XC Schooling at Hendersyde Park with Les Smith

A little bit slow to update, but it's been a busy week!

On Sunday, we trundled down to Hendersyde Park, Kelso, for a XC lesson with Les Smith. Sadly I had a cold appear all of a sudden over the weekend, so wasn't feeling 100% and poor Heidi had to put up with me not quite being on the ball (even more than normal?!) but she was a super star. :)

Started off doing a little 20mins over SJs, jumped the spooky filler fine;
And spread fence;
And we finished with a loop over a very skinny rustic fence and some XC rails;
Rode these two fences like a numpty first time around, much better second time though once I'd woken up!

So then out onto the XC course properly and started over a tiny log (very scary apparently!) then a bigger log and straight around to jump it's bigger neighbour;

Then the same thing over some box fences- started with a small one and worked out way up to a pretty decent sized one. (photographer too far away for pics of these!)

And then over to the bank, where Les had us string a wee course together which was good. :) Love the first shot of this sequence!
And lastly on to the water complex. Decided to not give her the option of getting to paddle in via the ramp and go straight for a step/drop in, as that's what we'll need to do at Scotsburn at the end of the month! She was a little bit "precious" about it, but went in, which is what matters! ;)
Spent a bit of time going in off the drops and out up the steps;
And then Les decided we should try the jump into the water! Eeeek! This was what Heidi thought of it first time around (cheeky monkey doesn't appear to be even considering it- she's not even bothering to look!);
So a couple of attempts later (rider also got a little wussy at the thought of a dunking in the cold, murky water!) once I'd given both of us a growl to get on with it and we managed this (spot the change from "concentration" to "relief" in my expression! ;)
So very happy to have achieved that as would never have imagined we'd do anything like a jump into water! :D

Been doing lots of hacking this week to get fitness levels sorted for Scotsburn on 29th May (apparently a hilly one!) and popped down to SNEC on on Wednesday evening for their low-key unaff SJ evening. Did the 85cm and 95cm classes and although both Heidi and I were a little snoozy (neither of us are great doing late nights and it being quite warm and clammy didn't help!), we managed two double clears to come 2nd in both classes. :) Still panicking when I can't see a stride, so need to work on that! Can't get a happy medium- outdoors she's too forwards and indoors she needs more revving up!