cross country with Peanut!!!!

Guys. This horse, guys. I reeeeeeally like this horse. She is just the neatest little mare - and exactly my type of ride. That doesn't necessarily mean that I ride her well... but wow, I just love every moment of it. And it was such a TREAT to school cross country with her during our lesson at OF. 

The weather was gorgeous - high 70s with a clear sky and strong sun. The grass has suddenly come in and the ground is dry. Perfect conditions for our first xc outing of the year. I'm sad that Isabel isn't ready yet - but honestly it's perhaps a blessing in disguise to have access to Peanut in the meantime. This horse... she's cool. I am more than happy to ride her for a couple weeks while Isabel gets back into shape. 

Trainer P said Peanut hasn't gone xc schooling in maybe 5-6 years, and you would *never* guess by looking at or riding her. Not a single green step or hesitation or anything. Absolute perfection. (plus, I took Isabel's old wintec along to use. it's not great but I'm comfortable in it, it fits the horse, and it's miles better than the mess I rode in last week)

We jumped a lot of stuff that I've done before (and a lot of it was actually still in place from our first horse trial at OF last September), but we tried new and bigger stuff too. P recently changed up the lesson groupings and my new group mates are a bit more advanced and know the drill. Plus there were only four of us and all horse/rider pairs were doing well, so things moved along at a nice clip. 

 BN ramp is the brown one closest to the fence

One new obstacle we jumped is a BN ramp (above) that has always looked huge to me. I'm pretty sure Isabel could handle it no problem... but there was zero question with Peanut. She just sailed right over. It's in the video - but kinda from a distance. Still tho - it was awesome. 

We also played around in the water a bit. Peanut walked right in and only hesitated to take a few sips. Isabel, bless her desert horse heart, is NOT a fan of the water - so it was a nice change of pace to be on a horse who couldn't care less. We trotted and cantered through a few times, going up the lowest bank, then back down the lowest and middle banks. 

baby up banks aren't even worth a canter - just a big ol' trot

The drop down the middle isn't on video (boo), but it was easy peasy for Ms. Peanut. Our ground crew joked about my facial expression too - saying it looked like I was trying not to laugh lol. 

We also did the scary green roll top that nearly made me lose my nerve on the course walk last year. I kinda stayed in the back seat for it (have I ever mentioned how much I dislike roll tops? bc I really strongly dislike them lol), but all was well - and we cantered away with a huge grin on my face... 

 cantering away from the roll top - dis my happy face :)

Another nice perk of riding with a more advanced group was that we got to string fences together a lot more than we usually do (as opposed to everyone just jumping one fence at a time then moving along). I guess this is bc P trusted that we wouldn't need her right *at* each fence coaching us every time.  

My favorite 'mini courses' were when we did the brown ramp then cantered allllll the way across the field to a hanging log thingy that I jumped last year, and later when we rode up a bank out of the water, up a hill to a log (below). The video doesn't capture the water bit, but it was awesome all the same. Our event last year ended with the water (without the bank) up the same hill to a coop, so it was cool to do something similar but more technically challenging - and to do a better job of it this time. 

Really, tho - I was just cheesin the entire ride. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE Isabel and am nowhere near finished with her. She's been a huge factor in rehabilitating my confidence, and the time I spend with her is incredibly rewarding. 

But she's also never been the kind of horse I would choose for myself. She's not quiiiite my style of ride. Close - but not quite. And it makes a difference in what I feel ready to do with her. 

Peanut, on the other hand, is pretty much the definition of my type of ride. I mean, c'mon - this was my second time riding her and I jumped around stuff that would still make me hesitate with Isabel... That's kind of saying something, right? 

video here

It's all just food for thought tho - my situation with Isabel isn't changing any time soon. And Isabel and I WILL keep moving onward and upward - just probably slower than I would go with a horse like Peanut. And that's fine, really truly. But getting to ride Peanut for now is just so totally awesome :D