Well... the lunging helped a lot! I stayed on. And minimal bucking. :)
And we had fun and learned a good lesson. Funny is ready to work! She was happy to be caught and loaded right up without me having to even ask. The clinic was held at Silver Seas Farm in Monticello, which is an easy 30 minute haul. And this is the place that wants to build a XC course too! YAY! Another close fun pony place. We got there and I took a quick tour of the place and then Funny and I hung out for a bit before we tacked up. The gnats were bad so lots of fly spray and OFF and we were both happy. I tacked up and got on and we walked around the front of the property for a minute. Then Jacel joined us and we hacked out to the 35 acre soon to be XC field. It was a short little hack. Then we hacked back and went to warm up in the arena. Funny was slightly feral. There were two little bucks and then two separate little scoots. But that was it. She was quick though. We didn't bother cantering (well not on purpose). Then Doug came in and we introduced ourselves. He asked me "Why Appaloosas?". I was like... "Some days I really question myself!!" ha ha.
We started out one a time and did a fun course. It was four groundpoles that we had to trot through and he had us circle until it was good. It took us quite a few circles. SLOWER!!! Ha. So then he let us carry onto the course. It was two little cavalettis in a line... then you circled right to a small vertical, then another small cavaletti with a tight 4 stride turn to two bounce cavalettis, then around the corner to a 3 jump grid with placing poles. And oh my! Funny ran through the first line, jumped the vertical, ran through the cavaletti, and barely skipped over the bounce cavalettis. She did manage to get through the grid without destroying it but she was way too quick! I also realized that her bit was a hole too low as it was set for Lyric. And then Doug went ahead and put my reins on the hook too. Which royally pissed Funny off! We did it again and it was marginally better so then Doug called me over to him. He told me to take pressure and hold it until she slowed down. He held the reins and asked about how much pressure I had been riding with. I showed him and he was like "Okay... take more if this is not slowing her down... but don't throw it away... don't bounce around.. keep a steady contact". Okay. I can do that. So then we did it again and it was kind of better. She was flinging her head around though cause she was Mad!!! The audience was laughing at her.
So then he changed it up. We did something similar but added two massive high X's in a one stride and then added an oxer which was slightly offset from the grid. And because the fences got put up a bit, Funny got a little better still. Doug had me try to trot in the line. Ha ha. Nope! Maybe once it worked. So then he reminded me that... she's young.. it's understandable, but she's just flinging herself around taking flyers. I need to keep a firm hold/connection... and firmer if she's running... to show her that she has to sit and rock back and use herself. It is better to have her chip in and jump from a rocked back balance than to throw herself at it or get past her distance but be on the forehand. And that for now... I'm almost trying to bury her.. but that eventually, we will allow her to be bolder. But she needs to learn to get deep too and use herself. And that means I have to still keep a connection over the fence. Okay.. got it. And.. it really kind of got better. Especially in the turns. She was actually getting quite ridable and soft and I could soften the reins and she stayed very uphill and balanced! Ooooh!!
So then he upped the fences again and changed the course again. This included the oxer off the grid, slightly offset, and then a one stride, and some bendy lines. So off we went. The first time through I held and got left behind and she took a flyer anyways. The second time I held and she chipped and scrambled and Doug said that I could let her jump out of stride... just try to not let her take massive flyers. Okay, but... you said..... So in my brain... Insist on correct and balanced and teach her to sit and rock back when it's small. When they get big, I can be a little less strict on how close to the base she gets. I can be more allowing. BUT... I need to be insistent on the little things so that she learns how to use her body better. So, we did that and finished with a pretty nice course. Although I could tell she was getting tired. It was so hot and humid. And the arena footing was a bit slick in spots and she slid a tiny bit in a few places. So I was glad when we finished on a nice note.
We got voted "Most improved". ha ha! Easy to do when you're on a feral dragon. ;) But I'm really proud of her. It was a new place, new trainer, new horses in the arena, and.. she's had a week off. And we were in the novice group. And she tried. She was mad... but she really did try and it was successful. She did become more ridable and more balanced. It was hard for her, and it got harder as she got tired but she was trying. And we were giggling because she was watching the others go and studying. :)
She got hosed off and I let her graze a bit and then she got sprayed again for flies and I had her tied at the trailer eating hay while I watched the last group. She was good and hung out and didn't complain. Good pony!
So... I guess I'll take her to Poplar this weekend instead of Dan. But we definitely will not be doing that 2nd level test. ;)
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