This week I had a jump lesson for the first time in ages! I have been researching technique for my riding and exercises to improve the horses performances; however the lesson helped us to improve further. I realised that sometimes something as simple as my line into a fence can help Maddy (Shauna's Mymwood Maddison) to have a disobedience, that would in the ring cost us 4 faults. Nevertheless, by the end of the lesson we were confidently 'popping' a 1 metre course - needless to say I was delighted!
That weekend we followed the lesson with a Intro British Showjumping competition at The College E.C, Keysoe. I jumped Maddy round both the 70cm and 80cm open classes. She felt so much more willing than previous times there (almost all have which have resulted in Maddy and I parting ways somewhere on the course!) However this time she was much more forward into the fences, partially from the relentless flatwork we've been doing this year. We ended up just outside the placings (again!) due to one fence down in the treble combination. If we hadn't had that down we would have been 2nd!
We bounced back in the 80cm open, I felt more determined than ever! We completed our round with a 'flyer' to the last fence (a square oxer with solid looking checkerboard fillers), finishing with a double clear. We then watched the rest of the class, while hoping everyone had one down or was riding on a ticket. After an agonising we finished 3rd! - My first British Showjumping placing, and it was even more worthwhile because I had done it not the easiest pony'!
