Escape to Gap Mountain

I did a Derby Cross yesterday with a friend from my barn. A Derby Cross is eventing without the dressage and the showjumping. We drove about an hour and a half to Troy NH and got to ride before the heat of the day turned us all into limp noodles.

Cassel, in spite of his inexperience (and mine) really seems to love and understand this job. He's definitely not point and shoot. He needs lots of hand holding, which I feel much more capable of doing since I started running.

Seeing distances is not yet my forte, and he has a tendency to chip when I think I see a bigger spot and and I'm urging him up to it. But at this height it doesn't matter so much. It's more about showing him (and me) some new things and learning how to jump when the ground isn't level.

But we're both getting braver and I am starting to be able to communicate "YES! Let's go for it!" with my body language, rather than the grab mane three strides before the jump and stop riding. Sometimes a well placed growl helps as well.

We didn't stay for the ribbons so I have no idea how I did. I know I did the course in 2 minutes 8 seconds. It felt much faster than it looked.