We Jumped!

Yeah, you read that right!

We jumped!!! Pippi and I Jumped!!! For realsies!! Totally jumped!! Miranda confirmed that it was an honest to goodness real freakin' jump!! All four legs off the ground at the same time, true lift off JUMP!!!

How cool is that? Really amazingly, spectacularly, over the top, cool.

We tacked up yesterday, and I was ready to get some great work done. I have been riding a lot more, and making progress. My trot work is easygoing now, and I feel more comfortable being in charge as a rider. Pippi really appreciates that, as she is a partner type horse. She knows right away if you are a pushover, and pushes you over. Her attitude is "if you are not sure, we are not doing it." Not sure you are ready to trot? Okay, walk it is! Not sure you want to go over that jump? Guess we won't! Pippi needs to be ridden as though you are totally sure of yourself, with your mind 100% engaged on the task at hand. You waver even a smidge, as in you wonder if she will jump, and you are creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. Hesitate, or lose focus, and Pippi is not with you anymore.
Kind of like a Tv remote, push two buttons at the same time, and nothing will happen. One message is clear; two messages, and they will be both be ignored.

So we were trotting around. I worked on keeping chin up, riding with my seat, and moving my arms but not the hands. Legs were good. I tend to slip back in the saddle, which makes my legs look as though they have slipped forward, when what most likely has happened is that I am sitting on my rear instead of on seat bones. I feel that I am making progress and Miranda seems to agree. Fun!

Miranda had put out some ground poles for herself for when she rode, and I was also going over them. She raised one side of one, and placed a bucket under it. I rode over it several times at the really low end, trying to get my two-point position right. Pippi was not jumping, just lifting her legs more. I then rode over the higher part and she did the walk-walk-hop. Clearly, my two point was not telling her to jump. Around we went; walk-walk-hop. Around again.
At this point I was determined to really set my body, get it off hers in time, and hold position. And I must have, because all of a sudden I feel "lift off." It was so different than I had anticipated. Much smoother than before when I have attempted this. Pippi just lifted us into the sky (all 18" of lift) and took me with her. Her body moved beneath mine, and than we landed. I was able to pick up the trot right away, and felt like a champ. The jump was like being smoothly lifted, almost as if by air, and then set down again. Exhilarating stuff.
I loved it, and can't wait to do it again. Pippi knows when I am ready, will not do things I am not ready for, and that makes me feel bolder. Oh - how I love that horse. She is my true teacher, with Kay and Miranda doing some great assists that is.