So we had our VERY first jumping lessons!! After coming to a mutual agreement that jumping isn’t so terribly and completely AWFUL for us, we actually had quite a bit of fun.
To begin, I’ve learned two very important things:
1. I am COMPLETELY out of shape for jumping and have been assigned 50 squats a day (I hope to get up over a 100 too). I’ve also assigned myself some pilates as well.
2. Sudi is a BUGGER and needs to trust me more.
On the first topic – yes, I am not anywhere near in the shape I feel I need to be. Having never really ridden in a good close contact saddle before, I’m realizing that it feels completely different than my all-too-comfy all purpose, and thus requires a good deal more leg strength than I’m used to exerting.
So, I do 50 squats a day - and then-some if I can take it. (Today, for instance, I’ve done a total of 70) It’s more out of fear – I can’t handle not being able to ride. My heart rate really jumps up when I do them too, and thus my inability to breath (which is directly correlated). So I’ve been working hard to rectify this.
When jumping, it’s important to note that breathing IS COMPLETELY essential. I’ve been diagnosed with “exercise induced asthma,” but I really think that’s a PC way of saying that “Dude – you suck – GET IN SHAPE.” So hence, I’m getting my butt in gear.
Secondly – Sudi absolutely and without hesitation has GOT to stay in front of my leg and TRUST me. Trust, for some reason, has always been an issue with him and a challenge. (Just ask the mares in his field that try to push him around. He’s completely OBLIVIOUS to them!) When I’m on the ground, he trusts me a bit better, but unfortunately it’s not transferring to the saddle. Again, something we’re trying to work on.
Will insisted that we have got to repeat our exercises as often as possible. One x to a simple bounce or one stride combination. Basically, it’s stuff that we should be able to canter over without any real thought going into it. Also cavaletti work never hurt us either. *grin*
I never made any excuses for Sudi to Will over the weekend (and I, in fact and on purpose, did NOT mention that we’d just started our canter work). This scared me a bit, but wouldn’t you know we pulled through anyway? We were even getting our leads!! This ALONE excited me. Sudi got over his desire to buck, but it took a while and some strong leg to convince him otherwise. Will also gave me some good tools to handle the head shaking/bucking issues – for which I’m very thankful!
On top of all this learning, I had 4-5 near death…er…close to falling off experiences. J For the first time in my life, I was THRILLED that Sudi has the huge neck he does and could support me continually being thrown up it when he did his “baby” leaps over the crossbars we were schooling.
Well here are some videos from the weekend! (Oh and I’ve been told that I gotta be a “better alcoholic” next time too…don’t really have any ambitions to work on that one though – hehe).
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