Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Got to the barn to find PJ not as muddy as the night before. He must have rolled it off. Got him ready in fairly good time. Wyatt sitting attentively at the stall door peaking through the wood slates.

Managed to get on about 10 minutes early to get PJ on the bit and responsive for the jumping lesson. He didn't do the hind leg thing tonight. Thank goodness.

We progressed very rapidly to jumping. S, K, D and I. Package (Pacman) was very happy jumping. S does such a good job with him. K was late so Lete wasn't moving up but man can he jump from a slow trot. PJ was very relaxed. At one point, Bo appeared and we stepped to the left but not a hang by your heel spook as he has caused us to do last year. MMMM it was about this same time I think. I kept PJ connected better tonight. I am to keep posted to the jump. We had a few nice jumps with canter off. One of the jumps I was too far forward and felt myself tipping forward. I think I will try the George Morris "the base of this rider would be more secure if the stirrups were up a hole or two". So I will go to nine.

I followed the advanced group outside but had neglected to put bug spray on. The gnats were bad. PJ was doing the belly wamp trying to get them out of his senstive areas. I was a little handsy so he wasn't too happy. K said go ahead and go through the trot poles - I hadn't ridden him by the jump pile yet so I used the weak excuse of having forgotten bug spray. Then I changed my mind and started to go by the jump pile and he looked and started backing. Instead of kicking him forward I turned off. Got him settled and slid off (CHICKEN!!!) Then I walked him around the pile both ways as I was doing this I was getting mad at myself for chickening out. I mounted him (first time in the jumping field) and we went around and went over the poles. He was awesome. We totally floated over the poles. I went through about three times.

Took Wyatt walking around in the dark. He is much braver in the country than at home. He gets squirrely. When no other dogs are around he comes after me like our "Boo" game. What fun!