Clue: Our Lessons with Sheryl, 12/27/09 and 01/02/10

Here is a collection of footage from two of my lessons with Sheryl--more to come soon! :) Clue is my 2003 American Quarter Horse mare.

Although Clue used to jump before her injury (back in 2007), Katie's ring has many new and exciting colors and shapes of jumps she's not seen before. The focus of our initial lessons was to maintain forward motion when she became unsure coming to a fence. If she thought it was scary, she'd either goat leap it (I've included one of our more ridiculous ones in this video) or stop. She hasn't offered up too many refusals, but they are always to a new fence that she's unfamiliar with. She's getting more and more confident, however, and I'm getting better at offering her the support she needs coming into a new fence.

In the footage from January 2, I took a pretty wicked spill coming to a fence we'd already jumped once. You can almost see my expression change before I hit the dirt "Oh, she's bucking a bit--whatever, I can sit this out--OH CRAP--here we go again!" When I ended up on her head, all I could think was "not the ankle again, PLEASE, not the ankle"--and I actually tried to lift my legs before I hit the ground. My shoulder took the brunt of the fall, and for three days, my right arm refused to lift beyond shoulder level. Fortunately, it didn't hurt during my lesson, so I got back on and we continued on our way. She had a lot of extra energy that day--my fault for not making it out to exercise her more frequently that week, due to a wedding and work. When she finally settled down a bit, she was tearing up the courses--almost too much! In that last diagonal line of our last course, we almost got three strides in a four stride line. Needless to say, I decided to do that line again and be a bit more conservative!

The jumps range in height from about 2' to 2'6. Clue has been moving beautifully and is transforming into a more amazing jumper than she was when I first started her over fences years ago. We're both a little older and wiser. She's spunky, but she's smart and learns fast. I'll take that combination any day!

Thank you to those who brave the cold to film for me--most frequently Jen and my mom! Thank you Sheryl for helping me work toward being a better partner for my wonderful mare! :)

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• clue
• american
• quarter
• horse
• aqha
• jumper
• jumping
• lesson
• buck
• fall
• off
• leap
• canter

[sugarismyhorse]

:) could I please use the fall clip in a video im makig? :) i will credit you and send you the finished video :Dx brilliant riding btw!

[dragonfly1030]

@sugarismyhorse Sure! Message me when it's done! :)

[SuperSmothie]

How you riding, oh my god!! You riding so bad!

[dragonfly1030]

@SuperSmothie Your grammar is worse...trust me.

[LivinLifeTheMegWay]

How many horses do you own?

[dragonfly1030]

@LivinLifeTheMegWay 2

[LipGlossgossip2010]

@dragonfly1030 nice comeback! :)

[livloveshorses4eva]

you are a beautiful rider with a beautifully built horse:)

[ikhouvankiki]

goed opgelost

[Callmenapolyn]

wow great job sitting to the playing from the horse I would have fallen off about two billion times just in that vid wow

[FlyingChanges120]

that is a beautiful indoor ring

[equestrian208]

You're such a brave rider you just get right back on and don't let it phase you! Good job :)