This was a great lesson, but had a very frustrating beginning. We started on the lunge line. Bob did a few minutes, where Mercury stretched and had impulsion and just zipped around in a perfect circle. Then I got out there and wanted to fall down crying because I couldn't get him to move forward, or stop, or stay on his circle. So this needs lots and lots of work. Bob says until I get him to respect me on the ground, he's not going to respect me under saddle. The difference between his reactions to Bob and me were amazing - from outside the arena Bob would tell Mercury what to do and he'd do it!
Then I rode him, for my three problem areas from this week: bend, lack of movement forward, and spooking at things.
Spooking was the easiest to resolve, with keeping him so busy he doesn't have time to pay attention to the scary thing. And for me to stay calm and not anticipate.
Bend was fairly easily resolved. I bent him to the inside, kept him on the rail with inside leg, moved him forward with outside leg and crop, and half halted on the outside rein. We were good at the walk and trot to the left (counter clockwise), but not as good to the right, and it turns out that's because I'm right-handed.
Moving forward took some effort. I have to consciously think about leg at the same time as each half halt, and then we went back to riding with the crop for reinforcement when he ignores my leg. And every once in while I yell and surprise him.
It seemed so simple while Bob was out there. We did a little bit of canter, and it was the same, keep the bend, half halt and leg at the same time, sit, sit, sit.
It actually felt really satisfying and good at the end - he was really moving in a great frame.
Charlie with the long sought after cooler
Spring NWEC 2013 Novice
1 comment:
Hello Martha, I just discovered you this morning from "I will jump sweet jumps". I enjoy reading your training progress stories. I am 46 and earning well under the 100,000. mark (no higher education, no career path, just decided to go to work 12 years ago)anyway it is very interesting to learn how it is done from a different perspective. I just this passed year had to come to grips with exactly what your trainer was saying about folks ending up with the same rider induced issue with each new horse after a year or so. I am learning what those causes are now finally! Hope I can figure out how to change. So glad to have found you!
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