Where the Wild Things Are

I mentioned a few days ago that I had a fantastic ride on Max, Lynn's lovely quarter horse.  Max has put up with me jumping him for the past three years that I've known him, but it's never really been a pretty thing.  I had a few 'lessons' from my friend Alexis, who had him in training, in the summer of 2010, but I haven't really jumped him since.  Last week I jumped him for the first time in months, and this past weekend I took him over some crossrails again.  Lynn got video.

I'm not a jumper by any stretch of the imagination - my only formal jump training came at a 3 week camp when I was 16 - but I've tried to pick up as much of it as I could from working with Alexis and clinging on to Max and Katie as they tolerate me over fences.   As these videos make painfully obvious - I haven't been jumping regularly in quite some time!  Still, Max is the best horse and dealt with me getting left behind and my pendulum leg with nothing but a smile on his muzzle.

Helpful critiques are welcome, as I know I have a lot to learn.  I think my biggest issue is my total lack of relaxation - I jar so badly on the landing that I'm sure Max must hate me.  Anywy, enjoy my singing of Maxwell's Silver Hammer.

This is the worst of the bunch.

Max took Jason on his first ride since his TBI and subsequent brain surgeries in December - on the very first day he was cleared to ride :)