 Kelly & Rio from Kelly on Vimeo.

 

First trot jump- Rio dove a bit right on the landing. This is not unusual for us, as the right is his far weaker side, and I never got him straight off the right rein after the turn to the jump.

He came back nicely though and fit in the 5 pretty well (this line always rides tight for us. Actually, almost all lines feel tight for us LOL #moosehorseproblems).

We had to avoid the little lake at the end, so I didn’t attempt any fly changes after that line during our lesson. I am on pretty strict instructions from the trainer to only do the change if he is set-up perfectly for it. We were having problems with him rushing into them, and not getting it behind. Entirely my fault I’m sure, so we’ve taken a few steps back on them to make sure we get it right.

 

 

I was REALLY pleased with the diagonal line. He kept his stride short for me through the turn, and then we found a great spot for him to really rock back and jump from- that WASN’T a crazy flyer. He also settled right away and made the 5 look easy. I was definitely worried when he jumped in with such gusto that we would eat up the line, but he came right back! Yay Rio!

 

Coming around to the grey Bay Yard jump, I really concentrated on keeping the quality of the canter, and I felt like the jump came up well. Nothing particularly large, Rio stepped over it easily. He landed so straight and balanced that he easily stepped into the change, I barely had to think about it.

 

Trot jumps are hard. We hates them. Hatesssss.

 

 

Usually about this point in a course, Rio’s stride has turned into an 18 ft stride and I can’t get him collected again unless we walk and re-group. I was SO PLEASED that we were able to to add the extra strep before the roll top. I know that that bending line is a snug 6, and that no way in hell would I be able to take a huge spot into it and still make the distance work. The take back to the roll top may look really obvious and not that pretty right now, but it’s a HUGE improvement for us. Baby steps! Our plan paid off because the 6 rode really easily.

 

 

 

I have another video (that didn’t go quite as smoothly HA) that I will post tomorrow with more commentary. Check back soon!

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10 comments

  1. Rio (and you) look great!! Wow….he really is coming along. His coat is so dark now too. He looks so gorgeous.

    Thank you Joanne for videoing. 🙂 It helps so much when we bully (I mean ask) friends to media for us. HA HA HA

    Can’t wait for the other video 🙂 those are the fun ones…

    1. Thanks Michele! I actually have been using this dry shampoo to help groom him (called Myst). I need to do a blog on it soon because it works super well AND has a sparkly unicorn horn on the label. Priorities and all.

      And yes- videos help SO SO much. I KNOW what a good ride looks like, but sometimes can’t really feel it. Seeing myself is so incredibly helpful!

  2. he’s looking very handsome! awesome that he’s making such progress in developing that adjustability! my horse is kinda the same in that once he gets rolling a bit it’s really had to be able to bring him back. just needs more practice!

    1. So true, Charlie and Rio are like brothers from another mother! He’s developed this new adjustability in 2 months, I can’t wait to see where we are in 2 more!

  3. Y’all look awesome! I, too, very nearly took out a standard in my last lesson (oh you know, a month and a half ago). Got that right drift on lock. And we too hate trot jumps. I used to hate riding with a new trainer and they start you off trotting stuff and I’m like, “I swear if you just let me canter this I will look like a semi-competent human and not a scrambled egg on horseback.”

    1. SAME! When we first started here 2 months ago they made me trot EVERYTHING and I felt like such a potato! I will admit though- all the trot jumps really did help up our game (le sigh!)

    1. It IS a lot of work, thank you! It will never be easy for him, but thank goodness he is a trier!

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