JUST BETWEEN US GIRLS, HUH?

Looking ahead to Spring while living "in the moment"!

Still basking in the post-jump lesson glow, I had a thought...  not necessarily a thought I want to share with the Eventing Trainer but a thought that came to me as clear as a glass of fresh spring water.  And, if this blog is truly a confession as it's title indicates, then I must bring this thought to light here... 

I did not approach this lesson as care-free as my last.  No, this lesson had bouts of anxiety interspaced with excitement. 

It was snowing and I began to hope that the Eventing Trainer would cancel because of the winter weather advisory.  "Next week...  yes!  Next week would be better for me." was the prevailing thought running through my head...  "next week".  And, in true eventer fashion, she made it, snow storm and all, making my "next week" into today! 

Snow covered dressage arena
Spring is coming!

Sugar was animated, excited and spooky.  Our warm up was winding around the jumps using 8 and 10 meter circles, leg yielding and doing tons of transitions.  The intent was to keep her mind so busy that she could not focus on anything to spook at...  Sugar became as supple as our dressage work and for the most part, spook-free.

And we jumped...  she was enthusiastically erratic, eager to jump but twitchy as the zombies reached out from under the jumps to caress her belly.  I worked on our mantra - Rhythm and Flow...  rhythm and flow.  It worked like magic as we did our last line spot-on perfect.  I sat up and softly cooed whoa and she slowed just enough to jump the last jump in perfect stride.  I felt like a million bucks...

Just between us girls, huh?

This morning, the thought hit me...  The cure for Sugar's spookiness is higher jumps.  Yes, I said it!  I am confessing...  I believe that Sugar's spooks will diminish as the jumping get more complex.  {{{Note - diminish not disappear!}}}

And, do you know what?  I'm ready for those bigger jumps.  Although, I'm not ready to actually tell my trainer my little secret.  So, if you know who she is...  keep this between ourselves...  ;)

It's gonna be a good year!