Cashmore clinic- Connie- Day 2

Because Connie had only done a flat lesson earlier, Grant very kindly gave me a lesson over fences after everyone was done because we had time to spare. So we warmed up with the same exercises, and then jumped a small course. The course went up the right hand side, oxer to upright in 6 short strides, left hand turn to the other upright and then the 7 stride dogleg. If that went well I was to carry on up the left hand side, over the double and then 4 strides to the final upright.



Well i was on Connie so we went jump jump and it was all very nice and pretty easy so then they put them up. My other friend was delighted, having wanted to see me jump bigger fences all clinic. The added height meant I needed more accuracy and straight away my lack of organisation started to show in a big way. Te other thing was it was really hard to just maintain that collected canter all the way to the bigger fences when my head was just like 'we need more speed captain, she'll never make it!' but she did. Grant did try a few things to get Connie jumping rounder- rails on the landing side and V poles but she just jumped and ignored that sort of thing.



Again, with connie it's always just the bare minimum required to jump the fences and even over the bigger fences she didn't feel particularly scopey. Still I'm told she wasn't making any effort over them and that she would go higher so thats always reassuring.



Anyway, on the last attempt when I got organised, sat up after landing and collected the canter straight away and stayed focused on maintaining everything, we had a really nice jump around the course and of course I was stoked as with her. Go fat Spanish pony!