Armed with my new canter and my newfound biomechanics cues, I was hoping this jump lesson would be good. AND IT WAS AMAZING!
 |
| Happy post ride selfies |
For the first time, I felt how much of a difference it makes when you jump with a tight core and your lats engaged (thanks Megan). For the first time, I really understood what Mary has always meant by "feel like you're riding the hind legs up to the fence." And for the first time, I took my uphill horse with his snappy hind end to the base of the fence and felt seriously confident.
 |
| Side note: This was my first time using the Equisense's course feature. Pretty cool! |
That's not to say I was confident from the beginning. My trainer put the crossrail up to an 18" vertical on the sly mid-course, and I felt my wimpy amateur brain shrinking into itself as it told me how big it looked. But then I remembered how wrong my wimpy amateur brain had been about that 85# clean and jerk on Saturday in CrossFit, and how I put that weight back on my barbell on Monday night and ripped it off the ground like I meant it, and even added a few pounds for good measure. In my head, in that moment, that jump became that barbell and I got aggressive instead of wimpy.
My head is a weird place sometimes. But it works!
 |
| Canter stride frequency taking a huge leap forward in the jump lesson |
Connor is very used to landing on his forehand and taking a few strides to mentally check out while I'm regrouping on his back. When my core and lats aren't engaged, I just follow him down to the ground, which makes for an altogether awkward jump and makes it hard for me to regroup quickly after a fence.
 |
| Finally did a respectable amount of canter in a ride |
Even though we have a long way to go until that lifelong habit can get undone, I could feel how much of a difference it made to hold firm in my upper body and not just follow him like a ragdoll. I had a lot more influence, and was able to regroup quicker and send him on quicker. It made a big difference in my ability to put him back together after an awkward jump.
 |
| 14.cm! Wow! |
8 comments:
Yay! See? Jumping is fun! Sounds like a great breakthrough!
It's amazing how much muscle tone it takes to actively follow a horse's movement!!!
So Happy for you! Glad you found joy in jumping.
I love the sentiment of just tell me we're jumping... I'm with you there! Exciting to hear about the transformation and I do a similar thing with my visualization -- you have to get your mind in a place that works even if it's targeted at another activity!
Jumping is the best! Glad your dressage breakthroughs have transferred to over fences!
Yay for a fun time jumping!
I hadn't noticed that additional section with the course feature, had to go back and look at some. Very cool although mine seems to sometimes miss fences? I guess I'm jumping too small, lol.
Yay! I love hearing this :)
Lol my trainer can't pull that on me if I'm in my dressage saddle :p
Glad you had fun and felt the progress!
Post a Comment