[alittlegray]

on Thursday! Eek! (PLEASE GOD let there be cookies, for real)

So dd is without a steady ride at the moment as we cannot afford to purchase/lease her anything this minute. In the mean time, her trainer is VERY kindly letting her ride/show one of the schoolies. Said schoolies are jumpers, so as of Thursday at Culpeper DD will be making her debut in the jumper ring.

Yes, it is just the level 0 jumpers (DD jumps higher, but the schoolies are both really 2'6" horses) but she is incredibly, completely excited and thrilled as she has been yearning to do the jumpers.

I, on the other hand, am terrified/excited/sad/terrified/excited for her. . I'm sad because I had hoped for her to spend this show season in the 3' hunters/eq and that isn't what happened (yes, I know this is not a crisis). I am pretty sure once she gets a taste of the jumpers, I will never get her back in the other rings, even to catch rides. I'm excited that SHE is excited. I'm terrified because she's still 8 years old and bouncing around the walk/trot ring in my mind's eye. She is going to have a blast, and *I* am going to watch from the cafe so MY nerves don't make her nervous And really, I'm glad it is only 2'7" as I'd rather her first time around be NOT about the fences but about the pace and track.

No point to this post except to say that I think I feel my gray hairs growing, and if anyone has great stories of their first time going around the jumpers with the big kids I'd love to hear them! I need a little reassurance....

[Hunter Mom]

I'd be nervous too! FWIW, my DD (now 10) has played in the jumper ring but stayed firmly planted in the hunter ring. Granted - this is at smaller shows, but same principle. That's big for a little girl though!

And we expect photos and an update.

[k_lee85]

I did the little jumpers on a pony wayyyy back when I was a little one, and I happily went back to the hunters/eq for years to come. So don't worry, she won't necessarily be 100% converted! And your daughter sounds really gutsy and adorable, so please post pictures!

[skippy60]

8 yrs old and jmping 3 feet? I understand that that may be common, but i be jealous of your dd...

[Rel6]

8 yrs old and jmping 3 feet? I understand that that may be common, but i be jealous of your dd...

That was how I read it at first, but I think the OP meant that in her mind her DD is still only 8...not that she currently is.

[sp56]

So funny. My dad watched me ride this year for the first time since 2003. He was less nervous watching me do the jumpers than the hunters. Go figure.

Jumpers (especially at the 0 level) should just be a twisty hunter course. She shouldn't be out there to win, at least not the first time around. It'll be so much fun that you won't want her to go back to the hunters.

[MIKES MCS]

Do what my Mom did, stand by the ring and cover your eyes.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

Remind yourself she could REALLY cross over to the dark side and go eventing (FWIW--I started with the jumpers and then really crossed over)

My mom never saw me event until as an adult....and after once (with a nice round etc)...when she does come, she just waits at the trailer with an adult beverage

[Mayaty02]

lol at least it's not eventing, THAT would terrify me I have the same fears, my 9 yr old loves nothing more than to gallop and jump, and I am an eq/hunter person. I definitely see her in the jumper ring and that is something I would never have the guts to do myself!!

Good luck to her - and you!!

[Donkerbruin]

I did jumpers once on my hunter pony. It scared the crap out of my mother, but we got 2nd! I went back to hunters for the remainder of my junior career though, and am now dabbling in eventing.

[Skeezix]

No Mike, you do what I do and wear very dark glasses and shut your eyes, then no one knows . . .

Plus, find a trash can to stand near, then if she really scars you . . . I only had it happen once that I reaallly thought I was going to need it

[alittlegray]

No Mike, you do what I do and wear very dark glasses and shut your eyes, then no one knows . . .

Plus, find a trash can to stand near, then if she really scars you . . . I only had it happen once that I reaallly thought I was going to need it

Lol...think this is my new plan right here! Dark sunglasses especially.

I am sure she will be fine, and I know she will have a blast. It wouldn't surprise me in the least to have her tell me that she wants to try eventing next.

Thanks for the words of wisdom!

[grandprixjump]

No need for:

15 hunt coats
75 show shirts
4 saddles so the color of tack doesn't clash with horses color
3 new helmets each year because of "WHAT'S IN"
4 fake tails for different lighting conditions..

Feel free to add...

LOL LOL

[Lord Helpus]

Phew! When I read the title of this thread, I thought you meant the REAL Darkside --- Eventing (which is, of course, populated with Darksiders).

[red mares]

or even worse, she could be on a (5) gaited horse

[skydy]

I thought she might have taken up Parelli..

[Crown Royal]

I wouldn't worry too much about her going to jumpers for good if she's just trying it on a steady schoolie...now, if she was riding a made knows-its-job seasoned pony jumper or something, then you may have to really worry! I have a really cool 12.2 pony that I trained that decided by himself he hated the hunter ring...he would literally attempt to stop and then hop awkwardly over every hunter jump at shows (but was a machine at home). I started doing him in the jumpers and he was happy to jump normal again (and boy was he fun in jumpers!). I then got a TB to make into a hunter...nope, he decided he's a jumper. But my four year old...he is GOING to be a hunter!

Point is, DON'T let her ride anything that is a machine in jumpers...it'll make it too much fun and she'll stay in that ring...and give you more gray hairs.

[jen-s]

Or vaulting! They don't wear helmets...or boots!

A foray over into jumpers will likely teach her a bit to make her a better hunter rider. Likewise, a foray into eventing (cue scary music) would also teach her a thing or two WHILE wearing a safety vest. Just saying. Muahahahahaha!

[chunky munky]

If your child is truly 8 yrs old, and not an a pony hunter experienced rider i feel that you have reason to be concerned. Don't know your trainer. I am not bashing he/she. Just sounds suspect. Be advised to be careful.

[Crown Royal]

If your child is truly 8 yrs old, and not an a pony hunter experienced rider i feel that you have reason to be concerned. Don't know your trainer. I am not bashing he/she. Just sounds suspect. Be advised to be careful.

I think she means she still envisions her daughter being that eight year old doing walk/trot...and that she's older now and was going to plan on doing 3' hunters, but has no horse and so is using a jumper schoolie for a smaller (but still JUMPERS) division. I really doubt she's eight...