Getting Back Into It -- Jumping Sonny

Yesterday, Erica picked me up at school just like every Friday. We decided to skip McDonalds on behalf of the fact that today was so nice outside that we couldn't bear to sit in the truck for longer than we had to. So, we drove out to the barn while trying to figure out how we could each ride at least once, but not be in the way of Erica's lessons or Charlotte who was riding Joe.

I ended up riding Sonny. When we arrived at the barn, Erica told me to start setting up jumps while she got changed from her nursing clothes into some barn clothes. Taylor was supposed to meet us out there at 3:30 pm, but we were already tacked up and warming up by the time she got there at 4 pm. Erica was on April and I was on Sonny.

Sonny was so well-behaved. His canter wasn't haywire, his trot was collected enough to be nice and relaxing but still energized. I loved it. There wasn't any head-tossing, and he really watched where he put his feet. Our only problem was bending going to the left. Every time we went into a corner, I would really squeeze with my inside leg and support the rump with my outside, and he would step over and do it. But on the rail, he wouldn't do it unless I did a crossover-hands-thing while going down the rail. Basically I pushed him over with my inside leg, supported the rump with my outside leg, and pulled my inside hand over towards my outside, while supporting with the outside rein with just a little tension. This worked pretty well, but only for a few steps. Then he'd fall apart and we'd have to start over. I don't know if this is from stiffness, lack of riding lately, or what.. but it kinda worries me. I'm probably going to ride tomorrow, so we'll see how he's doing then.

When we jumped, I was amazed that all throughout the winter, with just jumping one jump every few days, I was able to still remember how to actually jump. We had the jumps set up like this:

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After warming up on the flat, I took Sonny over Jump 1, taking it on a circle to the right. This way, he got to start jumping going his good way and wouldn't gain a connection from jumping to soreness or anything. We did it a few times and I have to say both of us were in excellent form. Charlotte even commented on how good and experienced we looked. That made me very, very happy. After jumping 1, we walked a bit and picked up our canter again and went over  a few times, going to the left. He was pretty much okay with it, but once he didn't turn left to keep going on the circle, and I forgot/spaced out and didn't use my legs to cue him; he jumped the jump and turned right, nearly running us into the fence. Eventually we got it pretty well, though, and I let him rest and we did some dressage work.

Then, we cantered up the diagonal and went over 3, turned left, went around, and went over 2. We circled around the arena and then went over 4, and then circled back to the left and went over 1. It was pretty spontaneously thought-out and worked pretty well if you added extra turns and such in there. 

By then, it was almost time for Erica's lesson, so I cooled him out. When the lesson got there, I hopped off and she got on. The other lesson was on Pete, and while the lessons, Katie (on Mallory), Charlotte, and Taylor (on Kota) rode, I got Zan. 

Man, it was so nice to hang out with my baby boy again. I brushed every single speck of mud and dirt off of him, picked out all of his hooves, washed his face with a rag, and stuffed him with treats. We worked on some manners in the aisle, and then I gave him some more treats and turned him outside. I got Taco and brushed some of his shedding hair off of him, and by then it was time to bring the horses in.

I hayed, Tay watered the boarder side, I watered the home side, then I brought the boys in, Erica brought the girls and Taco and Tarzan in. I grained the boarders and Katie grained the home side. It was a lot of fun and I was happy to be getting back into the routine again.

Let's just say... I can't wait for Sunday. Tay has a lesson, and I have several ponies to ride. Happiness<3