Darci's x-country lesson -- Fantail's Kid's Riding Board

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Subject: Darci's x-country lesson

Author:
Arianna & Darci

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Date Posted: 09:58:48 10/14/02 Mon

Arianna's mother, Dana, had asked her to give Darci her jumping lesson for today.Arianna had agreed.Now the 15 y/o girl was trying to find her 5 y/o sister, Darci, so Arianna could tell her to start getting Jazzy ready for her lesson.Where could she be? thought Arianna.I(Arianna) quickly ran over to the geldings barn.Darci wasn't there.Then I ran over to the stallions barn.Darci was standing on her tip-toes petting a chestnut Dutch Warmblood named Fireworks nose through the stall bars.Luckily, even though Fireworks was very spirited when you rode him, he had good ground manners & would usually not bite.I jogged up to Darci.She looked up at me & said "I was looking for you Ari, but I couldn't find you, so I stopped here & decided to pet Fireworks nose." I put my hands on my knees, & once I had caught my breath. said to Darci "I looked all over for you to, I checked all of the stables(there are 8 at Timeless Farm), looked around the pastures, & also checked the arenas.I'm out of breath because I ran the whole time." Darci eyes widened, "you ran a long, long way looking for me." Darci said.Arianna smiled at her & told the black haired girl "go change into your riding clothes up at the house, then come down here & get Jazzy ready for your lesson." Darci's forehead wrinkled in frustration & she asked Arianna "I can't find my riding clothes ANYwhere!" Arianna kept smiling & sighed, she shook her head, smiling, "Darci, your clothes are in the basement, near the ironing board." Daric nodded & ran off towards the house.Arianna decided that she would bring Jazzy up to the barn.While Darci changed, Arianna got Jazzy out of his pasture & led him up to the stable.Arianna walked to the tack room & grabbed a grooming box, a pony-sized saddle pad, Darci's all purpose saddle, Jazzy'z bridle & girth, & Arianna also grabbed a jumping crop.Arianna walked back to where Jazzy was waiting in the crossties, & set down all of the stuff there.Then Arianna went back to where her own mount, Whirlwind, was waiting, tacked up with a saddle on & in the crossties.1 minute later, Darci jogged into the geldings barn to where Jazzy was.Darci's hair was in 2 french braids, that she had had in since that morning.She was wearing a pink & white striped Old Navy t-shirt, clean beige breeches, black tall boots, & had on her favorite earings, non-dangly rainbow colored little butterflies.She quickly groomed Jazzy & tacked him up.Then she led him to the stable yard where Arianna was waiting
***

I(Arianna)mounted Whirlwind & picked up the reins.Darci came out leading Jazzy.She halted him, strapped on her velvet riding helmet & mounted the light grey gelding."Were going to do x-country today." I told Darci.She smiled & said "I've never done cross-country before, but it looks like its pretty cool." I grinned & nodded."Follow me," I called back to Darci.We started walking our mounts down the trail to a cross-country course with rather small jumps, just perfect for people doing x-country for the first time.10 mintues later, we cantered our mounts into the big green meadow of the cross-country course.Darci & I slowed down Whirlwind & Jazzy to a walk.I said to her "Were going to do that little wooden crossrail, then were going to go on to jump that small wood pile, then keep going & jump that small ditch." Darci nodded, & I heeled Whirlwind into a canter.The small jumps on this course were no sweat to me.I usually jumped 5 feet on my Oldenburg mare, so jumping 2'-3" was no big deal.But for Darci, who was used to jumping fences that just had knockable poles, going over solid fences that had wider spans then the fences jumped over for the hunters or jumpers, they were not quite so easy.Arianna looked back over her shoulder for a second.Darci came over the little wood pile, slightly behind Jazzy's jump because she hadn't expected a larger spread.We kept going, after we had both jumped the ditch, we slowed our mounts down to a walk, then a halt.I said to Darci "this time, your going to jump that coop, the tire jump, the wooden fence & finish off with the uphill jump, cantering on until you reach the top of the hill.I will watch you from that hill." Darci nodded.Arianna spurred her horse into a canter, looked behind her shoulder, called to Darci "if you feel uncomfortable, you can trot over those jumps," Then she cantered Whirlwind on to the top of the hill.Darci didn't plan on trotting over the course, so she got Jazzy to canter, & headed the TB/Welsh pony cross to the first jump, the 2 foot coop.Jazzy sprang over the small jump & cantered on to jump the 2'-6" tire jump.Darci let Jazzy go a little faster for the 2'-9" wooden jump.She & Jazzy got over the fence fine, then Jazzy cantered on & leaped up & over the uphill jump.He cantered the short distance up the hill, then Darci halted him.Arianna said "your a natural! You did great over that course! Awesome job!" Darci grinned & said "thanks!" Arianna said "now your going to do a small course.Start with the tire jump, go to the coop, the wood pile, the in & out, the uphill jump, the wooden fence, the downhill jump, & finish it off with the Irish bank.Just stay sitting back over the downhill jump, & you should be fine.Don't let Jazzy goto fast to the jump." Darci nodded & heeled Jazzy into a fast canter.The 5 y/o girl, despite being very young, was an excellent rider.Darci cantered Jazzy to the tire jump.He leaped over it & cantered on to the next jump.They jumped the coop & woodpile perfectly.Darci slowed down Jazzy for the in & out.They did that fine, & went & jumped the uphill jump.Then they came to the 3 foot wooden fence.Darci had never jumped 3 feet before, but she was willing to try.Jazzy gathered himself & sprang over the fence.They cantered on to jump the rest of the course.After Jazzy had done the Irish bank, Darci slowed the light grey gelding to a walk."Great job Darci! But were out of time, so we need to head back to the stable." Darci nodded,The 2 sisters walked & trotted there mounts back to the stable yard of Timeless Farm.They dismounted.Arianna led Whirlwind back to the mares barn, & handed her to a groom.Darci led Jazzy back to his stall & untacked him.She put on his halter & led him to the washrack.She turned on the hose & sprayed his legs.She hosed him off, then grazed him for 15 minutes & turned him out...

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