Ermahgherd jerhmps

For the first time in what seems like a 1000 years, I dusted (literally) off the jump standards and made my creaky bones set up a small, but fun, course in the indoor-since the outdoor was unfortunately still a hot mess.

Yankee has had about a month and half off, not consecutively, but overall quite a chunk of time. Since I've returned from my road trip I've ridden the beast almost everyday. We started off slowly with lunging and some hacks but rapidly moved right back into full training. I doubt I will do Texas Rose due to lack of funds, but I plan on riding in William Woods jumper show at the end of the month. Ver excite. 

Without T. R. I don't think our first USEA show will be until May- but that will give me some time to train, go XC schooling and save some dollhairs for showing expenses. Fingers crossed Yankee doesn't need injections or get random cancerous tumors again. 

I digress. 

My BFFFL, known as Jackie, came around, as she seems to do when we bust out the jump tack ;) Miss Isis has been off most of winter thanks to a sloppy outdoor at her barn so I happily let her hop on yanks and twerk whenever she wants. 

Our goal for the night was just to get the rust off all our jumping bones and see how he was handling it. 

Quite well it turns out. Almost too well. He was an asshole for the first 20 minutes of the ride and attempted some half hearted bucks and fence charges...

But dat tail doh 

Fast thoroughbred is fast. 

Luckily nothing fazes the Jackie and she straightened him right up with one halt in a corner, back up and canter from halt. And he was like "oh, she's serious. I guess I'll behave for human".

She put him through his paces with some nice rollbacks and kept him right on track to jumping like he's supposed to. Love her!

Rollbacks for days

Then I hopped on, uncharacteristically more nervous than usual. 

I concentrated reaaaalllly hard on not jumping ahead. Which was good for the most part..however, for the life of me, yanks usually jumps me out of the tack. Not sure if upset, or okay with it. 

Grrr! At least Yankee makes up for my fail with his boss moves. 

I don't think we jumped higher than maybe 3'6 maaaaaybe 3'9 but my dumb brain still forgot how to ride. My solution was to look at he rafters when approaching the jump. Something I DONT recommend  trying on a green horse, but Yankee knows his job and knows me and I trust him. I've jumped him many times with my eyes closed to help me with my jumping ahead issue and it's actually beneficial!

I think it helped a little, but in the long run I need to work on my muscle memory. 

I gave him the day off today to recover but tomorrow plan on either another small jump school or a flat session. 

Love being back riding! Hope everyone is thawing out :)