Our First Kinda, Sorta, Almost, Jumping Class, Show Report SJ Equestrian, Poles, March 2019

Jumping Diary

 
Dressage Plus Schooling Show
[Show Report]

Major Milton
Trot Over Poles Class – 3rd of four

We checked in. The Order of Go listed two extra classes. Whas is dis? The Trot Over Poles Class was trot twice around the ring over two sets of poles. The Trot Canter class was a group class. We elected to enter the former but not the latter. We do not need our first group ride to be with a bunch of munchkins. Yes, they were kid classes. I offered to ride HC.

Jumps in a dressage ring can be a Prix Caprilli class. This involves a standard dressage maneuvers/patterns with an occasion diversion to the jump(s). I did one decades ago in another state and Previous Horse and I did one. He loved it.

However, I’m calling this our first Hunter class. It had entry and exit circles, as hunter trips do. The local hunter/jumper association offers trot poles classes. Hunters it is. We have now ridden in our first official jump class.

If Milton had been stellar in the two dressage tests, I reserved the right to stop there to reward him. As it turned out, our warm-up was so low-key that he really didn’t work that hard, regardless of what he will tell you. I was on for a while, but it was walking and standing. Between the test and the poles, we had time for a short break. Milton grazed; I changed my shirt. This will be obvious in the pictures tomorrow.

First set of poles: ‘Dude, these were not here before.’
Second set: Rider opts for exaggerated two-point over the massive gymnastic.
Third set: ‘I got this.’
Fourth set: Over the last and head for home.

So, it was definitely new. He did a bit of a corkscrew over the first set to keep his eye on them as he went over. He was also definitely decent. He did a nice little bouncy trot over the third set, away from the ingate, no less.

I offered to give back my yellow ribbon for the kid who placed fourth. Turn it into a junior class. The organizer said thanks, but she’d already handed out the rest of the ribbons. She also thought a little bit of competition wouldn’t hurt.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott