Jump All the Things!

Bacardi update: less lame, but still out of commission. Depressing.

Good news on the Yankee front though, he is flourishing, which is a relief. I am tentative to say we are out of the woods, but he has been 100% gastro wise, bloomed beautifully weight wise and now just needs to gain some strength back. Trying to pretend that nightmare is behind us for good...

fattttty <3 td="">

He was cleared for jumping this month and literally attacked the jumps on his first session a few weeks ago. This was also his first time with his leaser and they were still getting adjusted to each other. When I first got Yankee I was tentative to let anyone jump him, but over the years as he's grown more mature and learned his job a bit better, I've relinquished my hold on him. He's such a cool horse and loves to jump and I want to share that with anyone who wants it. I can see him carting around my future spawn over crossrails when he's an older man and its an adorable thought. The amount of spunk he has over fences is contagious....I wish I could find the photos from the first session, but they have disappeared (I know, how did this happen).

Earlier this week though we had another session together and this time I dug out his favorite hackamore and we used that instead of a bit. Its remarkable the difference that change makes for him and how much he prefers jumping with the hack over a bit.

V had had a few jump lessons with Supertrainer since our first jump session together but that was with the bit so I was curious to see how she would adjust to the hackamore and its particular set of skills.

not bad not bad

We warmed up over some low low grids and let V play with direction changes, rating and learning to cruise with Yanks. He was almost a bit lazy at first, until he woke up and then gave her some trouble with turning right--not surprising. She is a quick study though, and just in the short few weeks she's been with him, I have already seen her level of riding improve two fold. I love teachable people, especially if they are riding my horse, and she listens and does exactly what you ask...not trading her in for a long time, hahah!

Over grids, either her or Yanks have a tendency to drift left, so we were working on straightness. Additionally, worked in looping together the 3 lines we had set on an easy S curve. Yankee was lit after about 15 minutes, and we had to revisit a correct half halt but once that was established, V piloted him around like a pro.

zoomies

I advised that "hands high" is better than pulling low, since the hackamore is not really activated with hands at the withers. She picked up the skills quite fast and eventually nailed the half halts and was able to correctly sit him back, rock back through the turns and keep him straight through the grids.

As much as I wanted to climb aboard and take him for a spin, I am committed to this new partnership and am trying my best to be hands off.

Originally I was going to take Yanks to a hunter pace on the 4th, but V is doing a 2 day clinic with him and then Sunday going to their first jumper show together! I advised to keep the classes no higher than 2'6 for now, and just feel him out at a show.

He loves his job and his enthusiasm shows...but as most begin to notice, he is never dangerous--just exuberant! I wish  could be there to watch and it KILLS me that I have plans for Sunday, but I am sure someone will take pics or video for me....THEY BETTER.

Only over jumping a little bit...*eye roll*, its a crossrail Yanks

The most fun for me has been watching the partnership bloom, and I am so excited for their future together! The summer season is packed with schooling shows and recognized events and she sent in the entry for BN at Champagne Run at the end of July. I am more than stoked to watch them go, and in-between there's XC schooling, a jumper show and another dressage show...YAY living vicariously while my horse heals....slowly, haha!

They're adorable