Almost a Jump Lesson

We almost had a jump lesson on Wednesday.  It wouldn't have been a voluntary lesson either.  Here's what happened ...

Speedy likes to give a few coughs when he very first starts trotting.  I indulge him.  We walk for a bit, but then I drop the reins to the buckle and let him trot a circle or two where he clears his lungs.  We do it every single day.

In the midst of our on-the-buckle-throat-clearing trot out, the arena sprinkler popped up with a very loud PSSST!!!  You can imagine what happened.

The sprinkler is tucked behind the top rail.

Did you say bolt forward?  Why yes, that is exactly what happened!  As I frantically tried to take up my reins, I looked up and saw this right in front of us ...

Excuse my language, but I yelled SH*T pretty darn loudly.  I was worried that Speedy would jump it and equally worried if he didn't jump it.  Do you see the straight lines in the dirt?  Those are Speedy's skid marks as he ducked to the left and went around ... at a full gallop.  He then proceeded to weave through several more jumps before I was finally able to shorten my reins and execute a pulley halt.

Speedy's bolt, refusal, and continued bolt took maybe 5 seconds.  It happened so quickly that when JL looked up, we were already flying by her working the pulley rein.  When we laughed about it later, I told her how I was refusing to get tossed off.  She said she wasn't worrying about me coming off.  Instead, she was concentrating on my pulley-halt technique. Always the trainer!

From this end to the barn in a matter of seconds!