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# Guest Blog entry # 5: Take THAT Ditch and tarp... Kapow!!  by: Holly Breaux
- URL: https://www.myvirtualeventingcoach.com/guest-blog-5-take-that-ditch-and-tarp/
- Published: 2012-09-25T05:10:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-02-09T17:24:14.000Z
- Author: Administrator
- Tags: Blog, #Import 2026-01-20 00:55

### Take THAT Ditch and tarp... Kapow!!

  
It's a start!!! Go pony :)  
  
Today we had a XC lesson at Ashland. It was fun. We had some good parts and some not so good parts, but overall it was a big success. I worked on my hands and hugging Fleck again while keeping my shoulders up. I also worked on my "landing gear", although apparently not on every jump.   
  
[![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JRrnxPLc4oQ/UF_B1JYuMHI/AAAAAAAAAkU/QeZSjqr83io/s320/9-12+xc+lesson+blooper.JPG)](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JRrnxPLc4oQ/UF%5FB1JYuMHI/AAAAAAAAAkU/QeZSjqr83io/s1600/9-12+xc+lesson+blooper.JPG?ref=myvirtualeventingcoach.com)

Egads!! I promise this was the worst one!  
The big thing was trying to find that fine line. Argh... I either close my leg and kick him on, letting him get long and flat. OR... I try to collect him but leave my leg off and essentially just shut him down. Argh... it's that stupid fine line that I can't quite get. At least not all the time. I did manage to get it some of the time and then at the end, I think fatique played a part too. But we did manage to get it for the ditch and tarp!!!! Yay!!!  
  
[![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kVUeNU_Eof8/UF_Dc6rp22I/AAAAAAAAAkw/yTFyfOzrUjY/s320/9-12+xc+lesson+15.JPG)](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kVUeNU%5FEof8/UF%5FDc6rp22I/AAAAAAAAAkw/yTFyfOzrUjY/s1600/9-12+xc+lesson+15.JPG?ref=myvirtualeventingcoach.com)

  
[![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5OOc3oENl-4/UF_CItINpsI/AAAAAAAAAkk/8q8oPeRCGaQ/s320/9-12+xc+lesson+18.JPG)](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5OOc3oENl-4/UF%5FCItINpsI/AAAAAAAAAkk/8q8oPeRCGaQ/s1600/9-12+xc+lesson+18.JPG?ref=myvirtualeventingcoach.com)

  
I had been in a tizzy after walking the prelim course at the AECs and seeing that giant ditch and wall. So we vowed to get me over it. Literally ;) So we started over the ditch today and then Beth built it up with the standards and a tarp. I was joking that I had seen skulls and crossbones at the ditch and wall at pine top, so as we built it up, I told Beth that I was glad I wasn't seeing skulls yet. YAY! And I never really did. I got a bit nervous when it got at the top of the standards (Short standards, but still). But Fleck was awesome. And I did well too!! I did manage to collect/shorten Fleck while keeping my leg on and mostly keeping my hands low and releasing without throwing him away. And I stopped rowing too. Go us. Fleck was brave to it too... never even faltered even when I abandoned him. So yay!!! Sucess so far! I even had Beth make a cross rail on it too so that it was a bit more impressive. Yay for us!  
  
[![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ubN1b9OJ-2c/UF_Dvz_qeUI/AAAAAAAAAk4/e51GgPdUN4U/s320/9-12+xc+lesson+10.JPG)](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ubN1b9OJ-2c/UF%5FDvz%5FqeUI/AAAAAAAAAk4/e51GgPdUN4U/s1600/9-12+xc+lesson+10.JPG?ref=myvirtualeventingcoach.com)

[![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dp-NsPRJ1SY/UF_EFDt8XUI/AAAAAAAAAlA/XewKgrKOz1s/s320/9-12+xc+lesson+6.JPG)](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dp-NsPRJ1SY/UF%5FEFDt8XUI/AAAAAAAAAlA/XewKgrKOz1s/s1600/9-12+xc+lesson+6.JPG?ref=myvirtualeventingcoach.com)
  
  
Then we did a few more things.. banks, water, etc. And then I finished with a course and.. ugh... I think we were both tired at this point (have made a point to do more fitness work!) but it was either running and flat, or behind my leg. I did manage to sort of salvage it mostly and then we finished on the corner, which he NAILED!!! He just locked on it and took me to it. Yay!!   
  
Like I said... all in all a good day.   
  
[![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KZbleI2Gei8/UF_EtqwwcJI/AAAAAAAAAlI/6EBNryvhxpo/s320/9-12+xc+lesson.JPG)](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KZbleI2Gei8/UF%5FEtqwwcJI/AAAAAAAAAlI/6EBNryvhxpo/s1600/9-12+xc+lesson.JPG?ref=myvirtualeventingcoach.com)
  
  
Blog by Holly Breaux @ http://fleckenawesome.blogspot.com