August 14, 2016
This is 4 days late but any way here we go. I Love Elisa Wallace and her horse Simply priceless. They are a great pair for each other. Elisa had held a 2 day clinic. I could only go the one day. As seeing as I have lost all my confidence I thought this was a good idea. Just to see if she had any other way to train my horse. A better way that cropping the crap out of him if he did not jump. He was already fearful of the jumps and he just seamed not to want to do it or expected it. I cleaned him the night before so he did not look like a dirty horse. He looked really nice. Like Show ready nice. We packed up about an hour early as my class way about 4 pm central time. We ended up packing and loaded him up about 10:30 am. So , yeah as you guessed it we arrived many hours early. Of course we got lost on the way. Good thing for extra time and not having to rush. :) Once we arrived (about a 2 hour drive to the farm) at Old Mill farms (North Atlantic Equestrian center) Cash was very much wanted out of the trailer. Once out we let him chill a bit. He would eat, then trot a bit, then eat. We did that about a good hour or so. Once he calmed down a bit we let him graze under a nice big tree with lots of shade. As it was very hot. After a few min. of that I ties him t the horse trailer and tacked him up. We rode around their warm up area which was just very fine dirt. There was a trail obstacle course out as well. At the begging of the ride we both were very tense. After I took Cash through his paces I let him walk out some he and I were both better. both calm and chilled. I then proceeded to ride him around the horse barn and around the trailers. He has never spooked at a sudden car or truck turning on or a honk. After a few min of walking around I took him back into the fenced of area that had the trail challenge area. He was not very happy to go to a few things. Made him at least get up on a bank like in cross country. Went through a few noodles or around them. He really did not like that. :P With it being so hot and he wanted water very quickly after i got off.
Tip:: When it is very hot have fresh water or fill their bucket after they drink. it might so happens that your horse may want to chug down fresh water or might want more. make sure you have plenty of water for your self as well.
We waited about 2 more hours till I tacked him back up again. When it was time I put his new open front boots and his bell boots on as well since i did not want him hurting his legs or taking a shoe off. There were 3 other girls riding in the group with me. which was good because then I can see what they are doing versus what am I doing. I was just overall excited to be there and to be with my all time favorite grand prix rider. It was a huge honer to be at the clinic. So as warm up started all the other girls and their horses are smaller than cash. He was the tallest once in the group. got to love being tall. hahah As we start Cash already wants to go speed away to the other horses. As he likes to think of it as a race. As I ask him to chill and talk to him he throws a kick out and bucks a little. All due to i me not wanting to go his pace. As he tosses his head around i made sure to stay away from the others. Many things were going through my mind. How to calm him down, keep your balance when he bunny hops, hope Elisa won't kick me out of the clinic due to his issue, oh calm your self down. I was a bit frantic as it all happened. Once we got through our paces about 10 min for all walk, trot, and canter. Elisa pointed to a cross rail. She told us out order that we will jump in. She asked me if I wanted to go first or last. I told her can I go in the middle. She said sure as the others giggle. The girls were really nice. They talked to me and they loved my horse. Very friendly girls. So as the 2 girls went it was my turn. Elisa said to just trot up to the jump and grab mane if needed. So i go to the jump at a trot, and cash is good then stops and swings his head. Refusing to jump Elisa placed once rail of the cross down. After a little fight to get him moving Elisa walked over and lead the way over the jump. The other girls took their turn and it was my turn again to go. So I go. Very same thing happened. He stops at the last stride to the jump. Elisa told me to come to her and dismount. So I did. She wanted me to giver her a leg up. She was very light. I was like darn..,she weighs nothing! She got on him and at every jump she did not lover or anything most were 2 foot or up to 2 foot 6 in. Elisa was very rewarding to him after she made the jump. If he tried to go faster than she wanted she made him do it over again. She had cash figured out with in 3 jumps. He jumped oxers to singles, as well stares to a rainbow jump. It was no longer about the color. Once Elisa was finished riding him (after 5 min) she gave me a leg up back on him. She told me that this was not my horse and this was my new quoter horse. I found it a amusing yet help full. She told me that he was fine till the very last stride then he gets afraid, or cautions. She made me jump the cross rail. But in a cool yet a WEIRED way. She told me to trot up to the jump but at a few strides away to walk up to the jump. We walked to hit i grabbed mane and the next thing I knew he had jumped it. Then she raised it about 2 foot or so and we took our turns jumping that. After i jumped that Elisa told me to go done to the blue single plank jump. As I approached it i remember what she said and I did it. As he walked up to it my nerves started get very high and going crazy. I did not think much on it but he took a stride of canter and we made it over the jump. I was super happy. The rest of the day went like that. Made sure he had plenty of time to cool down as well bring his heart rate down. I was super proud of my boy and my self. Who knew I could get over something I feared in less that a min. :)
Tip:: if you find your self nervous or just plain scared. For your nerves it's all about the experience and that is just your brain telling you don't do it its to much. It's a thing i call a dream stopper. It has held my jumping to what I need it to be today or a year ago. You just have to tell your self you can do it and you will.
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