Video Break: Jim Wofford!

Thanks again to everyone who came out on Tuesday to ride, watch, and be jump crew for Jim Wofford. Several of you have asked what Katchi was up to during the clinic - Katchi did his walking before the clinic started, and he got to say hi to everyone as the first group was piling in. He really enjoyed all the activity and extra treats, but I didn't let him see the gymnastics set-up. I knew he'd cry.

I was running around too much during the first group to get any video clips, but I was able to get quite a lot of the second group - which we called Preliminary, but included a hodge podge of super talented horses and riders from Training to Advanced. Jimmy really brought his A game with this group - and the horses ate it up!

I managed a few video clips of the final group too - Novice/Training - clips are of Jenna (on a horse she has on trial, which from the looks of it, is going to be her horse very soon!) and the final clip shows Kathy (on Tippy who came out of a kill pen several years ago.

Also, a comment on my last post requested a description of the "ol' whip under the chin routine" - basically, if a rider is jumping 4'6" or 2'6" (folding their upper body over way too much and throwing themselves at the jump), Jim will often have the rider put both reins in one hand. They will hold their bat in the other hand, about in the middle of the bat. And place the handle of the bat just under their chin. And then jump the jumps! It makes quite a remarkable and immediate change in the amount the rider moves their upper body - they stay much taller and still. It's sort of hard to throw your upper body onto your horse's neck when you have a bat stuck to your chin. Make sense?