a jumping lesson with Justin's Promise -- Fantail's Kid's Riding Board

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Subject: a jumping lesson with Justin's Promise

Author:
Darci(Dana)

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Date Posted: 18:58:48 09/05/02 Thu

Darci walked down to her ponie's pasture and let herself in, shutting the pasture gate behind her.The 4 y/o girl was in her riding clothes, tan breeches, a t-shirt & paddock boots.Her black hair was french braided in pigtails.She walked over to her pony, Justin's Promise.The 8 y/o pony was a darker shade of bay, 12.2 hands high, & was a Shetland/Morgan cross.She clipped the neon pink & lime green lead rope to Promise's purple nylon halter with the bay ponies name embroidered on the nose of it in pink.Darci had picked out the colors herself at the tack store.She led Promise up to the mares barn and put the pony mare in her stall.Darci walked to the tack room & got her box of grooming tools, her all-purpose saddle, Promise's bridle, girth & a blue & darker blue leapord patterned velvety feeling saddle pad.It took the young girl 2 trips.Darci just remembered that she had forgotten her ponies leg wrpas & ran back to the tack room.Darci grabbed Promise's leg wraps that matched her saddlepad & Promise's gold sparkly bell boots.She walked back to Promise's stall & grabbed a bright yellow curry comb from her bright blue, plastic brush box.

15 mintues later....
Darci had Promise all tacked up and was leading her to the indoor arena.Darci's mom, Dana was already lowering the jumps in the arena to about 1'-9".Darci waved hi to her mom & Dana waved back.the 4 y/o green-eyed girl led her pony over to the mounting block & got on the 12.2 hand bay pony.Darci squeezed Promise into a walk and gathered a bit more rein as her pony walked forward.Dana finished lowering the jumps and said to Darci "loosen your reins a bit Darci, your just walking, you don't need so much contact on her mouth." Darci loosened her reins and sat back in the saddle.Dana leaned against one of the jump standards and watched Darci's position."Darci, you need to push your heels down a little more, were not doing western pleasure here, and if you don't keep you heels down enough, you'll loose your stirrup easier." Darci shoved down her heels and tightened her legs against the saddle for better contact."Well Darci, your heels are down, but...you need to flex out your ankle a bit more." Darci groaned and did as her mom said to.After another lap around the arena at a walk, she started trotting Promise.Darci posted to the trot on the right diagonal.Despite being young, Darci was a very good rider."lookin' great Darci," her mom called as the young girl posted along to the 2-beat rythm of her ponies trot.After trotting Promise for a little while, Dana called "okay Darci, lets see a sitting trot." Darci stopped posting and sat to the trot.She slowed down Promise's trot a little bit with a couple half-halts so she didn't bounce so much."use your muscles to stay still when you do a sitting trot Darci! don't just slow Promise down so you get a smoother ride, keep your self still, grip with your legs!" Darci did that and didn't bounce so much.After trotting her pony in both directions, she cued Promise to canter by pulling her outside leg back and squeezing.Promise broke into a smooth, rolling canter.Darci sat easily to Promise's canter & after cantering for a little while, she slowed Justin's Promise down 2 a walk.Dana said to Darci, "okay, do the blue line of the hunter course, count your strides, there should be 6, sit str8ght through the line and push yourself up on landing." Darci nodded and cued Promise to canter.Darci cantered Promise in a courtesy circle and headed her to the blue line.1, 2, 3, jump! thought Darci.she went into 2-point over the fence & sat back as Promise landed.Imediately, she started counting Promise's strides, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ,6 jump! Promise cleared the blue oxer.Darci once again, sat back as they landed and slowed Promise down to a trot, then a walk. "Good job Darci!" called her mom, Dana.Darci smiled and nodded her head.They had done the line perfectly! "now do the whole course, Darci." said Dana.Darci cantered Promise in a courtesy circle and kept her shoulders back when her mom called to her to.Promise cantered to the first jump of the course, a green single and popped overthe fence easily, with Darci going into a great looking 2-point.She leaned back slightly when Promise landed and sat up again, counting strides to the next fence in her head.Promise jumped the green oxer, and Darci held her out for the turn to the white line.Promise easily jumped the white line and headed to the line of fake tan colored brick walls.Darci went into 2-point a little to late and was shook a little on the landing.Darci righted herself & went in to 2-point at just thr right moment when Promise cleared the oxer.She turned Promise to the blue line and slowed the bay pony down a bit.Promise jumped the blue single and cantered on to do the blue.After Promise jumped the blue line, Darci cantered her in a courtesy circle and slowed her pony down to a walk."you went into 2-point a little early when you did the single of the tan line.Next time, count your strides to that fence." said Dana. Darci nodded."now do the course in the other direction.Darci nodded again & jumped Promise over the course, doing it perfectly.When they finished the course, Dana said "good job Darci, why don't you walk out Promise now & end on a good note." Darci said "OK" Dana said "you know, you'll be doing 2 courses soon, so keep up the good work over the 1'-9" hunter course." Darci said "yep." Then Darci walked out Promise, dismounted, untacked Promise & tured her out in her pasture with a Shetland pony mare named Little Princess.Then Darci walked back up to the barn and put away her tack & grooming tools.

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