A Study in Forward 2: Show Prep

I am the best at stealing video stills off of cameras

Courage got Friday off since both of us (I think) wee sore from leaping. My back needed time to recover, that's for sure. We were signed up to go do an event derby on Sunday, so Saturday redheadlins and I dragged a jump out into the field and decided to spin around out there.

It was good. Magical, even. Courage was slightly invigorated by the new environment and the open space. He gave me the BEST trot work I have gotten--light, engaged, uphill and forward. I was just trotting around smiling and not kicking.

Notice that. It comes up later.

We also cantered around a bit on both leads. Even though I know that Courage runs full tilt through his field and always keeps his feet, I was worried to push him forward for fear of slipping.

I know. wtf.

All was well until we went to jump. I trotted Courage towards the tiny X and focused on steady contact with the outside rein and how pretty and floaty he felt. I never bothered to actually put any leg on...

...which was really obvious when he parked it in front of the jump.

Dammit.

yay cantering!

He's starting to understand what leg is for, but I have to teach and support him and above all BE CONSISTENT so he can get this thing figured out. Sigh. We re-presented the fence and I practiced grabbing my neck strap. I was finding it nearly impossible to grab that strap and do anything else like "steer" or "kick", but we sort of got it together and ended on a really positive note.

I was surprised how nervous I was to jump Courage in the field. I kept expecting him to squirt off and flail or do something naughty, but he never even really offered that behavior.

Still. I coasted on the forward momentum that he generated and didn't worry too much about kicking. It mostly worked out because we were at home and he wasn't stressed, but that's not a really great plan when you are taking a green horse to his first real show in less than 24 hours.

Not that I would know anything about that...