I was galloping down the hill on my newest pony.

(She’s so new I don’t have many photos of her yet, so please excuse her photo stand-in, the ever popular Zebrasaurus.)

This was our first show and our very first cross country.

I’ve only been able to ride her for a couple of weeks so we’re still in that “getting to know each other” phase. But with the show season starting and my broken leg it’s been a bit more like……….

speed dating.

New horse.

New bit.

New course.

What could possibly go wrong?

Jump 7 was a big steeplechase jump at the top of a hill.

Jump 8 was the ugliest looking jump on the course.

A relatively big open oxer at the bottom of the hill. It was ugly enough that it had frangible clips….

…..at training level.

So I’m on my new ride galloping down the hill.

And that’s when it happened.

I was just far enough away to realize I was in trouble & just close enough to realize I couldn’t do anything about it.

I was headed into a big open oxer, (ok, ok, it’s training level so not all THAT big……… but having recently misplaced my big girl undies it looked big to me.

(In case you missed it, click here for that story. Losing My Big Girl Panties.)

So I’m on about an 18 foot stride.

#DontBeLikeBadEventer

Yeah. Exactly.

And I see that I’m going to be about 10 feet off.

10 feet……………that means either my big striding, down hill galloping, fire breathing dragon adds an itty bitty stride right in front of this oxer at mach 10…….

OR.

We launch from an extra 10 feet and what are the chances I can stay on for that ride?

I closed my leg and waited to see what ‘Puff’ was going to do.

She added the stride and launched straight up.

It was like being launched into space.

So technically I’ve never been launched into space, but growing up with a rocket scientist I’ve ridden enough space simulators I think I get the idea.

And trust me.

This was Apollo 9 worthy.

It was definitely THE most athletic move I’ve ever stayed in the saddle for.

I think she’s a keeper.

#FoxxyCleopatra