We had a group jump lesson with Brooke on her young horse (and someone whose name I should know but don't); it was exactly right for our first time jumping after over four months off.
We warmed up on a circle, and John had me do a bit of leg yield out at the trot, and then a bit of counter bend back to regular bend at the canter. Charlie started off just smooth as silk, and carefully hid my spastic monkey flapping that happened the first day back in the jump saddle (four rides ago in that saddle).
Then we did a cavaletti at its high end, and we were supposed to just canter over it, but I kept doing a two point. Charlie couldn't decide whether to just step over it or hop it, so when I gave him leg he'd hop it.
Then John put a ground pole out, which made things much messier. Charlie couldn't decide where to put his legs, so I just stayed out of his way. What made things the smoothest would be coming around the corner, using the outside aid, and then compressing him (just a bit) as we approached.
Then we did a line that was a ground pole, cross rail, ground pole, cross rail (which John eventually turned into a small vertical). These went ok; unmemorable.
Then we did a line turning to the right instead that was a ground pole, cross rail, vertical, oxer. The oxer was not puny, but wasn't huge either. Charlie jumped this line like a freaking rock star. So despite four months off, he still prefers to work over something a bit bigger (not big, for sure, but bigger than the cavaletti). If I didn't bring him in exactly straight, he would drift to the left, so I tried to use my left leg and make sure to look at the right side of the oxer. We got a few really nice round jumps over the oxer when I kept him from being crooked.
I was pleasantly surprised with my position. It didn't feel anywhere near as awful as I thought it was going to. And my lower leg didn't feel like it was swinging, and I felt like I had a bit better grasp of coming out of the corner, which I was struggling with last year.
John said Charlie's not ready for two days a week of lessons yet. He said we'll jump again next weekend, but he'll probably just rotate jump and dressage lessons on the weekends for a while because Charlie isn't going to be able to go more than half an hour.
It was crowded today, and John had to line my truck and trailer up to leave. I guess I should get out some cones and start practicing at home. And it was cold - a high of 38 today, but the water buckets in the barn got floating ice in them during the day.
Charlie is so good and reliable. I am so, so lucky. Also, our tractor came today. SUPER fun.
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