XC Schooling at Gibbes Farm in SC

It's funny how a weekend full of jumps comes down to just one or two that stick with you.  Good and bad.  I tend to dwell on the bad, both to figure out how to get better, but also as a confidence killer.  I have to try really hard to find the good things to offset that.  Luckily I have over a hundred pictures to review and the majority of them are not bad.

We traveled to Gibbes Farm in SC, an amazing place built by a father for his two eventing daughters.  It's a huge place with lots of great jumps for all different levels. We went with 7 horses and riders and our trainer (B).  I rode down on Saturday with Lara and her horse Benji, it took about 4.5 hours and when we got there we let the horses rest and graze for about an hour.

The riders:  Kristi (Tobey), Rachel (Allie), Lara (Benji) and I (Cody). 

Chris (Dazzle), Beth (Trigger), and Leandi and her project horse walked with us and took (a bunch!) of pictures.


All of my pictures can be found here

lots of logs!

Big house!

Jump in the water

DAY ONE

We started out in log land, a woodsy area with lots of smaller logs and natural looking fences. They also have a small bank area and a water complex. 

We worked through that area shaking the dust off and getting comfortable with multiple fences. 

The day went very well.  Cody and I jumped almost everything well, even some of the larger fences that the last time we were here were difficult for us. 

In particular the water jump rode very well, and the max feeder and roll top felt great.  The bank down is still problematic for us, he likes to launch, and I have trouble remembering to keep my hands down.  So we trot the banks more than canter.  We did LOTS of banks so got lots of practice. 










We ended the day working over the ditch in the big field.  We had hauled down standards and poles so B could set up combinations.  While walking over the ditch to begin with, Cody got lazy behind and stepped down into the ditch, knocking himself off balance and pulling off a boot.  No injury, just disconcerting.  Moving on, the ditch to a barrel warmed us up, and then we did the big ditch to the roll top.  Cody and I did not jump the roll top great, yikes! 

Ditch to barrels

Overall it was a good day, I felt pretty comfortable and heck, no injuries is always a good day!

That night we all went to Ruby Tuesday's for dinner, I'm not a fan...they couldn't fit us all at one table, so we didn't get to socialize like we normally do.  The normal dinner routine is finding the closest mexican place...I think we will have to do that next time!

Ditch to roll top.  Yikes!

Then we headed off to the hotel.  Not a bad place, queen size beds for once!  And except for one late night disturbance from a restaurant worker as he put out the trash with his car stereo blaring, we got a good night's sleep. 


Day Two

Ditch to barrel - 2nd day!

Day two started of quickly, we went back to the ditch to barrels to 'get it right' as B said.  She had been thinking over the day before and wanted to do the exercise again, as we just weren't perfect!  It rode very well for all of us. 

Big ditch from the other direction.  Can you tell he didn't want to get stuck in it!

Oh!  you want me to JUMP it!  Okay!  (thanks Kristi for the catch ride)

finally getting it done

From there we went to the coffin jump.  This is where things went a bit south for Cody and I.  The jump involves a small hill/rise to a big ditch to another hill/rise.   I'm not sure if it was the up/down of the hill or the big ditch or the issue from the day before, but I freaked and Cody refused.  I couldn't get him to jump that direction.  I did get him to jump from the other direction (and jump it he did! WAY up in the air).  After multiple tries with me just unable to get over my fear, B got Kristi to get on Cody and boot him over it.   Then I got back on and was able to get it done...not my favorite moment of the weekend, when I get scared, I sob...alot...but I was able to push through it and the rest of the day was fine.

Sunken Road

We moved on to a bank complex with gymnastics, then to the sunken road (love that combination!).  We also jumped a hill fence to the sunken road. 

Ugly!

coming down from a HUGE jump

Last we worked around the big water.  Jumping in the water, into the water and out of the water.  Cody did well, although he jumped HUGE into the water.  We were starting to get tired, mostly mentally, but a little physically.  So we had a bad jump at the big table, and a run out at the boat after the water. 

Last fence, the boat on the second try

It was a learning moment for me, I've never had to push on Cody to jump, and I will need to be able to do that during the 3 Day if he is tired at the end of XC.  

All in all it was a good weekend.  I wish I hadn't had the issues I had, but I hope I learned from them.  I have certainly been processing the weekend for the past couple of days.

We rode back with Kristi, and it was a good time to decompress and debrief the whole weekend.  Kristi will be my groom/coach/babysitter for the 3day, and it is good for her to know what I am thinking and what we need to remember from this weekend's lessons.  

I think we are generally well set up for the 3 day XC course.  I will also be ready for Deep Run at Novice this weekend.  I haven't gone Novice in a while, and Deep run is a big course, but last year it looked really fun (we didn't run because of Cody's bruised knee) so I'm looking forward to it!


Go Cody!