And On That Note

The last jump of 2008 was rather eventful.

After the antler removal, Rebel was going great, we were jumping really well, and as we came around again, I made a special point to really keep my leg, to sit lightly, and to try to get myself into position at the pole on the ground-

Good thing, because Rebel decided to jump from there.

This horse has an absolutely depthless bag of tricks. Barbara explained why he chose to do that – he didn’t like the looks of his stride, apparently – and I still am unable to truly articulate to my satisfaction what it felt like to not be going when I thought we were going, and to be going so long, and so abruptly.

All I know is, it felt like my lungs and guts were about two seconds behind me.

That pole was over two metres out from the fence. And he jumped from there. And I didn’t fall off.

And he landed relatively reasonably, canter a bit fast, but I didn’t fall off.

My face, by all accounts, was not unlike Macauley Culkin’s in those Home Alone posters.

Minus the hands-to-face, of course. I had mine on the reins.