Getting jumpy

Horse riding, and specifically dressage. That’s what I like to do. My horse Naloma however has a different idea. She likes jumping. Understandable, because she was bred to jump. I’m not.
In fact, after every jump (on horseback that is) I need clean underwear. And that is almost true. Being scared shitless comes quite close to what I feel when riding towards a jump. Funny thing is, that I only experience that much fear when galloping towards a jump. Jumping from a trot doesn’t faze me at all. Perhaps the fact that Naloma starts growling like a lion when she gallops towards a jump has something to do with it. And that she builds up so much speed that I lose control over her could be one of the reasons. I literally have seen my life flash before my eyes on occasions. So I gave up jumping and concentrated on dressage.

But recently, to please Naloma, who became jumpy even without actual obstacles to jump over, I’ve plucked up some courage and taken up jumping again. Strictly under the supervision of friend and trainer Jans who used to be an international show jumper. He knows what he’s doing. I don’t.

Now, another fear of mine is being photographed. Honestly, I’ve cried when seeing photos of me. So very disappointed by seeing that ugly mug staring back at me. I know, it’s sad and shallow.
So there are not many photos of me. Until I recently had a riding lesson. I’ve asked hubs to take some pictures. Just to see how it looks. And I instructed him to screen them well; to take out the ugliest ones before showing the acceptable ones to me. And hubs took up the challenge. He didn’t take a couple of photos. No. He took about 500 (yes, five hundred). Well, one of them hád to be acceptable.

And the best thing is… I can look at most of them without crying. Progress!

The dog is called Ruby and is Jans’s little assistant. This is one of the first jumps.
Doesn’t look like much, and it isn’t much, because this was from a trot. piece of cake ;-)

Look! Getting braver by the minute. But not quite ready for the Olympics yet.

Biggles found a front row seat to watch the show from

LATEST UPDATE (before publishing): Last week Naloma and I jumped a ‘course’ of three jumps (not the one in the photos below, that is just a follow-through), galloping all the way. HUGE triumph for me. And Naloma behaved very well. Jans thought I had jumped a course before, but it was the first time in my life!
What can I say: so many talents ;-)