It happened, as I kind of assumed it would even though I wasn't really looking forward to it.
I played hooky from work today since I've been working 5 days a week for the last few weeks, so I decided to be productive and ride Breezy during Shelly's morning lesson. They generally jump a good bit, so I figured I would do the same thing I do on Saturdays and just follow along for the flat portion and then go off on my own.
However, the flat portion turned into gymnastics pretty quickly (all poles, no fences), and so I decided to see how it played out. I've been really impressed with how Breezy is handling a lighter workload (going from 5-6 rides a week to 2-3), her basic personality and rideability hasn't changed at all. Now, that personality and rideability are occasionally suspect, so don't assume that she's all sweetness and light. We spook at everything, we pull, we have serious issues getting straight (although that may require a chiropractor visit or two, we'll revisit that topic at a later date), but when we are good, we are very very good.
Anyway, just as I'm commenting to my lesson partner that Shelly won't put real fences up because she knows I have mental issues right now, the jumps appear. I put my big kid pants on, because let's face it, despite my insanity, I do know how to jump around a course of fences.
Course #1, we learned how sensitive Breezy really is. I rode like a drunk monkey, and Breezy hopped up and down and acted like someone was killing her. Which I was, since I was riding with absolutely no leg and an 8 ft canter stride. Course #2 was more productive. I started breathing normally, and Breezy jumped some of the straightest fences she's ever done (per Shelly, who was standing head-on at the fences so she could really see where the mare was in the air). And honestly, it was kind of FUN!
So now Kirsten and I are going to have to brawl when she comes home and wants her horse back. It may get ugly over Thanksgiving.
