But I’m going to give thanks today!
I am grateful for having a horse that makes hunting so much fun. The last few hunts Freedom has been such a pleasure to hunt. He’s been calm, focused, sure footed and has jumped like a deer. I can’t believe how far he’s come just from the spring season. Today he was bold yet rateable and he jumped like a star. I think he’s found a job he really likes and, if a horse can look proud of himself, that’s how he looks hacking home.
Freedom has so much scope that I still work hard not to overface him. He jumps so high over the smaller fences that I worry if I take some of the bigger ones, he’ll jump me out of the tack. Today we jumped all but two fences and every approach was good.
How funny that he’s now the horse that new riders want to follow in the hunt! He keeps a steady pace and isn’t at all phased by what the horses around him are doing. Last week I dropped back from the first field to lead the hilltoppers and even then he acquiesced without a fuss although he was not happy to see the first field take off at a gallop.
I am also grateful that I have enough flexibility in my schedule that I can sneak off on some Tuesdays and have a wild gallop through the woods. If only I didn’t want to take a nap when I got home!
It sounds like you and Freedom are having great fun together. The photo’s are lovely and you both look relaxed. Freedom looks like he’s got great scope and my only advice is give it time and keep your heels down! Have a great Thanksgiving.
Great photos, thanks for sharing! Scope-and-a-half…whew…can see why you are concerned about overfacing him. I’m seriously impressed he let first flight gallop off without having a meltdown. Your hard work is so paying off.
I wish I could get a photo of him jumping some of the bigger more solid fences. I’d like to know if my feeling of flying is in my imagination, or whether he is clearing them by as much as I think! He’s been so brave this year that it’s been a blast to jump him. Now he gets mad if I try to go around a fence. At the last hunt, a horse in front of him stopped and he didn’t even blink!
I MISS hunting so much! Rode for a few seasons when I first got my QH way back when, and now that I finally have a potential steady hunting mount I’m in Texas where I know nothing about any hunt clubs nor have a horse trailer to get there. Oh well, maybe one day soon! Enjoy this season 🙂
the last picture with the girtl jumping the horse the saddle looks like its too far back..