Really, is there any better way to spend a sunny fall evening?

From GRS Blog Went to school XC the other night and it was just plain fun. hahaha absolutely perfect weather. Sunny. Cool enough to gallop and jump but not so cool as to make them super spinny. Brought Si and one other -- a greenbean on her first ever XC outing. hahaha always lots of fun :) But we had all the time in the world and the entire property to ourselves, so the odds of a successful school were in our favour. I'm loving the fact that Si is getting reasonably good about being tied to the trailer. It really does make life soooooo much easier. I'm still really cautious about it and only do it when she's quiet etc, but starting to leave her slightly longer or farther away. She didn't move a foot either tacking up or untacking. Completely chilled about the whole process. So I was pretty happy at that. R was having more of a challenge as her horse walked a zillion little circles while she got ready. But eventually we were both on and ready to go. Started by just going for a very long walk. And essentially walked until the greenbean was *willing* to walk :) She didn't know where she was going, but she was going to get there NOW. Si was not the least bit interested in keeping up w/ her power walk: "yeah... about that... I'd rather just stroll along thanks." Comeon pony, do the words "Working Walk" mean anything to you? Apparently they're not in her contract. We need to go out with these guys more often n teach Sienna to Walk. hahaha So we walked for a while n then did a couple little trots that went well followed by a reasonably long trot w/u, letting the young horse settle and both horse and rider get a little more comfortable with the whole uphill/downhill idea. Si was being super quiet this whole time. Like school-pony quiet. So we trot around a bit and greenbean does her first EVER xc fence. Like a pro star :) A log with rocks under it. hahaha but the rocks were covered with grass so I'm not sure her rider even knew they were there. *g* Sometimes that's for the best. Jumped with perfect hunter form (prob a good thing since she's destined to be a hunter :) and canters away in a lovely rhythm. And Si? Pretty well tripped over it. hahaha So we jumped around a bunch of fences. Greenbean was an absolute pro. Even went up the bank! Superstars :) N Si for the first time ever showed no hesitation w/ going down the bank. Now maybe it's time to graduate to grown-up banks :) Greenbean was starting to have a bit more fun than her rider *really* wanted so we took a break from jumping to go for a hack. UPhill. hahaha a couple laps up and down the hill and Si was trotting beautifully and greenbean had settled again quite nicely. So they took a little break and hung out while I jumped Si around a bit. N it was sooooooo nice. Just trotting and cantering over PE/E and the odd PT level fences. But it was forward and willing and rateable with little to no hesitation and what tiny hesitation I got, when I told her that yes I really did want her to go over, she did. It's the horse I had this spring. And it was so nice to see her again :) And all this time greenbean just sits still quietly, completely focused on where we were and what we were doing, but not the least bit concerned about the fact that she wasn't doing it. Almost like she was just learning her course while waiting her turn :) I was pretty impressed by that. hahaha So we went to another area that has more greenbean fences and she got to jump her own course. Which she did with only the occasional demonstration of overly ambitious enthusiasm and WHEEEE moments. hahaha finish with a nice calm hack and some grazing by sunset and then good to go :) Was just a super-nice way to spend the evening.