Centered in the Saddle

Yesterday we went out and did cross country jumping for our lesson and it was the best day ever! I’ve always loved cross country, and with Husky it was a blast because we’ve reached a point in our relationship where we’re jumping really well together. He’s been very confident lately and that was true out on the cross country course, too.

Here are five reasons why cross country rocks my socks off:

1. Cantering through fields. ‘Nuff said.
2. New kinds of jumps. We went over logs, beams and a jump actually into the outdoor arena. That one gave Husky a moment of indecision, like, “are you sure you want to go this way?” (Yes, Husky. I’m sure.)
3. Uneven ground. Cantering uphill, approaching jumps going downhill, going over rolling terrain – it just makes you and your horse focus in a different way.
4. It’s not something we do every day. I’ve been talking a lot about breaking the routine for Husky and this definitely did that. I could tell at the beginning of the ride that he was sluggish and checked out, but once we got moving I felt his energy come up. He seemed more engaged in the work that he had been in awhile and I think he had as much fun as I did!
5. It gets my adrenaline going! Don’t get me wrong, I love jumping hunter courses, but there’s something about cross country that really gets my heart pumping! The little we’ve done with jumpers is similar in that it gets my adrenaline flowing a little more. Cross country is a unique challenge, which I love.

I wish I had remembered to snap some pictures! I even brought my phone along to take some, but never pulled it out because I was having way too much fun. If the weather stays nice, we’ll be able to do it again next week. (Fingers crossed!)

Bonus: the storm didn’t hit during my lesson! It has become notorious that it always seems to storm during my lesson every week, and only during my lesson. When the weatherman said we could have storms, I could not believe it. But, happily, the rain held out for once!