ok here’s the story behind this story. About 8 (?) months ago, I had a bad fall over my favorite jump. What we call ‘The picnic table’. It was just a freak refusal. I just wasn’t prepared for her to stop. Perhaps I was careless cause we had gone over so many times that I took it for granted that she would go over without even asking. So anyway, I was slung off and landed right on top of it. I got back on immediately and did make her go over it. (Adrenline from anger is better pain medicine than anything they can give u). My elbow swelled slightly and I was sore the next days but what was really hurt was my confidence over that stupid jump. Haven’t jumped it since. And what’s really stupid is that Cook WILL go over it. Mere hopped on her a few days later and took her over it and she went fine. However I have rejected all nags to go over it.

So anyway yesterday (as previously blogged) Cook was excellent. I got on today and as soon as she walked off I could tell this was our day. I knew she would be excellent. We jumped around very nicely. She was fun. I was having a Jump-a-thon with Ash K and Upton on Missy and Elvis respectively, two horses ironically that get along with Cook rather well. So 3 friends were on 3 horse friends. Cute. So towards the end Ash and Lauren were encouraging me to go over it. and not naggy-ur-a-chickenshit-nag. A good, u-can-do-it encouragement. I asked Mere what she thought and she snorted and was like of course u can. Eric said u can do it, babe! So I put on my big kid pants, squeezed Cook’s sides all the way to the jump and she went over it like a pro. No problem. Yay! Picnic is conquered! (again).

Eric took pictures (mostly for scrapbook purposes). I can’t say enough to anyone who will listen how absolutely A-W-E-S-O-M-E he has gotten at it. He has the timing down perfectly.
So here are the pictures of the day.

Cook over the picnic table.

Elvis and Lauren over the lattuce.

Missy and Ash K over the lattuce.

Aw. Horsies are fun. I can’t wait to go out tomorrow. Cook is getting a nice flat day workout.

If you would like to view all the pics from today, go to gallery/schooling cook miss elvis 12-30.