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| The best at no hands. Both of us. |
It is the last day of July, otherwise known as "the month of no lessons". Everything sort of conspired together and while I've had lots of help on the ground and in the saddle from
redheadlins and
Alyssa, I haven't just straight up taken a lesson since sometime last month. That launches my overachiever self into a fairly annoying tail spin of feeling like I can't accomplish anything, especially when it co-ordinates with my horse deciding that grids need to be attacked in new and creative ways.
So instead of a super boring wrap up of Wednesday's ride and how I didn't feel like doing anything and just trotted around the field and did some cavaletti and then realized that good rides really are good for the soul, let's look at where Courage is at jumping-wise. Over the past year! Because yes, I do have that many pictures. You should know that by now, even if you started reading my blog yesterday.
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| August 2013, just a couple weeks off the track |
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| September 2013. Keeping things small while he figures it out. |
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| October 2013. Getting the idea while it gets cold. |
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| November 2013. Learning to launch. |
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| March 2014. Wild world when your body feels good. |
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| April 2014. He's getting it... |
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| ...nope. April 2014. |
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| May 2014. First time in a grid. |
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| And second time. May 2014. |
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| June 2014. Lunging and flatwork. |
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| Lots of lunging. June 2014. |
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| July 2014. The things we make our friends do. |
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| July 2014. Looking good. |
It's easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing (ahem, REBECCA FARM) and feel down on myself for not having my horse at that level yet, but he really is making steady forward progress. So yeah, it's not always exciting and cool and photogenic and I don't really feel like a badass when I break grids down to their most basic elements and just practice trotting through them.
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| Calm and jumping across=win |
More important than chasing the high of bigger jumps and harder combinations is the boring day-to-day of letting Courage understand what all this new job entails so that he actually can step it up and be the best at it. It's not sexy, but it's what he needs.
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| To an 18' placing pole. That's how we make it easy. |
You are doing such a great job with him! He wins at making all the cute faces while jumping too :)
ReplyDeleteLots of progress, even if it isn't linear at times.
ReplyDeleteIt's never linear. Wishful Thinking, I'd guess.
DeleteHe looks amazing compared to last year (not that he evet looked bad). But wow, how his body has developed! . If you make it to Rebecca Farm next year, let us all know. I'd love to drive up and meet you guys!
ReplyDeleteLove your photo essay posts! Courage sure has come a long way, and makes me feel better since Hemie and I have the forward-and-back training progress too.
ReplyDeleteReally awesome. You've done such a great job with him and he's sooooooooooooo stinking pretty! I had Rebecca envy this weekend in a major way too ;)
ReplyDeleteWe all have ups and downs, but at the end of the day Courage has definitely learned a lot about being an awesome sporthorse!
ReplyDeleteI can definitely see the progress!
ReplyDeleteReally lookin good!
ReplyDeleteHe's come a long way!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to look back at what our pones USED to look like. Gives you mega confidence for the future. He's gonna be a BOSS! (I mean he already is, but a bigger jumping boss)
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy reading your posts and seeing all the pictures! You have really come a long way and should be sooo proud of yourself!!!
ReplyDeleteyou put my picture game organization to shame!
ReplyDeleteYou put my picture org. game to shame!
ReplyDeleteYou have such a nice horse! You guys look great!
ReplyDeleteGood for you for giving Courage the time he needs to learn his new job! He's only a year off the track, don't get too discouraged!
ReplyDeleteThis is why I love pictures!! Being able to see the progress you've made helps keep things in perspective. You're doing a great job with him. :D
ReplyDelete