Red jumping

We have been able to watch Red jumping with Alfie at last, and here is the promised video.  It was a really hot day when this was recorded and I don't think Red was as keen as usual.

July was really crazy for me with a trip to the US, followed by teaching Up North in Whitley Bay, and then last week I was teaching at Surya Eco Yoga Camp in Cornwall.  All events were most successful and enjoyable.  Unfortunately this has meant that riding has been impossible and I have even only seen the horses a few times.  It is wonderful knowing they are so content at Briwnant.

We went to Sunnybank Equestrian Centre one evening when the Briwnant folk took four horses for show jumping.  Red was there with Alfie.  We do not know how much jumping Red has actually done, or whether he has any experience in a show arena.  It is quite a lot for horses to cope with if they have not done it before.  The arena is large and well lit; the jumps are quite fancy with colourful fills; the tannoy is loud; and there are people wandering up and down on two sides of the arena. 

Alfie entered Red into the 2ft 9in class.  There were two other classes: 2ft 3in and 2ft 6in.  Although we know that Red can easily jump 2ft 9in, I think it would have been a good idea to have entered him in the first round as well.  It would have given him some experience of the arena and Red would not have been hanging around such a long time for his class.  He got quite upset when Saffron went into the arena to jump.  He didn't like being separated from her.  Funny he should like a horse called Saffron, when it was another mare with this name that used to be a nightmare to ride at Pontcanna and yet they would give me her week after week.

Hopefully they will be taking Red over to Sunnybank again soon and we'll go and watch again.  He should do better the second time.  Alfie did manage to get him around the course but he was eliminated with 12 faults.  He did not refuse anything though – just ploughed through a couple of them!