March 12, 2009

More jumping

Feels like I am forever jumping at the moment, but I guess with all the greenies it's a case of little & often. I do think they're starting to get a bit more brave from it as well, which is fantastic. Alfie is still settling in at home, so going out to the arena was very exciting and he had his head in the air for at least the first 5 minutes. But once he started listening he was working nicely. We started over a little crossrail a few times and he felt much more confident jumping - so put the top rail up and he just flew over it perfectly happily.
He wasn't super impressed with the picket fence and almost had to jump over his own face because he was so busy looking at it that I think he forgot to use his head and neck for balance! But once he'd had a look he was sweet - and also did tyres and a few other fills really well. Didn't want to do too much with him so left it at that and gave him a big hug.
Popped on Neo and pretty much just jumped as if we were doing a course. Poor Swifty had a hard time keeping up taking photos (especially when we were testing "jumpoff mode"!). Neo wasn't jumping off the long stride when we started, and we chipped into a few - but he quickly got back into the swing of things.
Beau's flatwork is coming along really nicely. Had a practise today in the cavesson noseband, as that is what we'll be using this weekend for the saddle hunter flat classes. He went kindly in it (just a shame it doesn't look quite as pretty as the grackle!).
Beau was going much more forward into his fences today - and after he'd overjumped a few fill fences he was happy to jump anything and was meeting his fences from a much better spot. I'll be taking him in some showjumping classes this weekend, so I'm glad that he now feels just a bit fitter and more keen.
So really only a quick jumping ride on each horse today - but again, absolutely stoked with how they are going.

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