Cross Country Schooling at Fields Farm

Today was the day for Mally to learn that going Cross Country involves more than just holes in the ground and water, and she does actually have to jump those terrifying brown logs and hedges someone has carelessly left lying around!

So we tootled off to Fields Farm, Wymeswold (http://www.fieldfarmcrosscountry.co.uk/) for a play around some of their baby jumps. Since we have had a mini heatwave recently the ground around here is pretty hard, but since they have all weather take off and landings, I figured that as long as we took it steady, we'd be fine!

Excitement began before we even set foot on the course, with a peacock deciding to introduce itself to Mally!! Mally of course didn't bat an eyelid!

So off out onto the course and after a quick warm up, we went over to the ditches and water to reinforce the lessons learnt last time. After a few seconds hesitating she soon remembered and popped everything sweetly.

Then it was time to begin the serious work! So we started popping some barrels and suddenly Mally realised that it was all about JUMPING, her most favourite things EVER! So we progress to a roll top and a pallisade (which was slightly bigger than I would have liked, but I needn't have worried, she flew it!)
We also did a beehivey-thing and a log, again which she spotted and towed me into!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtu0A...el_video_title
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNCP0..._order&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFbWh..._order&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfdb1..._order&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFP0L..._order&list=UL


Then it was back over to the water and ditches to string a few things together and try to make her think a little bit more. She found it all very easy and really proved how confident she felt about ditches and drops!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2j6z..._order&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2j6z..._order&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akwhD..._order&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxdba..._order&list=UL


All in all a very good session! Plus we managed to just missed the rain!
She really proved how talented horses don't have to be difficult, by quietly standing to be tacked up/un-tacked and walking quietly and sensibly around inbetween jumps, plus she loads and travels like a dream! A welcome change from the sods I have to handle on a regular basis!

So now it a few weeks spent concentrating on flatwork (Mally will be most disappointed!) and then I'm thinking of entering a Hunter Trial on the 1st May, or a ODE on the 22nd May! Although this all depends on how things go in the next few weeks, especially at our Dressage on Sunday!!