New Heights (Jen)

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

Cara brushed her hair out of her face as she finished putting the last pole into the jump-stand. She then circled her shoulder as she walked over to where she had left her helmet. Putting the Charles Owen onto her head and fastening it beneath her chin, she walked over to the black Arabian/Oldenburg mare that she had left ground tied while she had set up the relatively complex course around the arena. When she had first started setting out the jump-stands, Thanh had followed her around the arena, then the mare had grown bored and had walked off to the middle of the arena to supervise.

Tightening the girth, the pulled down the stirrups. Rather than chancing trying to vault onto the large mare's back from the ground, she led her to the mounting block and vaulted on from there. She crossed the stirrups in front of the pommel, picked up the reins and squeezed the mare forward. She patted the black mare's neck as Thanh turned her head to look at the girl, almost as though she were asking if this was really what she wanted. "Walk on, girl." She whispered as she closed her lower legs against the mare once again. "Good girl." She praised as the mare walked forward.

After she had walked the mare around and between the jumps, the small rider then repeated the process in a trot and a canter. She then lowered the stirrups and put her feet into them before she squeezed the mare forward and then lined her up for the first fence; a very simple vertical that the pretty mare didn't even need to work to get over.

The course of nine fences was set up so that it would challenge the mare, but also cause her to use her own sense of judgement. However, since the first two jumps were easy, the mare got over confident and jumped flat when she took off over the third jump, a slightly higher rising-oxer and took out the back fence. "Silly girl." The young rider reprimanded the mare as they headed to the next fence a parallel oxer, which the mare took in her stride and cleared easily.

The rest of the course went smoothly as the mare once again found her stride and began to not only listen to her rider, but to also look at what was coming next herself, and Cara circled her and reined her in after the last fence.

Dropping the stirrups, she went and fixed the few dropped poles from the course and then mounted the mare again and squeezed her forward once again. She knew that the mare was warmed up enough, but she still rode her around the arena a couple of times before they looked at the course again. She just wanted to make sure that the mare had her head where it needed to be.

Once happy that everything was going smoothly, the girl dropped her stirrups and crossed them in front of the saddle once more, letting the mare stretch out her neck before she collected her again and lined her up for the first fence. Jumping without stirrups was nothing new for her, nor was it hard, as it was a past riding instructors form of punishment for his riders when a couple of the students were late - yes, which meant he punished the entire class.

The mare cleared ever jump in the course and as she was circled away from the course that they had just completed, Cara patted her neck and then gave her a hug for her hard work. The mare may seem to be a challenge to ride at times, but that's what made her such an enjoyable ride.

Tag:Jennifer Hart

[Jennifer Hart]

Jennifer buckled her solid-black helmet into place, then walked over to Spot. The mare stood saddled and ready in the cross-ties, her black tail twitching occasionally. Jennifer took the mare's reins in one hand, then single-handedly unclipped the cross-ties from the halter that was still buckled around the mare's neck. Still keeping her grip on Spot's reins, Jennifer walked over to the mare's stall and hung the French lime halter on the hook that was there, then started out of the barn.

As she approached the indoor arena for the first time, Jennifer wondered what it would be like. She had been at the academy for the better part of a week, and had worked Spot a number of times in the round pen, but this was the first time in the week that she had found the time to tack up the mare and take her out for a good work-out. As they reached the arena, Jennifer saw a black horse inside already, but the pair seemed to be jumping, so Jennifer had the hope that she would be able to just work Spot, although she didn't expect the jumps to be terribly high.

As she approached the arena, she recognized the petite shape of the student on the back of the tall horse. The pair looked unproportional, due to Cara's small size, but that didn't stop the girl from handling the horse well. Stopping at the gate, Jennifer paused and then called out, "May we join you?" She remembered her first, and most recent, encounter with the girl, which hadn't ended too well. Perhaps getting to the girl through riding would be easier.

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

Cara let the mare travel around the arena with her cheek against the mare's neck. Her seat was secure enough if the mare suddenly decided to feel her oats and throw her heels up - even though she knee that Thanh had enough respect for her rider that she wouldn't do that.

It was the sound of another voice that made the small rider sit up, her posture picture perfect once more. She looked over her shoulder and shook her head when the mare turned on her haunches - following her rider's eyes - and headed toward the gate at a trot. "Of...of course, Ma'am." She said, shaking her head to clear her head and push down her nerves. "We would be honoured to have your company." She turned the mare away from the gate and rode her onto the track, her eyes making a quick sweep of the arena, most of which was taken over by the course of nine fences. "I apologise that I have utilized the entire arena. I can shorten the course if you would like me to." She'd taken the mare over the entire course twice now and shortening it would just mean that she wouldn't be able to have as many easy fences, most of them would need to be challenging - not that she knew the mare would have a problem with it.

She felt the mare tuck up under her, and she knew that it was her own fault. She took the reins in her left hand and patted the mare's neck with her right, a silent apology for letting her mind travel. Pushing the mare into a canter, she took her over one of the easy verticals to get her mind back on track. Other than that, she wouldn't jump the course without the permission of the adult who had now entered the arena. She clenched her teeth, hating herself for being such a robot when it came to her training.

[Jennifer Hart]

Jennifer nodded slightly as Cara accepted her company, unlatching the gate and leading Spot into the arena, "Thank you." She latched the gate again, then led Spot towards the inside of the arena, leaving enough room for Cara to ride along the track.

As she went to check the mare's girth, she heard Cara's voice, offering to take down some of the jumps. She held on to Spot's reins as she glanced around at the jumps, which seemed to be of a decent height, "It's not a problem. May I just join you in jumping the course, perhaps, after I finish warming Spot up?" It was times like these that she was glad that she hadn't taken up dressage like her brother. She could jump, when it was available to her, but flatwork worked as well.

Tightening Spot's girth, Jennifer put her foot into the stirrup and pulled herself up into the saddle. She shifted her weight, getting comfortable, then patted Spot's striped neck and moved her into an easy walk on the track around the arena. After a few laps, Jennifer turned the mare, feeling the comfortable pace that she had gotten used to over the years.

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

Cara fixed the way the stirrups were crossed over the pommel of the saddle so that there was no chance of them slipping. She flicked a chunk of the mare's mane back over to the right (and correct) side of her neck, and rubbed her shoulder as they trotted around.

She looked over as the woman, who was now riding her Zorse, spoke about sharing the fences. "Of course, Ma'am." She said, pleased that she wouldn't have to shorten the course, not when the mare was going well over it. "I'll keep Thanh on the flat while you warm your mare up." She wanted to work Thanh on the flat for a while anyway. She kept the mare working at a nice trot, bringing her onto the contact and asking her for a nice frame. She then began to work the mare through some simple dressage moves. She knew that the black horse could easily do the more advanced movements, but she didn't want to tire Thanh out before they took the course again.

Putting only half her attention on what the mare was doing, she began to visualise the mare's last two turns over the fences. She could picture where the mare went wrong and what she could do better.

[Jennifer Hart]

Jennifer nodded at Cara's words and focused on Spot for a minute. As the girl stated that she wouldn't jump her mount before Spot was warmed up, Jennifer smiled, "Thank you." The girl seemed to have learned courtesy from her guardian. Both were well-spoken, and quite polite, to say the least. After Jennifer felt Spot loosening up under her, she asked for a trot. The zorse lowered her head for a moment, considering, but at a second cue, she picked up the trot, stepping out at a loose extended trot.

After cantering the mare for two laps in either direction, Jennifer slowed her down to a trot again, then a walk, and looked over at Cara, watching the girl's horsemanship and work. When it seemed that her voice would distract the girl the least, Jennifer asked, "Would you like to go first?" She looked at the jumps, trying to gauge the height, then shrugging to herself. There were a few smaller ones, which would be nice for a warm-up, but the higher ones would be more of Spot's style. As she waited for Cara's answer, Jennifer stopped Spot out of the way and asked the mare to step backwards. After the striped mare took a few steps, Jennifer nodded and released the tension on the reins, rubbing the mare's neck.

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

Cara was working Thanh through a figure of eight, but she was making it a challenge for the mare, but asking her to not do the flying change at X and to counter canter the second half of the movement. It took a good few tries before the mare understood what was being asked of her and she completed the movement the way the small rider wanted "Good girl." She praised as she rubbed the mare neck.

She looked up as she heard the woman speak and she shook her head. "Thank you, no." She replied. SHe could feel that the mare beneath her was itching to get over those fences again, so for now Cara would keep her working on the flat. Using her seat and legs, she guided the mare away from the course of fences so that they could work in the far corner, out of the way of the woman and her mare. And, this would give Cara a chance to see how the striped mare was at jumping. After all, if the other mare went nicely over the fences, maybe this is where they were doing wrong with Cassie's training, and maybe giving her a reason to want to work, would make her less skittish. A smile touched her lips as she though about the Academy-owned zorse, she would go and spend some time with Cassie once she had finished with Thahn.

[Jennifer Hart]

Jennifer nodded as she heard Cara's answer, although she was indifferent as to what it was. As she was going first, she didn't have to work on keeping Spot warmed up and supple, but it really didn't make a difference. Her turn would have come eventually. She glanced over the course, planning how she would jump the nine jumps that had been set up, then tapped her heels to Spot's sides and asked the mare to circle once, gaining speed, before she approached the first fence. Spot popped over it easily, without losing pace, then jumped the second one with just as much deceptive ease. As they approached the third jump, a rising oxer that would challenge the mare more. However, Spot jumped over the fence with a good few inches of room to spare, and Jennifer was reminded once again of why the mare couldn't be let out in a pasture without supervision. However, the rest of the course was approaching, and Jennifer refocused on the jumps ahead.

They finished the course without too much difficulty, and after they cleared the last jump, Jennifer let Spot slow to a trot for a round before she asked for a walk. As she patted the zorse's neck, she smiled, looking back at the simple-enough course. She loosened her reins, allowing Spot to walk normally as the mare snorted, seeming not to be too out of breath after the activity.

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

Cara worked her mount at the far side of the arena so that Thanh's movements wouldn't in anyway pose as a distraction to the jumping zorse. With most of her attention of getting her own mount responding to her subtle cues and her movement being flexed and supple, part of her attention was on the adult and her mount as they went over the course of fences. Cara had the feeling that if the fences were another foot higher, the mare jumping would still hardly break a sweat.

As woman and zorse rode away from the course, Cara rode Thanh forward and cued the pretty mare for a canter, which she struck off beautifully, and they headed toward the course. As the got closer to the first fence, Cara could feel the mare grab hold of the bit and surge forward. Rather than letting the black away with this, she calmly circled her away from the line and then cantered her in a figure eight while she calmed down. Then, as they came out of the pattern, they were lined up for the first fence again, which this time Thanh flew over beautifully.

They completed the rest of the course with few errors, the mare jumped flat over the hogsback, so she took out the back rail, and they cantered away from the course as they girl circled the mare and brought her back to a walk as they headed toward the fence she had knocked. Sliding out of the saddle, which Cara quickly grabbed hold of to keep her knees from buckling under her, she put the pole back into it's stands and led the mare over to the mounting block where she vaulted on before finally uncrossing her stirrups and slipping the balls of her feet back into them.

[Jennifer Hart]

After finishing the course, Jennifer moved Spot into a corner of the arena that they wouldn't be in the way, although she could observe Cara for most of the time while she was working with her mare. As Cara moved her black mare forward, Jennifer concentrated on Spot, knowing that her own mount would be more interested in the work that the other horse and rider were doing than the flatwork that Jennifer wanted her to perform. Tapping the mare's flank gently with the crop that she carried, Jennifer asked her to trot around in a large circle, with her right side into the middle. Spot's ears flickered to the other horse and rider, but finally the mare returned her attention back to her rider, and Jennifer started asking for the mare to go in ever tighter circles.

As they reached the centre of their spiral, Jennifer felt Spot work out where her attention should be. Beginning the outwards spiral, Jennifer worked on getting the mare to work her back more, finally feeling the mare go on the bit. Jennifer heard a pole topple to the floor from the course, but didn't look, focusing instead on her mount, trying to keep her head in the game as they repeated the manoeuvre to the left. Once they had finished the second spiral, Jennifer glanced over to see Cara finishing up fixing the post that had been knocked during their course. She stopped Spot slowly, looking over the jumping course, and planned out another way of taking the jumps, to do something different with Spot.

After Cara has mounted her mare again, and had moved out of the way of the course, Jen asked Spot to move into a canter, then circled the jumps once before pointing the zorse at her chosen first jump, more to the end of the last course they had ridden. Spot, overconfident after their first round, managed to clip the rail after jumping flat, but the jump stayed intact behind them. For the rest of the course, Jennifer kept the mare in check, making sure that she took all of the jumps, but not choosing any specific order except the one that made the most sense. After they finished, Jennifer let Spot slow to a trot, then to a walk, before she reined her over to make sure that the first jump had stayed intact. As it had, she retreated to the corner where they had been working, leaving the course open for Cara and her mount.

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

After the woman and her Zorse had cleared the course once more, Cara closed her legs around the mare and steered her back toward the start of the course. She circled the mare once at a canter and they headed toward the first fence. Cara felt the mare gather herself as they approached the first jump and when the mare hit the spot, the girl rose out of the saddle, giving the pretty horse her head. However, when Than had knocked the fence during their last turn, she had also obviously knocked her confidence, and rather than flying over the jump, she dug her hooves into the ground and came to a sudden halt, her chest hitting the vertical and her rider flew over the mare's neck as although the mare came to a stop, her forward momentum continued.

Cara hit the ground with a thud, knocking the air out of her, as she lay on the ground, staring at the ceiling of the arena. With a cough, she sat up drawing in a ragged breath. She squeezed her eyes closed as the room seemed to swim in her vision. She then pushed herself to her feet and walked over to where Thann was still standing between the jump standards. "I getting the feeling that that didn't quite go as planned." She told the mare as she rubbed her nose and backed her away from the ruined jump. "I'll fix this and then we can go and work on the flat." She left the mare and walked back to put the poles back onto the jumpstand, fixing the vertical and then leading the mare away from the course of jumps and vaulted onto her back with ease. "Walk on beautiful."

Keeping the mare away from the jumps, Cara worked her through some basic dressage moves and then her transitions. Her plan was to get the mare loose and relaxed once more and then to try taking her over a single vertical before they called an end to their riding session. With her complete attention on the mare, she could ignore the pain in her shoulder and the throbbing in her head.