1) Don't get into a bickering fight
2) Jump the single big X from a steady pace
3) HAVE FUN!!!!
I'm happy to report we did all three tonight!
Started off with a nice long trot to settle down and get into work mode. I wanted to keep the ride short and sweet, so after doing some trot and dashes of canter, brought him back and worked on transitions to help develop the gaits I wanted before we tackled the big X. After a while, he started to really dig in and push off again from the hind, good pony!
Do you possibly have cookies? |
Once I felt we were both settled into a groove, we tackled the X. Essentially what I wanted was to just ride the rhythm of the trot or canter and the x be a bump in the road. First few times over, Koda took some flyers. Of course, didn't help that I wasn't really riding to a 'distance', more just letting him pick what he wanted to do. After a bit, I started to ride and ask for the shortened stride to get a proper jump. Koda complied willingly and it was wonderful! We went over it a few more times, tossing in canter circles or halts after the fence. Again, Koda was wonderful! After getting a couple really nice soft transitions after the fence, we called it a night. After untacking, Koda got his legs and pasterns all trimmed up to not look so much like a woolly mammoth. We're still shedding up here, but it's almost all out, thank goodness!
The days are getting longer and longer! |
Sounds like an awesome first jumping session back at it! :)
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