Training Weekend - getting over our fears.....

So this last weekend Traveler and I headed over to DeepCreek for our 2 day stadium and cross country training and I learned something. The stadium jumping before at the Mother's Day show really kinda scared both Traveler and I. I didn't think it effected me that much, but both of our confidences were shaken a little bit because of the rough go. As I said before, we made it through it, but by the skin of our teeth. From speaking with other riders who were there, they had a really hard time too.

I would say that it took over an hour of practice jumping before Traveler and I were "back at it" with our normal sense of confidence. It was really fortunate this training took place so close to the end of the last experience so we could confront our fear, learn from it and go on.

As far as Traveler's behavior, he was a gentleman and was able to keep focused on me and the task at hand - which is especially more difficult now that we are in the middle of breeding season. I was very proud of him - you just never know what kind of day it's going to be (for any horse, really.) Thankfully, it was a good weekend.

The next day was cross-country jumping. We attacked the water jumps and when it came for our turn, we received the highest praise for being the only team that sailed through the jumps correctly and into the water. But Traveler loves the water, so that part was really fun. We even did the prelim water bank - jumping a log at top of the bank and down into the water.

However, I came really, really close to failing off over one jump and the instructor told me, "that's what you get for leaning forward", as I am desperately trying to hang onto Traveler's neck and turn him in a circle to keep him from galloping off. And I am paying for this??? Ha ha ha. (She has seen us survive much worse.) But my heart was beating pretty fast for awhile after that. And then she told us to do it again and again and again until we had it down.

Ending on a high note - we did our first coffin (jump, ditch, jump in quick sequence) and Traveler was the only horse that didn't even look at the ditch. He has those figured out - there's nothing to really jump, you just have to sail over it.

Now to bore you with more pix from last weekend. I was able to get a couple of good pictures from my friend's camara (my husband can barely keep the camara from shaking when I am jumping) and so I am sharing them with you. You work so hard for these Events that I really am proud of the photos, so bear with me.....

This was during the stadium round - you can see the look of intense concentration on my face. And can you see how high he is jumping over the rails. You can barely see the rails in the picture. In speaking with other more experienced riders, they said that their horses just launched over the jumps too because the horse's hooves were getting stuck in the muddy clay. I love this picture of him though....

Here's a pix of our taking the house - but at another angle. Really, you can't have too many pictures of us at this jump. Here were are suspended in air. He's clearing this one too.

Stadium round pix, flying through the air. Those back legs are not hitting the poles.

And finally, the "money shot". I am so happy with this picture, it's just perfect. Traveler looks great, he's in the air and I look okay too. (My left leg really likes to come back when we jump, I think I'll tie it in place. )

That's all for us for awhile, now to concentrate on making babies.......