Why The Wait, Where Have Hunter/Jumper Lessons Been All My Life, Or At Least Recently

Riding

Awareness of the outside world. “Seventy-one per cent of boys surveyed feared they would be made fun of if they played with what they described as ‘girls’ toys’ – a fear shared by their parents.” The Guardian: Lego to remove gender bias from its toys after findings of child survey, Russell, 10 Oct 2021.
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What took me so long? Why haven’t I been taking hunter/jumper lessons all long? [First Lesson]

Yes, there was an element of rage and despair.

But also.

Because I have zero interest in jumping crossrails for their own sake.

Perhaps if I were a more enlightened individual, I would realize that any time on horseback is a gift, that every horse is a chance to learn, that …

Pfffft.

I have done way too much bad jumping over low fences. I have no desire to do more.

The only reason for these lessons is to get my head in the game for jumping big with my own horse(s). When that wasn’t possible, I didn’t see the point.

I don’t know that it is possible now, but I’m closer than I have been.

So, here we are.

As an aside, there exists the theoretical possibility of jumping big with other people’s horses. In order to do that, I would have had to …

A) Luck into a good situation.

Or

B) Lease a horse, same as with showing suit in saddle seat. This would have meant keeping a horse with a trainer, paying all the bills, and in some situations, paying an additional lease fee.

You can’t predict A and I had no interest in B. So there I sat.

Onwards!

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine