On Seeing A Distance...

Sophie Jumps the Kiddie Prix
at the Vermont Summer Festival

Was watching some more Equestriancoach.com and am absolutely gobsmacked.  I now know why my 10 year old daughter kicks my butt seeing distances/counting strides to fences!

Epiphany!!  Thank you, Bernie Traurig!

Previously, I have relied on my Higher Power/St. Martin of Tours/ St. Christopher (for those of you not forced to go to parochial school, those are the patron Saints of Horses and of Travelers - I felt both are appropriate when jumping a course) for help in seeing distances.

If I'm understanding this video correctly (and I'll admit, it's Friday night and I've had a glass of wine so I may not be) Bernie suggests that kids can see distances because they practice by jumping courses on foot, which improves their sense of rhythm, pace, and distance.  My daughter jumps around our rings endlessly, and puts me to shame darn near every lesson we have together as she repeatedly nails her distances.

Oh....my....God. Am I going to have to canter my 41 year old chunky butt around a course after her?  Multiple times??  Think of the humiliation as I wind up gasping for air and signalling for the defibrillator at Fence #3. Only silver lining? It'll help a lot toward my fitness goal.

All I can think of when I picture myself "cantering" around our indoor counting strides is this video from one of my favorite comedy teams, French and Saunders.  My barn buddy and I HOWLED when we saw this, as yes, we have been known to to all of these things, even without the benefit of children or wine...

Wait for it. That would be us towards the very end....