Sunshine recap

Today was the last of upper 60s, blue skies and full sunshine. Next up, RAIN. I've been having a great couple of rides over the weekend with a bit sleepy but compliant horse. Maybe the two weeks off was really a good thing because prior to that, I had the pulling, fidgety locomotive.

Enjoying the last bits of sunshine

I had a great lesson on Saturday, a last one for a while. Worked on some bad habits I was getting like humping with my stomach. And today I 'stole' jumps during Amy's lesson (Amy is my BFF riding buddy) wherein she approves that I ride during her lesson and I go after her rounds while she rests or chats with trainer and trainer yells at me when if I do stupid things, haha.

Today I got my stirrups shortened 1/2 a hole (I was thinking they seemed long anyway and they were new, so the hole did stretch a smidgen). And they felt very short, normally I don't really notice 1/2 a hole, but when I started jumping, they felt really perfect. :D

I also got called out for not keeping my left heel down both over jumps and on the landing and subsequent strides. Whoops. I did know that I don't always keep my heels down over jumps and have even caught myself posting off my toes at times. So it's something I'm aware of, but it isn't always at the top of my list while jumping. And now it is.

The local watering hole - water before we ride

Amy jumped a 2'6.5" vertical today and when my turn came, I took one look and was like Not-UH! She tried to playfully goad me, but I wasn't having having any game of Back to the Future 'chicken'. I do like to one up her, though :). So trainer dropped it down a hole for me and we did it flawlessly and it didn't even feel high. Next time!

I definitely have it in my head that the jumps would be smaller on a taller then 15.2hh horse. ;)

Otto (l) and Sam (r) enjoying the last bit of sunshine for a while - water after we ride