After a few days of riding at Crossogue, I was finally starting to regain my confidence that had naturally faded from not riding in years. I was feeling comfortable with the jumps – both in the arena and out on the cross-country course, and I was increasingly trusting of my horse Rosie. But just as things felt like they were coming together, my instructor Becky said I’d be jumping the ‘three steps’. As a girl who has mainly jumped courses in an enclosed arena, the idea of jumping outside over trees and barrels was scary enough… but the three steps? I’ve never done anything like this at all, and it doesn’t look like a horse could do it either.
Picture three giant steps of a staircase, each about 2.5 – 3 feet tall, covered in grass. The landing at the top step opens onto a field. When I jump horses, the mechanics are simple… take off, jump up and over the obstacle, and land back on the ground – one big arc. With steps in cross country, there is only an ‘up’ motion because you don’t land back on the same plane where you started. The feeling is different and more than a bit strange. So putting three of these motions together was certainly a challenge. I had to get my horse to have enough momentum that she could jump, jump, jump without taking a single step on any of the landings (think of a triple bounce). If I go too fast or too slow, there is plenty of room for disaster.
I started with one step and then two. Neither felt natural and I think I forgot to breathe. But when Becky said we were doing the three steps, I knew it was time to get serious and make it work. (I really didn’t feel like falling off!) As Rosie and I cantered toward the steps, I pushed her on to gain power and while the first two times weren’t pretty, they were effective. We got up the steps in one piece!
On my last day we went back to the three steps and miraculously put together everything I’d learned about my riding and horse and was able to get up with confidence and style.
I started with one step and then two. Neither felt natural and I think I forgot to breathe. But when Becky said we were doing the three steps, I knew it was time to get serious and make it work. (I really didn’t feel like falling off!) As Rosie and I cantered toward the steps, I pushed her on to gain power and while the first two times weren’t pretty, they were effective. We got up the steps in one piece!
On my last day we went back to the three steps and miraculously put together everything I’d learned about my riding and horse and was able to get up with confidence and style.
While this may seem a bit boring for non-riders, just imagine doing your favorite activity or hobby but being pushed to a level you hadn’t even considered in the past. Being on this trip, I’m trying to be as open as possible to opportunities and pushing myself, and this was the true test to kick it all off. I knew that Becky wouldn’t put me on a horse that couldn’t do what was asked, and I knew she wouldn’t ask me to do something she didn’t think I was able to do, so the only remaining factor was my own confidence in myself. Something to remember as I’m presented with challenges outside my comfort zone in the future.
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