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A cool breeze whistled through the trees surrounding the field, causing the leaves to rustle softly.
Rhubarb, standing by Roisin's side, shook his mane and snorted, making Roisin giggle. Mrs. Ryan called them all over and had them standing around her.
"Ok y’all," she began, he hands on her hips, "can anyone tell me why we do groundwork with our ponies before riding them over the cross country fences?"
Roisin raised her hand tentatively, clutching Rhubarb's rope. "Is it...um, to get our ponies used to the jumps?"
Mrs. Ryan smiled, "Yes, that's part of it, Roisin. Good job! Anyone else?"
Mrs. Ryan looked around, her gaze gentle and encouraging. Tara shrugged, her cheeks red, while Una looked at her pony, Paddy, seeming unsure.
Mrs. Ryan started walking, her boots making a swishing noise through the grass.
"You see, groundwork is very important for us and our ponies. It's about building trust, understanding each other and learning to communicate with our ponies.
Groundwork helps our bond, and our bond helps our ponies have confidence in us."
She stopped and gestured to the jumps set around the field.
"These cross country jumps, they can be a bit scary for our ponies. By getting them used to these jumps on a long line first, with no stress or pressure, we show them that they can feel safe. We are building their confidence slowly, and they are learning to trust us. And we want our ponies to have fun too!"
She walked over to a small cross-country jump and placed her hand on it.
"And when our pony trusts us, they feel more confident to tackle these jumps when we're riding them. They know that we won't ask them to jump something that is dangerous."
A hush fell over the field as Mrs. Ryan’s words echoed in their hearts.
Roisin looked at Rhubarb, her hand reaching out to gently stroke his muzzle. She thought about how Rhubarb trusted her to take care of him when they went to eventing competitions in Cork.
Mrs. Ryan continued.
"So remember everyone, groundwork isn't just about training your pony. It's about becoming a team together with your pony."