Cantering over a Jump

My first Canter over a jump 

This was something I had feared once I started jumping. I was afraid to jump in canter as I was only jumping in trot (which was nerve wrecking enough, thank you!). I would say to myself "there's no way I'm ever going to canter over a jump, that's way to scary". Therefore I kept to practicing what I knew.

However,I was told, the first time you jump in canter that it would just happen organically, and it did!!!

I was out practicing one day and I was jumping around a course of fences with all in intentions to do it in trot and the next thing three jumps in and three to go and it happened. Star and I jumped in canter over the third and the fourth jump then I pulled him back to trot over the last two poles in order for my brain processing to catch up with what had just happened.

My processing and analysis came up with:

It was as if Star had himself decided "Come on your ready to jump in canter now lets go" and he took off and it was AMAZING. As I don't remember asking for canter, Star just knew I was ready. It may sound a bit Karate Kid or like something Mr Miyagi would say, "when the pupil is ready the teacher will appear". In this case, that was so true and my teacher was Star. I was ready to jump in canter and he just did it and taught me that I could do it and that fear was the only thing holding me back. Though I do believe that an acceptable amount of fear is healthy when showjumping as it will keep you alert and safe.

"Horses give us the wings we lack"

Unfortunately because of its spontaneous arrival I don't have a video of me jumping in canter for the first time. However it is a memory that will stay with me a lifetime. The feeling was like as if I was really flying but with out a plane or jet pack, it was just me and Star flying through the air, as one. Thankfully though my instructor Vincent Dempsey and my Mum were there to witness it with me. Which was great to be able to get feedback from people on the ground about what had happened.