Much more ridable... but still a dragon

 Jump lesson with Laura... who wanted to jump big, so "bring funny". ha ha.

got on early and did a nice hack in the woods. trotted some. some hills. good girl. rode in nathe duo for first time. 

warmed up in arena with laura and smarty and she was a bit spicy but not too bad. then started jumping. started trotting tiny cross rail and then cantered big canter. Actually trotted!! and mostly trotted the jumps. then added some slightly bigger fences with tougher turns. good girl for the jumping but quite bouncy and opinionated for starting the course. Jo mentioned how much more grown up she was looking and how well behaved. Hee hee. 

Had a blast! jumped some fun stuff and aside from her cantering in place and half rearing in place when I asked her to start each course, she was pretty ridable and much more ratable. Did have to be soft because I got a bit too handsy and pulling back with the nathe. Too much leverage! BUT... if I was soft and kept my reins slightly longer... and then gave my hands forward the last stride before each fence, she was lovely! And I actually had to close my leg today. She's much more ridable, so i have to ride. not just be a barnacle. 

did have one bad distance because I held and didn't add leg. She went but caught the back rail with her front toes and it rolled under her. She apparently sort of landed on it but managed to catch herself and save us both! Phew! She smacked herself hard though so I was worried. I asked them to look and see and she walked okay. I went to pick up the trot and she was practically cantering in place... but also slow motion... like a canter pirouette without the turning. They were laughing at me because I was like "I can't tell.. is she lame?" ha ha.. Apparently not... although I didn't get her to trot until after we jumped a bunch more. 

Then i got all freaked out though and held too much. She was brave and went but i had to get back to giving my hands and not holding and adding leg. I almost had to encourage her slightly to take the bold distance instead of adding, but... shockingly, she was waiting and letting me direct some. Funny that she rode more like Lyric today ... well... not more like Lyric but a tad more like Lyric and Lyric rode a tad more like her. Keeping me on my toes.

good pony!