Flower Boxes

Have you ever asked your instructor what you were going to do in your lesson that day and when you heard what the exercise is thought 'omg that is so simple how am I possibly going to find this worth our time?' and then once you try what sounds like a simple exercise find yourself eating your words?

Yeah. That was me on Wednesday.

I went into my lesson thinking I'd work on some poles/jumping and it'd be easy and fun and full of effortless riding. What happened was the complete opposite. The task was to trot and then canter over 2 flower boxes in a line.

This is what a flower box is:

(Source)

They are like 6" tall and maybe 5' long. Usually you need 2 to be long enough for each jump. And usually you place silk flowers in them as decorations for the jump like this:

(Source)

There weren't any flowers in the boxes I was instructed to trot over. In fact they weren't even painted white. They were natural colors - i.e. brown - and only 2 of them total. 

I confidently pointed Smash to the first box and missed and proceeded to trot up to the second box missing it, too. It was my wake up call this exercise might be a smidge harder than I first anticipated. But I thought maybe it was a fluke and I just wasn't focusing hard enough. 20 minutes later I was still either missing the boxes completely, Smash tripped over them, or I was completely wiggly in my attempt to get over them resulting in maybe getting over 1 box but not the other. 

20. Minutes. 

This wasn't like jumping a produce stand (my arch nemesis) or a 4' swedish oxer. This was a 6" flower box that a toddler could jump over without trying. Without a horse. or maybe even with one and blindfolded. 

After firmly planting my foot in my mouth and focusing on what was going on and what I needed to do I got it. I got line after line and was unstoppable! Well until we stopped the exercise...which wasn't long after I finally accomplished the task since it had taken me so long. 

So what was going on? I think it's obvious I have an issue with straightness. First I'd ride with only 1 leg on, then I'd try steering with just my hands, then I'd look down to try and see how wiggly I really was which in turn made me wigglier. All wrong. Only after I stopped trying to jump the flower boxes and actually ride Smash and steer with my eyes up and legs on and trot/canter paced evenly did I start being successful. Steph didn't anticipate this exercise being so challenging for me but I think she was glad she had me do it - and I am, too! In fact, my homework for the week is to get 2 more flower boxes out and do it again on my own time. 

I find it amazing how jumping isn't about how big a fence is but rather all of the logistics surrounding the fence. Sure your horse can jump to the moon and back but was it straight? did they use their body correctly? did you use your body correctly? I know tons of people can technically get over jumps but what's more important is HOW you get over the jumps. Not the flashy height of the jump. 

My lesson was very humbling and showed me just how shaky my jumping logistics were. Yeah I can jump over a flower box. Yeah I can get through the line most of the time. But then again most of the time it was not ridden properly. I'm slowly building up my jumping foundation so that when the height does matter my form and Smash's form will already be well established. 

So the next time your instructor has you do something that sounds simple chances are it's not and remember that even simple exercises can challenge us to turn our weaknesses into strengths!

Flower boxes are going to become my new BFFs after this week is over! Guaranteed!