A Quick Reminder of Why We Don't Event Anymore

Set up in the arena yesterday, there was a crossrail and a teeny tiny not even 18" vertical with tiny lattice boxes underneath it.  Since the game plan for lately has been "what we're doing in Dressage is really hard for him so goof off sometimes but make it clear that we're not asking for Dressage work when you do," I decided to put his jump tack on and pop a couple after some simple flatwork.

We did the crossrail SEVERAL times and that went great, jumping normally out of stride like it was no big deal.  Then after one particularly good crossrail I kept my leg on and came around to the lattice.  This is how it went:

Connor: "We're jumping, we're jumping, we're ju- OH MY GOD I HAVE SIXTEEN LEGS ALL OF A SUDDEN ARE WE JUMPING THIS WHAT IS THIS THING, OK WE'RE JUMPING!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I swear to God he actually tap danced at the base of the fence and put each foot down at least four distinct times before taking off.  It felt like I was jumping a centipede.

This is probably what it looked like.
Jump Start HT, 2014 (PC: Xpress Photo, with permission)

Of course the second time he came around to the lattice he was great, but the first time he jumps anything remotely interesting, it's always like that.

So will someone local please start a poles-only eventing series, because we're totally in if so!

Miss this!