Beginner Novice Here We Come!

Mid-America Combined Training Association had a cross country schooling this weekend. We went. It was an amazing day.

We started it off with Chris taking a dressage lesson with Jana Waggoner. She and Gemma did very well. She looked great! And honestly, it was kind of nice to hear Chris take direction and get feedback that sounded very similar to what she tells me and Leah every time we take a dressage lesson with her.

Then we headed to Heritage Park. It was a beautiful day! 75 degrees, but the wind made it feel almost cold. The park was rocking when we arrived. So many people! We found a spot at the back and started getting ready. It took Leah a little while, because she was doing studs for her first time. Unfortunately, with studs, there isn't a great way to help.

Everyone gets a little nervous before cross country. Or I do. I always have. As I was walking and trotting Dezi while Leah put in her studs, I couldn't stop thinking about how this horse has never given me a reason not to trust her on cross country. After Leah was finished with her studs, we were able to get going. We went to the start box area where they had warm up jumps, but the smallest XC warm-up jump was a starter table. We were kind of hoping for something easier for starters. We headed down onto the course and found a little roll top. Dezi jumped it well several times. I just had to be careful not to get up over her shoulder, but after I got my position secured, we were fine. Then we jumped a painted chevron coup to a starter jump to the BN roll top. Dezi did great. We tried the nearby novice roll top. No problem. We proceeded around the course jumping every BN jump we could find... tables, ramps, hanging logs.

Dezi does not like cantering through the water. She doesn't stop, she would just much rather walk or trot through it. It took a couple of tries to get her to canter through so we could take a house on the opposite side of the water. Jumped the cordwood and the mushroom ditch to the roll top. Then we did the ramp to the half roll top. And then Chris said, "Why don't you try that jump? She can do it!" She was talking about the novice log jump between the bushes, always my bogey jump. I figured Chris wouldn't send me to it if she didn't think we could do it, so I sat up and put my big girl panties on. Dezi never hesitated. It was magical. She helps me fly. We finished the day with a big BN table (that always looked closer to novice height to me).

Talk about an ego booster. After such a successful day jumping BN cross country, I think we're definitely ready for beginner novice at Mill Creek in 2 weeks. She's just perfect. And I really think she enjoys it. And the new saddle seems to be really working for us. I love this horse so much. Dezi is amazing, and I couldn't be happier that she's in my life. We're going to have so much fun together!