Did anyone else do this?

[LittleGray]

I was thinking about this as I was driving today...

When I was younger, and my mom use to drive me to the barn, I use to pretend the car was a horse, and that shadows on the ground were jumps. I use to count strides between "jumps". I would set the pace to the beat of whatever was playing on the radio. I guess it was my form of entertainment on the long drives out to the barn.

Maybe that's how I got such a good eye for distances! :)

[CenterStage123]

I did this! Except my horse still has to bail me out at times. lol

[Huntertwo]

Actually, when on the highway, I pretend that I'm a jockey. I pick a certain point ahead, like a Speed limit sign etc. and see if I can beat the car in the lane next to me to it.

Sadly, it wasn't when I was a kid...but as an adult. :o lol

[jeta]

I did this...only I used the telephone poles as my jumps.....I think it taught me about length of stride as opposed to the speed the car was going as I being the passenger could alter my imaginary strides but not the speed....Back in the day I think I had a pretty good eye....:winkgrin:

[Invested1]

I did this...only I used the telephone poles as my jumps.....

Me too!! :lol:

[Maybeapril]

I did this and still do sometimes with mile markers on the interstate!

[equinelaw]

I still do it:)

[Wellspotted]

What Huntertwo said.

Does anyone else do cavelletti/ground poles when walking across parking lots with marked parking spaces?

[Tazzie]

What Huntertwo said.

Does anyone else do cavelletti/ground poles when walking across parking lots with marked parking spaces?


Yup, into work. I change the length of my "stride" to make it a 2 stride or or a 1 stride, etc. :D

[LittleGray]

Now I don't feel so weird...I use to do "cross country" with fences we were passing!

[Blinkers On]

My husband who doesn't ride but is a jock's agent, pushes on the steering wheel and switches sticks like he's riding a race when passing cars. I'm sure he's cashing a gamble then as well.

[furlong47]

When riding to school on the bus I would look out the window and imagine a horse galloping across the terrain and jumping over whatever was in the way :lol:

[MMorgan]

Furlong47--that's exactly what I did...I always made sure I had a window seat on the bus and everything outside was jump!

[Ainsley688]

haha, I did (and, er, do) all of these things. I always count my strides and count down to the "take-off" point when I'm walking and I have to step up or over anything. And then I want to go do it over again if I don't get a perfect "distance".:D

[pj]

When I was growing up I WAS the horse! I had a lovely canter and trot,,,,collected to extended and was an excellent jumper. I ate popcorn from my hand as a horse would eat. Occasionally I reared and bucked. I was AWESOME!!:)

[vegetabler]

I've come to think of speeding up as simply 'opening up my horse's stide' to prepare for a fence.

oops... :lol:

[SarahandSam]

I looked out the window and imagined myself riding over whatever I passed, too. (: And I leaned forward over speed bumps...

[kdow]

Me too!! :lol:

Me three! (re: telephone pole jumps.) Weirdly enough, I still do it out of habit, and I still haven't taken any jumping lessons. :)

[furlong47]

Oh we did also play horse at recess :lol: One person would be the horse and put a jump rope around their waist to be the reins. Then another person would be the rider and run behind steering with the rope ends. Actually I guess this was closer to driving than to riding :)

[SweetieG]

Like SarahandSam, I would always go into 2-point over speed bumps and especially the little speed strips on the highway before stop lights. The rhythm is always the same...jump, one stride, jump, one stride, jump, bounce, jump, bounce, jump!
At the lake, I would also practice my dressage tests while riding the waverunner/ jetski. It was great mental practice. I'm sure it looked really weird to others, though!

[Party Rose]

An old thread that will bring back many memories, bring grins to one and all and allow the intimidated to finally come out of the closet. We've all done it and you'll see that no one places judgement.
http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=34344&highlight=hilarious

[Wellspotted]

OK, I will toot my own horn and say that you all might enjoy this cross-country story-- :D

http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=168334

[Dancing Lawn]

all the time, before I had ever even SEEN a horse!

funny, a friend and I were talking of just this very thing the other day!! :)

[boosma47]

Yup, still do it. Also use hedges/fences etc around people's driveways as in and outs, timing take offs, floowing a nice rhythm. Poles, cars - anything!

Have a pretty good eye, think this is why. (a poet?!)

[CrzyCorgi]

Been there, done that, still do! Wellspotted~ right with ya with the lines in the parking lot LOL. Boosma47~ hedges as in & outs, yep that too!! :D

[MMorgan]

LOL this thread is bringing back some fun memories! Did anyone else turn over the outdoor furniture and arrange it into a huntcourse in their backyard? As a kid I did this with my sister and 2 cousins. it only took picnic benches and tables, a clothespole, and a little imagination. We would take turns pretending to be the rider on course at a show, or we would pretend to have a lesson with three of us walking, trotting, or cantering around while the fourth stood in the center and pretended to be the instructor. My aunt went so far as to make us "tails" out of her old dishtowels.

[SmartAlex]

This is so funny! :lol: I still do this although the school bus seemed to be the best place for it.
I don't even jump, but I am hoping to start and I was wondering just the other day if maybe all these years of mental practice will actually be beneficial for something.

[Wellspotted]

We had an outside hunter course in our backyard with a natural ditch for 2 of the jumps, and we made the rest out of sticks from trees--triple bars, spreads, verticals, hogbacks--or Christmas trees (after Christmas) or the garden cart. We never were allowed to use our fathers' rakes or other yard tools, though!

But the piano bench, in the house, when the parents weren't home ... !

That garden cart caused a lot of refusals and run-outs.

[riverbell93]

There is a good chance that I'd be forced to answer yes to any weird, horse-crazed child version of "Did anyone ever do this...?" Rode the back of the couch. Used clotheslines to things as reins and (even better) lead ropes. Jumped my dog over picnic tables and benches. Found obliging trees with semi-horizontal limbs to ride. And of course, spent all long drives pretending I was riding and jumping along the interstates.

[LittleGray]

There is a good chance that I'd be forced to answer yes to any weird, horse-crazed child version of "Did anyone ever do this...?" Rode the back of the couch. Used clotheslines to things as reins and (even better) lead ropes. Jumped my dog over picnic tables and benches. Found obliging trees with semi-horizontal limbs to ride. And of course, spent all long drives pretending I was riding and jumping along the interstates.

Ah yes, I forgot all about making up courses for the dogs, and having them jump over it. It was quite funny to see my friends dachshund jumping over things...