Jompies!

At this point I'm finding it easier on my time and commitment to use the trainers that come to the barn. These are typically the ones my barn owner is using as she trains for eventing (she's moving up to training). Plus the BO typically schedules for groups of lessons so we all split a travel fee which makes them overall very affordable. 

All this to say, we had a jump focused lesson on Sunday! Since that was Kaylee's birthday, I didn't want to be at the barn ALL day, so I chose the 9 am lesson slot. I was the first out there. Gwyn had already been turned out with her breakfast hay and willingly left it to come to me at the gate. It was sunny and in the 60s, perfect temperature.

Mismatched brand, but matchy purple gear! 

Freshly groomed arena too

I was mounting up when Trainer S arrived. She seemed nice and got to work setting up the jumps which the barn owner had moved into the arena. She asked for a brief history of me and Gwyn and explained a little about her teaching style. She's very big on rider form and correctness. I let her know that Gwyn's education in jumping was very basic to nonexistent and I wanted her to develop a good sense of how to approach a jump.

I found her to be a bit of a mixed toolkit instructor. But what I LOVED was how brutal she was with my position and jumping form. She almost immediately had me raise my stirrups a hole (OUCH) and then proceeded to pester me about my heels, especially my right heel. I like to post from my toes. I'm not sinking into my heel as much as I should. When I apply leg my foot raises and swings back. So there was a huge biomechanic component that we worked on to make me more correct and secure.

To warm up my goal was to get Gwyn a bit more energetic and less dressage ploddy. This was the morning after all the personal fireworks of the 4th and Gwyn set the tone for all the horses today. They were TIRED and slow. It took a lot of effort on my part to perk her up and even trying some canter didn't wake her up like it has previously.

I was pleased, however, to find that my form over fences is still there in muscle memory from being a kid. We started with a set of trot poles, then moved to a simple trot pole into cross rail. My first task was to get Gwyn energetic to the jump to get her actually considering a jump rather than a big trot cavaletti. Eventually we strung a course together. It was all right turns but had two bending line approaches. I totally biffed the course a couple times, thanks ADHD, but Gwyn was a superstar.

She was a tired Goober when we were done. We did the final, middle cross rail once more and she just barely trotted it and immediately walked. Trainer S wanted once more but we had just finished the round and it was a good round on the course so I insisted on ending on a good note and letting her walk. There was no issue with that. 

So far, I like Trainer S. I think she'll be good for me and Gwyn to incorporate something with a little more technical difficulty. And it's a good step towards AECs 2022! She definitely thinks we could bomb around a BN course really well. And that's what I've got my sights set on. She even has experience with working with Friesians and F-crosses so she knows the struggle with that weak hind end and tendency to just be super front heavy.

I stuck around and watched a barn mate's lesson and took some pictures and video. The day was starting to get warm and I had to get home to celebrate a certain newly 8 year old's birthday.