Advanced Lesson

[*Danni*]

Mrs. Richardson, walked at a good pace towards the Cross Country course. She checked her watch, and it was 1:55 P.M.. She sighed, and then the beautiful hills, filled with jumps, started to come into her view. She smiled, and breathed in the fresh air. It was a beautiful day, but in the low 50's, so you still needed a jacket. She then leaned against the fence, and waited for her student.

[popsrocks21]

Aly was tightening the girl to Shiloh when she noticed Mrs. Richardson walk onto the course. She fixed her stirriups and mounted up. Her hair was in a messy bun. Aly's heels faced her horse's sides. She tapped Shiloh. She walked for there. Aly asked Shiloh to trot the rest of the way.



Shiloh arched her neck beautifully. Her trot was smoothe and rymically. The mare perked her ears forward then back towards Aly. Her hooves clipped and clopped on the gravel until they met the grass. You could hear the soft ound on the turf. They finally reached the trainer. Aly and Shiloh halted and stood there.

[Alicia (Allie) Botanic]

I had not been looking forward to this lesson. It would be Donni's first time on the cross country course. Back home i had taken walks on the cross country course, making sure i was looking up and my heals were down because they were wild rides. I had taken my time getting the bay gelding ready. taking great care that his boots were on securely. I was doubting this would be a fun ride as i pulled on my old leather tall boots that i had had for years and still fit. Donni was standing quietly on the cross ties, alert but not nervous as i quickly pulled on my gloves and my helmet. I was wearing a pair of black britches. Under my fleece sweatshirt was a tee-shirt over a turtle neck, something that i did when it was too cold just to wear a tee-shirt but too warm for a jacket. Donnie had our nice jumping saddle, a gift from my mother the year before when i started to jump him.

The bridle that i slipped over his head was not his usual dressage bridle with a snaffle bit but instead it was a Pelham which both reins and a figure 8. I used this whenever i jumped him since he was prone to flipping out. He accepted the bit and stood patiently as i did up the straps. Then i led him out of the barn, checked the girth, and jumped on. He walked away quickly and i gathered my reins, settling into the comfortable saddle as we walked towards the course. I could see a figure i supposed was Mrs. Richardson already walking out there and we were gaining quickly.

It was almost 2, the time when our lesson started, that we reached the cross country course.

[*Danni*]

Mrs. Richardson saw her riders, and smiled. They were on time. She nodded, and then watched in awe at Shiloh. "You have a beautiful mare there," she said to Aly. "Anyway, ready for some cross country?" she asked, then she saw her other student come. She smiled, and then asked for them to warm up their horses.

[Alicia (Allie) Botanic]

i nodded, liking the idea of getting Donni moving. He was pulling at the bit and tossing his head nervously so i hoped the work would get him focussed. I started at the walk, doing my usual warm up on the flat. I made sure he was listening to me before i asked for the trot. Unfortunately he still wasn't focused when i asked and he jumped forward, throwing his head up and trying to take off. I raised my hands slightly, using the leverage from the bit, and he slowed, unwillingly, back to the trot. I took a breath as i worked him some in the trot, trying to get him to settle. I did not ask for the canter until he was really listening to me. When i did he jumped up into a large long strided canter, once again pulling at the bit. I did this in both directions in the large circle before i brought him back to a walk. He was not tired and instead seemed very eager and full of energy, not a good sign. His ears were flicking around and i didn't trust him enough out here to give him his head.

[popsrocks21]

Aly nodded. She smiled. Thanks! She asked Shiloh to start to walk in a big circle around Mrs. Richardson. After getting the mare relaxed and listening, Aly asked her to trot which she did straight away. Of course the mare was focussing on the other horse. Aly squeezed with her legs slightly asking Shiloh for a faster trot. The mare turned back her ears towards Aly and obeyed her commands. Aly then sat. Shiloh's trot was bumper that her regular trot, but it was deep in stride. Aly then asked her to canter. Shiloh brought her nose inward and picked up the right lead. Her canter was medium and smoothe. Just by looking at the mare moving you could tell that she was smoothe. Shiloh began to lick and chew her lips. Aly sat deep in her seat and leaned back slightly. The mare came to a steady trot then to a working walk.

[*Danni*]

Mrs. Richardson nodded, watching her students. She smiled, and then spoke after a while. "Okay, I'm going to ask each one of you to seperately do this course," she said, looking at the Advanced level course. It consisted of log jumps, with a water jump, and some more.

OOC
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[Alicia (Allie) Botanic]

i groaned to myself when i heard i would have to do the Advanced course. I hadn't done a full cross country course in ages, let alone with Donni. I feared what the crazy gelding would do. But i said i would do it anyway. I didn't want to look like a wimp in front of another rider. I just hoped i would get through it alive.

So i moved Donni into the starting box, a place i had not stood in for almost 3 years. The gelding did not understand what it meant so as busy spooking at the things around us while i counted down in my head from 10.

9.8.7.6.5.4.3.2.1.have a nice ride i thought and then pushed him forward. Instantly the gelding bolted, not something i was expecting. I sat back and tried to bring him up for the first jump that as approaching fast... too fast. I shouldn't have worried too much about slowing down though. When he realized i was asking him to jump the large log he almost stopped dead in his tracks. Only me clucking to him got him moving towards the log again. He tried to refuse but a tap with my heals got him over like a dear. He bolted after that jump, his ears back as he thundered towards the next one, a brush oxer. He repeated the same move again and then flung himself over the large jump. A few strides after landing he saw something and jumped several feet to the right. I was not ready for that and almost fell. On my giant shift in balance he spooked again and took off. I was almost left in the dust but managed to right myself again before he got himself off course. I was able to straighten him towards the next jump, another log. There was a tree on one side that i angled towards, knowing he would try and duck out to the other side. Amazingly he flew over like an angle only to spook again on the other side. at the appearance of another jump. He came to a sliding stop in front of it but realizing he had no other choice he jumped over that one too. I was forced to let the reins slip through my fingers so i wouldn't catch him in the mouth and after the jump he took off at a mad gallop. It was all i could do to turn him towards the open field and the next combination.

I could see the flags that marked the ditch after the first log bench, something that he went over nicely but had spooked at something else a few strides before. So when he landed he didn't understand what the ditch meant. He came to a stop, unsure of what to do. After a few kicks though he launched himself over the jump and threw a buck as i tried to turn him towards the narrow. He tried to duck away from it but i kept him on track and he over jumped it. I gave him a pat and let him gallop after that jump, knowing i had space to let him be. But thankfully i stayed upright instead of bending low over his neck because something caught his eye that caused him to fling himself to the left. I was almost unseated but somehow managed to stay on and turn towards the next jump. The next jump was straight forward and all he did was spook at someone standing near by.

Then he had some time to run yet again. He was beginning to feel more focused on me to i let him run towards the next set. Of course he was OK for the first one but the second jump, the drop, he flew off of, thinking it was a jump. So we had bad striding to the jump in the trees and he tried to stop. Then he tried to stop again as we came out of the trees. Then a sharp turn and we were galloping towards the water. It was a fairly simple gallop in, jump something, gallop out and then jump a narrow. At least it would have been if i were riding any other horse. But this was Donni and he made everything difficult. He stopped and did not want to go into the water until finally he leaped in, cleared the first one huge, tried to duck out of the narrow and then did a weird bunny hop over it.

Then a turn and a quick gallop to a roll top like jump. He was spooked by something near by and i almost fell when he leaped over it boldly. Then he tripped going down the hill, coming down on his knees but kept going. I was almost flung off and then had to collect myself quickly to get him set up for the next 3. He went ok over the first, nearly stopped and the second, and then tried to jump the middle over the corner.

Another short gallop and then a large jump. He slid towards it and then flung himself over ungracefully, me hanging on for my life. After several hundred feet or so i had to turn him towards the second water jump. A log, then a log into water where he tried to stop mid jump, then another log drop into more water where again he tried to stop, and then a bank out. Then he took off bucking. It was all i could do to stay in the saddle. I saw my life flash before my eyes and then he stopped bucking and i was able to right myself once more and continue on.

We only had a few jumps left now and as we moved towards one he was f finally listening to me. He flew over it but then got distracted yet again as i turned him towards the one i feared the most. He would have to jump through an almost complete circle and i knew that would be scary. He backed off from it at first, slowing greatly and then took a mad leap through it, leaving me clinging behind. 3 jumps left. I pushed him towards the last ones, hoping he would be a good boy. At the first he went OK. at the second he stalled and had to scramble to get over it. 1 jump left he was sweaty by now but still going strong as i turned him to the last jump, a fairly simple log. He spooked at something in the bushes and jumping it diagonally but otherwise it was ok.

I gave him a big pat as we passed through the finish flags, which he spooked at, and then pulled him to a walk. His sides were heaving from the effort and i was soaked with sweat just as badly as he was.

ooc: 1.1k sowwy

[popsrocks21]

Aly nodded. She turned to look at the course. This seemed pretty big. How would Shiloh react? Aly would just have to find out. As the other rider returned. The girl tightened up her reins. She sat up straight as could be and had her mare walk. Pretty soon Shiloh and ALy were cantering together. They were soon close to the first jump. Shiloh perked her ears with her head raised. Once the mare got ready to soar over, Aly got into her 2 point. They both landed safely on the other side. The girl's heart was pounding. They both cantered along. Aly sat up straight read for the next jump. They popped over that one. Shiloh's ears still were perked forward. ALy slowed Shiloh to a nice canter so she wouldn't get so high. The jump was cleared again. Shiloh began to relax. Aly looked for the next jump. Once she found it she cleared it. Next was a log with a ditch. Shiloh was okay with ditchs, but she hadn't done one in a while. Aly flew over the log with SHiloh. The mare didn't relize that there was a ditch. She made a startling leap. Aly managed to hold onto Shiloh's mane. There was a place where they had to run. ALy had Shiloh do a medium canter. Her once dappled coat was now turning black. Now it was time for the hill jump. The mare and girl cleared it with one soaring leap. Another jump came up to them as they galloped along. Aly in her 2 point. They soared over that jump with flying colors. The last jumps were no problem as we cleared them. Aly and Shiloh made their way back to the two at a working canter. Pretty soon going down to a trot then a walk. As they reached the trainer and the other rider, Aly let Shiloh have her head for the mare was drenched in sweat. Aly's own face was rosey. But she was just warm. She praised and patted her mare.

[*Danni*]

Mrs. Richardson took out her timer, and watched Aly go first. She watched her gallop off, and then when she came back, she stopped the timer. 4:21 sec. the timer said. She smiled. "Good job. How was the run?" she asked Aly. Then she nodded to Alicia, so she can get started. She then started the timer, and Alicia was off. Once she came back, and crossed their imaginary finish line, the time was 4:22 sec. Mrs. Richardson smiled to her. "Well done. How was your ride?"

[popsrocks21]

Aly smiled. It was good. But the kitch cought her off guard. She nodded her head toward the ditch. Aly patted the mare's neck, who was slowing down her breathing. Shiloh lifted her head and looked at the course she just did. The rider looked over there too. They both haven't did a cross country course in a long time. Well, atleast they did now. Both of them just neeeded to practice show jumping and dressage. That's when Shiloh and Aly would be ready.

[*Danni*]

Mrs. Richardson nodded. "Okay, well walk her around, so she doesn't cool down really quickly. She can get sick like that," she said, and then waited for Alicia. "Today, we are just going to focus on Cross Country. Next time we will do Dressage, and then Show Jumping," she explained.

[Alicia (Allie) Botanic]

i sighed as Donni continued to pace, not wanting to stand still. "We got around it OK... but i have ridden much better courses on different horses. Donni is not the best out there" i failed to mention the near falls, figuring no one wanted to hear it.

[popsrocks21]

Aly nodded and started to walk Shiloh in a circle around the trainer. She patted the mare's neck every now and then. She looked back at the course. It was pretty difficult, but they accomplished it. Aly looked at Shiloh's nose to see if the mare was still breathing hard. Shiloh snorted and kept her head low. Appearlently she was. Aly stroked the mare's neck gently.

[*Danni*]

The instructor nodded, smiling. She then thought of an idea. It would help get her students better balance, and it would be fun. "Have any of you tried bareback jumping?" she asked, they probably did, but she was just curious. If they said yes, then they would do some bareback jumping, if not.. then they will still do some bareback jumping.