Cross Country Schooling - Outing #3 (June 2011)

So, still playing catch-up here! Middle of June, Sierra and I went out on our third cross country school at Gordonsdale Farm in Berryville, VA. Gorgeous property, just FYI. We had a lot of firsts here, including combinations, trotting off banks to combinations, a real water complex, jumping in and out of the water, and finally, ditches! Sierra was an absolute pro over everything, especially water and ditches. After my ditch accident with another horse last year (I pretty much ended up in the ditch), I was super nervous. I know my horse and I know she's brave, but I just didn't want to mess things up. Well, no worries, she took care of me! And took care of me over pretty much everything else on course too. Check it out:

First combination (log drop to log up a bank to regular log):







Then we added the bank into the combination:





Bank - We practiced dropping off and jumping up, and going at it from a trot and canter:





Next, the water complex!! Lots of work done here: Bank into the water:









Then we added on to the bank drop into the water and did drop to log jump:





Jumping out of the water (took a few tries to get this one right!):



Then came the part I was dreading. The ditches. I shouldn't have worried! :)





And a few fun log jumps at the end:







And hanging out with my trainer and her very talented horse after an amazing cross country schooling day:



Isn't my little mare the best? Betcha didn't think a mustang could do all that ;)