2023 & 2024 Riding Journey

#24 Jumping a Course on Cordell

This lesson was on the shorter side because it took me awhile to get tacked up.  I had trouble figuring out which bridle was Cordell's and had to go ask my trainer about it.  But in the end, I made it to the outdoor, where all the others were.

Vivie, James, and Friend were all there for the lesson.  Vivie was on Mariah, James on Riggs, and Friend on Rugar.  Because it was in the outdoor, I suspected we might be doing some jumping, and sure enough, when my trainer did speak to me, she said to warm Cordell up for jumping with some running walk and canter.

Running walk was alright.  I did some circles in each direction.  I had trouble keeping a steady tempo, but when my trainer looked at me, she said I had a nice steady running walk.  Which at the moment I did.  But she also said that it wasn't a running walk that would be fast enough for jumping, so I needed to speed him up.  I did, but that was just before I was going to ask for canter, so we didn't spend very long in that fast running walk.

The canter was much nicer than the running walk.  I did about a lap or so each direction.  Cordell's canter is the nicest canter that I've ever sat.  My trainer liked the way he held himself up through a corner when she looked at me.  

So, that was it for the warm up.  I walked Cordell out for a bit before my trainer called me and Friend over.  She then outlined a course for us to do.  I've included a terribly rough and very unproportionate diagram below to help explain it. 

First, you would turn off the fence to the left and line up to the telephone poles for the first jump.  After that, you'd turn to the right, go along the up to where some tubs were laid out in the arena, and turn to the right again to make your line to the second jump.  The second jump was the tire jump.  Now, after that second jump, you had a choice as to whether you went to the right or to the left of the third jump.  If we didn't plan on which direction we'd go, or if we did have a plan but then ditched it, it would be obvious to both my trainer and the horse you were riding.  So, have a plan and stick with it.  I chose to go to the left, which I felt gave me a better line, and so therefore I would jump the tire jump more on the left side to help me get that good line.  

The you'd make a loop around to the right and come onto the line for your third and final jump, which was the log jump.  Now, I've jumped the telephone poles and the log jump, but I haven't ever jumped the tires, so that was going to be new.  All of the jumps were about the same height, only just above a foot, I think.

I should've been thinking of what I needed to have for Cordell for this to be successful, and I should've been more assertive in general.  But all I was thinking about was the fact that I hadn't jumped in 4 weeks as I moved off to be the first on to tackle it.  As such, I had me heels in Cordell's belly and he moved off sluggishly.  My trainer told me quite firmly to put those heels down and give him a good kick to wake him up.  It is all too easy to fall into the habit of grinding your heels on a slower horse, but it does nothing to speed them up and only makes them dull to the leg.

That was kinda the main theme about this first attempt at the course.  I didn't have enough impulsion for Cordell.  When we made that first turn to the first jump, it wasn't that great.  But we made it.  

For the second jump, Cordell looked at the tires and tried to run out to the left.  I stopped him and backed him up for quite a ways before we were far enough away that we could go over them.  My trainer had been telling me to stay back, and that was the reason why I didn't fall forward onto Cordell's neck or become more unseated, which my trainer said was why she was telling me to stay back.  She also said that it'd been awhile since I last jumped, and that if I had been jumping lately I probably would've been able to catch Cordell and keep him straight.  She's right, Cordell's run out wasn't that dramatic so I probably could've stopped it if I'd been on top of it.

Anyhow, we made it over the second and I took my line as planned past the third jump.  No problems there.  We came around to the third jump and I don't really remember anything going bad there.  I think I shortened my reins before coming around to it, and that was one thing my trainer yelled at both Friend and I to do.  Better for her to tell it to us now, she said, then when we would be jumping higher.  

Cordell and I took a break while Friend made her attempt.  Then it was our turn again.  This time I moved off with a more determined mindset.  I made sure Cordell had more speed and impulsion, and in general I was just more confident.  I also tried to stay back in my seat and overall things just went smoother this time around.  My trainer said she liked the running walk I had as I was coming around to the third jump.  I was happy to see improvement. 

Some of the things my trainer was telling me to do were to shorten my reins, make sure Cordell had lots of impulsion, and to stay back.  I think I could've done better than I did, but I let the fact that it was a course like this jar my confidence.  I was too timid.  But we made it despite that.  I think we're going to be doing more jumping next lesson, and I'll try to be more assertive then.  This is a chance to learn that I shouldn't shrink back from.

Cordell was as good as gold, as always.  After our second round, we took another break while Friend did her second round of the course, and then after she came back to stand beside me, my trainer said we could dismount.  So that was it for the lesson.  I think that if we'd had more time, both Friend and I would've been sent to tackle it a third time.  Vivie did some jumping on Mariah over the telephone poles as well.  

My trainer also said, after we'd dismounted, that in a group lesson it can be hard to remember what you're supposed to be doing after a break.  Generally during a break we watch each other to learn, and then when it's your turn again, sometimes you can forget what you should be doing if your mind is still on what someone else was doing.  A good point that I need to remember.

We're starting to put the pieces together when it comes to jumping, both Friend and I, and it's a challenge to remember everything.  It'd probably help me to think of each jump at a time instead of stressing about all of the jumps all the time.  Anyhow, it was still a good lesson because it shows we're both advancing if we're tackling this kind of work.  Cordell is such a good boy to learn these things on as well.  He is such a generous soul!

Actual lesson 8/22/2023