Okay, so I was planning on waiting for the weekend to jump anything bigger than 3’6″. But I got out to the barn and just couldn’t help myself.

I didn’t set a full course of big jumps AND the jumps weren’t that big. The majority of the fences were between 3′ and 3’6″ but I set a line that was bigger 3’9″ and 4’3″. Yeah, big difference in fences sizing in a line. Didn’t actually mean to do that, but they honestly looked the same height. One just doesn’t have wing standards so the 3’9″ fence looked bigger.

All in all it was a good ride. I decided to ride him with spurs just because he had been a little too quiet lately (not that I’m complaining). He was a regular hunter around everything, then I went for the 3 stride line that was set bigger. Ooooh. Frankie woke up. He didn’t turn into a freight train, he just had a motor on him. The first go through was good, we just jumped in a bit tight. My fault. It’s bigger than I have jumped in a while so I held a bit more than I should have. He jumped out great. Second go he was a little “puffier” to the first fence and he landed far into the line so I had to balance him to the 4’3″ vertical, and he jumped out a little too revved. So I went back around the rest of the course and he settled a bit. We walked and I probably SHOULD have called it good, but didn’t want to end on good luck so I thought one more time through the bigger line.

Not the best idea I have had in a while. He jumped in strong and I didn’t ride well enough to get him balanced for the second one. So he jumped it quick and flat. Knocked it down and he was PISSED! Buck, buck, buck, leap, buck, squeal. That would be him getting after me for a bad ride.

I didn’t want to get off to reset the fence because it really kills the ride. So I just cantered over the remaining larger fence a few times and he was good. Strong, but not rushing. I wanted to end quiet so I returned to one of the smaller fences and he just “loped” over it.

Good boy.

Just a few more times for both of us and I think we should be getting towards quiet 4′ rides.

On another note. I bought a waterford loose ring to attempt to continue working on my homework from my dressage lesson. I have ridden him in a waterford before with no positive results so I was anticipating the same. He was actually easier to ride. I lasted a whole half hour yesterday really condensing his canter and my shoulders and back hurt, but I’m not as sore. I’ve got another bit on order that I’m going to try.

Hopefully this weekend I can get a whole course done at 3’9″-4′ getting a little quieter with each ride.