Domination mode. Check.

 Okay. I got this crazy idea to take Sher back for one last event this year- we're signed up for Palmer River at the end of October. And.. we're going BN. Go big or go home, right?

SEriously, I was going to go elementary, work her back into it, have a good time, call it a year and get back to old goals next spring. So, Jess and I took B and Sher XC schooling yesterday to get ready for this plan. 

I swear to God, this horse is just.. I love her so much. So so so much. When I love her. And XC is one of those times I love her. If you had to ride a horse over solid fences that scare the shit out of YOU, what would you rather ride than something whose nicknames are "The Machine" and "Dragon"- I mean.. one is unstoppable, the other flies. Sounds like a terrifying, exhilarating, but never-gonna-stop-or-hit-the-jump ride, right?? bahahah

So.. She jigged, threatened to buck, tossed her head, spun, crow-hopped and pretty much did everything she could to make me sweat all the way down the drive, and down the path to the field. And then... she saw the actual field. With all the fences. I swear I came closer to falling off at that point because she stopped dead. Head went up, took a huge breath, felt like she grew 6 inches, and a little quiver went through her before she huffed out and stepped forward. "Domination mode. Check."

So, we started small, and she played along- lazy and giving me a chance to figure my shit out. Then we stepped it up- big log, down hill, into the scary woods. Um.. Hold my beer Mom. And she launched it, then giggled mischievously and checked to make sure I was paying attention by booking right- and stopping dead in front of the brush pile. Thanks, Sher..   Appeased that I was paying enough attention to her, she did it again without a hitch. *le sigh* Mares.

So.. We were doing Novice fences by the end of the session- we did fences I'd never done before!- and she was just.. having a blast. Bigger? Faster? No big deal. Step up the gallop, then ask her to collect up to bounce over a big log? Sure, I can do that. Canoe? hah. The fan jump? Let's go. Shadows? water? woods? dogs bursting out of the underbrush? Noooo prooooblem...

Do you know what I learned? Andi will never love xc. He deals with it, he puts up with it because I ask him to do it and he wants to make me happy. But he'll never love it. It's not his jam. Heck, I'm pretty sure he doesn't even like it. You want to see a horse who loves XC? See below. THAT is a horse who threatens (promises..) death and destruction if you take her out into a xc field and DON'T let her jump. Andi? He is such the polar opposite, I think he may just not want to be an eventer...

Mmm. Sherwood Success = Abbi Death

 Well, we almost had pictures! 

I saw the video!! It was going so well right up until the good parts! Then, it dropped to the ground and all you heard was, "Sit up!! Sit up!! Holy shit, Just sit up!!!" Then, "Well, that was interesting. I guess she's sound." When that's the commentary your trainer has for your first lesson back jumping to SEE if your horse is sound to jump, trust me- She's PERFECTLY FINE to jump. 

We had such a great ride, and our rehab was going along so nicely, I asked JH if we could come to her for some oversight to make sure she was sound to start jumping again.

Well. I should have known better. Dragons don't JUMP, they FLY!! Hence, yes. She can trot through a gymnastic fine, tripping over every jump, no big deal! Happy happy happy. Now canter, and still, no big deal, being lazy and slow, no big deal. So... "Abbi, she's getting 2 and half, get 2 in that line!".. over a 18" crossrail bounce to a 12" cavaletti. From a horse who has legit jumped 3'6" courses. Okay. No big deal, right? Hmph. 

Picture this. We cleared, CLEARED, the 5' JUMP STANDARDS!!!!, then bounced to a 3'+ caveletti!! And thank GOD! Because I was so clearly NOT expecting a cross rail to transform to a fucking Advanced jump, that I got MASSIVE air between me and my saddle, so my lovely flyer CAUGHT me when she went back up for the 3'+ CAVALETTI! Then she got pissed because I  was such a bad rider and caught her in the mouth through all this, she went broncing (hearing the "Sit up!! Sit up!!") for a few seconds in protest. *Blinks* And we wonder why no one else wants to ride her. Nope. Not even a little bit.

The next time through was much less eventful.. And then we changed direction.

We made it all the way through without issues!! YAY!!! So I was a bit surprised when I got the (thankfully, now rare) experience of glancing down (my brain turns to slo-mo in these moments) to watch her shoulder just get further and further from the ground, while slowly, horrifyingly, realize I had to work on sitting up (Again with the "Sit up!! Legs down!!" as I'm thinking to myself, "If I could sit up and put my legs down any better, I would be!!!") straighter so her neck didn't hit me in the face, as she prepared to capriole (like a levade, but with the LAUNCH! that gave her her nickname) in absolute delight with herself!

Yeah... She got beat for that. "Don't you let her get away with those shenanigans! Unacceptable!" lmao

And her face just said, "But did you DIE?!?!"

And that is the joy of Sherwood. Pissed? Excited? It don't mattah, she don't mind. Heads gonna ROLL!!! And all I could do was laugh, because it FINALLY proved to JH that I am NOT crazy, and that she really is as.. Well, as Sherwood as she is. lmao She's now become an adjective. I missed my mare. It just proves that I really am just as crazy as she is.