Jumping out of your riding boots

It's an exciting time for young riders when lessons step up to the point where an instructor thinks their pupil is ready to start jumping. However, before boys and girls gear their riding boots up for puissance-height fences, they have to start on something a little smaller.

My daughter has had six months of lessons, one a week, half an hour each time, and so far her riding hat and body protector have not yet had to perform their given tasks as she (voice goes to a whisper) hasn't fallen off yet.

But, we are gearing up for the more dangerous side of horse riding – going over the poles.
My daughter and I watched with our hearts in our mouths recently as the Olympic Show Jumping team won the most wonderful gold medal in London, and whereas I had always previously looked on as if international grand prix show jumping was the easiest thing in the world, I now appreciate much more the skill needed to go over those huge great fences.

Having watched my daughter persist with mastering her changes of rein and getting those damn diagonals right, her battle to get her stubborn riding school mount to canter a 20m circle caused me to wince with exasperation as I willed her on. And now, as her instructor gets her to trot over a pole, we both realise what is coming.

She is excited beyond belief. I am frightened out of my wits.

Still, she has her correctly fitted body protector, riding hat and riding boots to protect her and a mummy watching on with fingers crossed – what more does she need.

image © lost in fog via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence