Not quite what I had planned!

This weekend was supposed to be the weekend of Coolie, getting him ready for the last 2 competitions of the season. Last week though he broke his splint bone and has wrangled himself a sick note for the rest of the season. He will however be fighting fit for next year, where I plan to go 105 in May.

He doesn't seem to upset by it all

Having already entered a show jumping competition and planned to go cross country training this weekend, Dakota had to step up as fill in pony!

Saturday morning we headed off early for Taminga show jumping, a show I have been wanting to do for some time. We were the very early, as we were riding in the 60 and 75 class. The warm up was a bit crazy and put her on edge making it difficult for me to warm up effectively. We went into the 60 class and she was a bit spooky but jumped well, if a little fast. The 75 was better but I need to get it into my head that I need her allow her to move forward and that in doing so is not her rushing! It was a good session where I learnt a few things. To top it off, we were home by 9.30am! Unheard of in the eventing world.

The big log at the top of the stairs

Sunday morning we were off to go cross country training with a few friends and my coach. I had planned on taking Coolie, and so the group was mostly people competing at 95 or about to move up to 95. I was worried I was going to be holding the group back only doing 80.

95 log before the water

Straight into the water

We started out over a small log, working on control and pace, then moved on to some steps with a bigger log at the top. We went up and down the stairs which D hasn't done before but she managed it better than some of the others. We then went up the stairs, adding the log at the top. This is a 95 line and she nailed it, flying over easily.

A rather long spot out of the water

We moved onto the water and she had no problems jumping in or out. We then went over the 95 line of a log before a 3 stride turning line to jump into the water. I over rode the log the first time and she but in a massive leap, making the turn to the water impossible. We came around again and I rode far more quietly to get a good spot and jumped straight in.

Neat over the apex

We then practised apex's, the trakhener and a coffin. I have to learn to ride her quietly and just close my leg to give her confidence at the base of a fence. She easily kept up with the more experienced horses and we weren't the ones having issues out there. It was her first time schooling XC in a group and with my coach and she was super. I shouldn't have expected any less! My facebook memory was of Dakota doing her first real jumping session one year ago. I didn't think back then she would be achieving so much so soon. 

Jumping into the coffin