An Amazing Jump Lesson On Gatsby

Today was my lesson on Gatsby I was buzzing when we got there, we spent a little while talking to Fiona asking if she had had a good holiday as she had been away to Norfolk and she said she did. She then said that we would sort out a day where I can go up and ride Gatsby from the work that I did this week. I started grooming Gatsby and he was so shiny! He glistened, was really cute. Then I started tacking him up and the funny thing was the minute that we got his tack the heavens opened and it chucked it down, the wind picked up and I was sure it was going to thunder again but luckily it didn't! 

When it stopped we all jumped in to action and got in luckily for the rest of the lesson it didn't rain. We also have a new addition to our lesson every other week, her name's Alice and she's really sweet. We all worked on warming up it took some adjusting getting used to there being three of us in the lesson instead of just the two, but we got there in the end. We gradually picked up the contact and I started working Gatsby in an outline. It took a while to get him there but when I got it it felt really nice, and he looked really cute it was amazing! I wish I'd got a picture of it because I think it was some of the best moments that I have ever gotten in an outline. When we moved in to trot, it was important that I kept a nice even rhythm, that was forward but that he wasn't rushing. When I'd had a quick canter Fiona put a pole down on the ground and we all went over it, Gatsby was fairly good about it. Rascal was good but you could see him getting excited once he'd realised the poles were there (it took a couple of times over it to realise). Fiona then said at the end of the lesson that I could have a quick jump, she put three trot poles out and I practiced going over then in the jump seat, making sure to keep him active and moving but calm and not over excited! When I'd done this a couple of times we put it up to a cross rail. Fiona said that I should go up to it in trot and if he went in to canter to go with him but if he didn't then that was fine to. We had some really nice jumps, once I went in to my jump seat a bit to early. But the other times were good. Fiona then asked if I wanted to jump something higher and I said yes. So she put it up to a vertical jump like she did last week. However there was one big change in me this week and that was my mental attitude!! Last week I thought that I couldn't do it this week I started thinking that I could do it and I did! He was so good, he gave me the right feeling going up to the jump and going over it. He was amazing! The only thing was on the last jump (which Fiona said wasn't my fault but Gatsby was being lazy with his back legs) he knocked it all down. But I didn't mind that because I was just so happy with everything that we were doing. We've come so far and I know I wouldn't be that rider without Fiona, West Hallam Riding Centre and of course Gatsby! 

On Monday it's pony club we will practicing for doing our bronze award and then a week on Monday we will be doing our actual bronze award. I can't wait! Things are going really well in my horse life at the moment and I think they are going to keep getting better. 

Until Next Time 

A Girl With A Dream