Many Much Jumping Media

Because I'm shameless (and desperate), I conned a friend into coming out and getting some photos of me jumping over the weekend. The most beautiful evening settled in after several days of questionable weather and I had to take advantage of it.

And let's be honest, the tripod video stills were getting old, amirite?

After a quick warm-up over cavaletti and smaller verticals for a time, we hopped over half of the 3' Swedish oxer I had set up.

Griffin says, "3 feet? Lawlz."

I seriously adore this little grey beast. He's 15hh, but his presence is so much bigger.

I am so obsessed with the above photo. Those knees. The dapples. He makes it seem so easy...despite my expression of extreme concentration.

Once again at 3' with ease.

His ears are always so happy. He really loves this job. He's executing his job better than ever lately. It's a direct result of being ridden more during the week (which has been all dressage-based lately with minimal jumping) and getting out on trail two days one weekend over some new terrain. His mind and body are growing.

3' Swedish oxer

And then, after we'd done the oxer more times than represented in media, I got a little crazy and popped that sucker up to 3'6" ...or maybe that means the pole was at 3'9"? (...Dom? Are the standards 4' at the top? If so then I guess the top of the pole as it rests in the cups set is closer to 3'9" ...)

I've lunged Griffin over this height before, but never had we tried it under saddle.

We've got cavaletti setup as a 18" oxer about 4 strides out from this jump. It's the same approach he had to the 3' oxer.

As we approached the mondoginormous now-bigger jump, I did my best to not think about how big it was at all. I focused past the jump and just tried to ride my horse to the best of my abilities.

Griffin's very first time ever under saddle at 3'6". My very first time ever jumping the height.
(My standards are only 4'. Dom's Mike made them for me.)

My leg slipped like mad, my back is roached, and there's oodles of other tiny things, but it's 3'6"! And it's the very. first. time. And we jumped it clear without even touching a pole. And we were centered over the jump. And just wow. This little horse. This is the most fantastic baseline footage.

I'd like to affectionately caption our expressions as:
Me - Ooohhhshitohshitohshit....
Griffin - Heave-ho!

We only jumped the height once. Griffin received many, many pats and much praise for his effort.

I really don't plan to jump that height again soon or frequently. It is a great baseline to have, however.

I'll revisit it again in a few months after we've had more conditioning.

Now, don't mind me. I'm just going to ride off into the sunset on my little grey dreamboat.