Magical Pegasus

Apparently this week is all about gushing 'OMG I love my unicorn horse!'. It's just been one of those weeks where every ride has felt SO GOOD, for both horses.

Last night Coolie and I had a jumping lesson to help us go into the weekend feeling confident. We started trotting into a cross rail, keeping it quiet and landing on the correct lead. We did this about 3 time on each rein and it was no big deal.

Then a small 50cm upright was set up, 3 strides to an ascending oxer. I had to canter forward on a long rein to the first fence which was acting like a raise placing pole, to allow Coolie to sort himself out. If he ran that was on him to back himself off. I had to halt within 10m of landing to teach him to we don't run after a fence either.

I fully expected Coolie to run through this exercise. It's always been his default and even though he has come on so much that is where he ends up. Then I end up pulling and it just isn't pretty. So I had to not pull, just set him up with the right canter and let him make the mistake, using the same principles I learnt with Jonna on Monday.  Well, Coolie did not run once! He was foot perfect each time through, the oxer raised each time. The halts on the back of the fence were light and it felt awesome. I could really feel how allowing him to use his body by not hold him changed how he jumped the fence. The oxer got up to about 105cm.

Pretty sure we were turning right!

Following on, I had to jump the oxer, turn right to an upright. My coach wanted a tight turn like in a jump off, so Coolie had to be really listening and not rushing and I had to be prepared over the fence. Right is hard for both of us so it was extra challenging. We nailed it! We did a few repetitions and our turn got better each time.

Our little upright

Next we did an triple bar oxer, getting deep to the base of the fence and then turning left to an upright. Again we had to have a forward canter to the spread fence but then collect and pop the upright. First time though I mucked up but second time it all happened and I didn't hold coming into the fence.

Triple bar

We finished with the hardest exercise, jumping the upright, tight left turn to angle a second upright. This was tricky and first time through I didn't get the line quite right. Second time nailed it. Through all this Coolie remained adjustable and I continued to give him the rein 3 strides form a fence to let him do what he needed too.

Coolie made it quite clear his mother had messed up!

By the time we were done we were all just having the BEST TIME EVER, grinning like idiots and laughing because Coolie and I were on fire and enjoying the challenge. It was such a confidence boosting lesson, and I am really starting to trust that Coolie isn't going to run at the fence and piss off after. By letting him do his job, he is getting a better shape over the jumps.