In The Saddle with Anita Marsh: Jumping for joy as summer arrives

We loved the welcoming atmosphere for nervous and novice riders and young horses, but we hadn’t managed to gain a clear round rosette.

He had an unlucky pole down in a double when we were jumping.

Actually, I say an unlucky pole but it was really rider error. I can never blame my young horse as he’s just learning.

So, anything that goes wrong is because I simply haven’t ridden him as a leader and given him the confidence going into a fence. That’s the way I see it anyhow.

This time we were going back and jumping the same height (low for a starting out horse) and knew what I needed to do at the doubles.

I don’t like going into the warm up rings as Sully lives at home and we don’t get to practice with strange or other horses in an arena like you do in livery. So for him it gets a little stressful and he worries about riders going past him fast.

Anyhow, once we had done a nice warm up with some trot work and canter he settles a bit more. I took him into a cross fence and he jumped it with gusto. A bit too much.

I knew he needed to come back round and do a few more, including the straight jump but it can be daunting with others flying around with you. Still, he listened in and jumped like a typical young horse. I stayed on so that was a bonus.

When it was our turn to go into the ring I knew he would spook in the corner. There were mirrors where he could see himself and I knew he would think it was another horse. So the aim was to take him round the spooky parts so he could run backwards or leap about when the bell hadn’t started.

Sure enough he didn’t like it, and to top off his anxiety there was a flapping banner too on the side of the ring. To give him confidence I needed to forget my own nerves and ride him strongly by all of the frightening things. That way he would listen to me and hopefully feel he would be OK.

Sometimes it is about telling your horse you have their back. They know if you do and it really does help them.

When the bell went my biggest fear was remembering the course. The last time I went I got muddled around jump six and because I ride without my glasses – I’m as blind as bat on the course.

I learn the fences by colour. If I forget the colour I can’t see the numbers like normal riders. Yes, silly I know but if I wear my glasses the jumps look bigger and in focus which freaks me out. I prefer blurry. Less scary that way.

Anyhow, I had gone over and over the course with my daughter and another competitor I met at the side of the ring. This time it stayed in my brain.

All was going great and he was actively pulling me into fences but I knew we had the spooky corner to go by where there was a double fence. So, I rode him strong with plenty of leg on which told Sully let’s go and he jumped lovely clearing everything.

As we approached the last fence I rode him like it was our first fence and just hoped he would go clear. I said to Sully ‘last fence’ as we we approached and it was like he knew. He just pinged it and I was smiling so much it’s a wonder I didn’t catch flies in my mouth.

There was a lovely clap from the crowd and I said to the lovely photographer, Victoria Adams, we did it and she shouted back well done. I couldn’t wait for her photos. The last ones were awesome and they are such special memories. I have one on my piano at home.

My daughter came to the ring side to help me when I left and the lovely lady on the gate handed me a red rosette to match mine and Sully’s red outfit. It was such a perfect ending to a brilliant round.

Finally we went clear at 55cm. I couldn’t have been happier. I love the fact that Victoria captured this moment too with my daughter, Alyssia. I couldn’t do any of these shows without her help as my groom and my husband as my horse taxi.

So what’s next? Well, we want to just increase our jumps to 60cm. That’s our next goal. We are jumping between 60cm and 70cm oxers in our lessons with my fab trainer, Harriette Rushton.

We also want to tackle some more dressage too so watch this space.

Thank you to Victoria Adams Photography for, once again, capturing such special moments. You really are talented. You can see her work at www.victoriaadamsphotography.com.

She is available for one to one photo shoots too.

Thank you for following me on Facebook at ‘In The Saddle -Anita Marsh’ it’s so lovely to hear from you all.