Gem's first jump session

The mornings have been so dark and cold, so I figured it was time to spend a day working from home - which would allow me to take a superlong lunchbreak and head down to the arena to get some work into the horses in actual sunshine and daylight. Such bliss.

I wanted to take advantage of the daylight hours, and pop Gem over a crossrail. Gem will be heading up to Masterton in just over a week, to stay with Mum. So I wanted to ensure that all the basics were covered... if Mum wants to pop over a log or a little jump at home there isn't going to be any sort of major fireworks. I warmed Gem up around the jumps, and she didn't spook at any and didn't get wound up (well, no more than her usual enthusiastic self!):


Then it was time to put up the smallest crossrail known to man. We trotted into it and she just hopped over it very politely! Head was down and back was up afterwards - but no actual buck. I figured this was very good news... and popped her over the little crossrail a few more times until I was happy that she was just going to mosey along after it. Swifty put the crossrail up to a vertical for me and Gem was sweet as... so I just kept cantering and put her over a few more fences:


I am absolutely over the moon with her performance. She really didn't fuss about anything (even ugly fill), and she seemed to be having a ball of a time which is fantastic. Even got a video of a few too! You can um... see her enthusiasm at times. I am still trying to locate the brake pedal: