Post by brigadier on Mar 30, 2010 17:11:16 GMT
Well there is no stopping me now that Basil is settled and happy in his new yard!
The new YO asked me if I fancied going to a local cross country course for a play and amazingly I agreed. Bearing in mind its ten years plus since my last cross country this was really ambitious. I did a recce and the ground was really wet and the forecast not good but we still agreed to go as it was a run out for the horses traveling together for the first time and we could always hack round if the jumping was a no no!
A's horse is a lovely andalucian cross mare who seems to have a really calming effect on Basil, they traveled well and even though it was raining as we mounted we were both high spirited. There were some show jumps set up for warm up but the ground was so wet we decided to ignore them and set off trotting up the course.
The first jump was painted green and Basil was really wobbly going over it, but he did go so that was encouraging. The second was more substantial and he did one of his silly spins, slipping in the mud and sitting down like a mule leaving me sat on my bum in a patch of mud! He didnt pull away though so that was a result and I quickly re mounted and jumped it. Then the next three jumps were brush jumps. He pricked his ears, remebering his hurdle training and was off, flying over them in great style, it was like he saw them, thought Ive done these before whayhay! We continued on the well made course jumping the more brushy type and tyre ones which he liked and missing any that would have been a problem because I was conscious that this was his first time jumping anything other than hurdles and I wanted him to have a good time and gain confidence in me. However we did jump a small bank, a drop and some log type fences in the wood.
The water complex was well thought out and deep with two areas of water and several combinations. He went straight in through both pools and I was happy for him to trot through and pop out up a small ledge.
We then went onto jump the fences in the home straight and he jumped big and bold, almost catapulting me out of the saddle on one occassion. The last jump I decided to do was a hedge but as I cantered up to it I realised it was bigger than I thought, but bless him, he decided he was jumping it despite his wimpish rider and he flew it, then took me to the solid last jump which I wasnt going to jump, and he flew that as well. A's horse did brilliantly too so we had a fantastic time despite the torrential heavy rain.
I think Basil will do really well but he needs practice over colored jumps now to get confidence, he jumps lovely and big, but it can be a bit daunting as he is very novice and Im very rusty............more practice required!
Sorry no pics as there were just the two of us but link for course below.
www.manorfarmcrosscountry.co.uk/default.html
The new YO asked me if I fancied going to a local cross country course for a play and amazingly I agreed. Bearing in mind its ten years plus since my last cross country this was really ambitious. I did a recce and the ground was really wet and the forecast not good but we still agreed to go as it was a run out for the horses traveling together for the first time and we could always hack round if the jumping was a no no!
A's horse is a lovely andalucian cross mare who seems to have a really calming effect on Basil, they traveled well and even though it was raining as we mounted we were both high spirited. There were some show jumps set up for warm up but the ground was so wet we decided to ignore them and set off trotting up the course.
The first jump was painted green and Basil was really wobbly going over it, but he did go so that was encouraging. The second was more substantial and he did one of his silly spins, slipping in the mud and sitting down like a mule leaving me sat on my bum in a patch of mud! He didnt pull away though so that was a result and I quickly re mounted and jumped it. Then the next three jumps were brush jumps. He pricked his ears, remebering his hurdle training and was off, flying over them in great style, it was like he saw them, thought Ive done these before whayhay! We continued on the well made course jumping the more brushy type and tyre ones which he liked and missing any that would have been a problem because I was conscious that this was his first time jumping anything other than hurdles and I wanted him to have a good time and gain confidence in me. However we did jump a small bank, a drop and some log type fences in the wood.
The water complex was well thought out and deep with two areas of water and several combinations. He went straight in through both pools and I was happy for him to trot through and pop out up a small ledge.
We then went onto jump the fences in the home straight and he jumped big and bold, almost catapulting me out of the saddle on one occassion. The last jump I decided to do was a hedge but as I cantered up to it I realised it was bigger than I thought, but bless him, he decided he was jumping it despite his wimpish rider and he flew it, then took me to the solid last jump which I wasnt going to jump, and he flew that as well. A's horse did brilliantly too so we had a fantastic time despite the torrential heavy rain.
I think Basil will do really well but he needs practice over colored jumps now to get confidence, he jumps lovely and big, but it can be a bit daunting as he is very novice and Im very rusty............more practice required!
Sorry no pics as there were just the two of us but link for course below.
www.manorfarmcrosscountry.co.uk/default.html
for so much hard work we thank ye!!
Sounds great! must take a friend with a camera next time ;D Sounds like Basil was really loving it! you were talking about competing, maybe this is his thing! 
