I had been having issues with Allie while schooling for a week or so before I decided to schedule a lesson with Ann. Allie seemed to have lost her trust in the contact in walk and was fussy in the trot and was not going forward into it, to the extent that three rides had me cracking her on the arse with the whip to stop her from reversing violently and just go forward even without a contact. She kept stopping and hitting reverse, ignoring leg and generally chucking a hissy fit. Each of these rides she eventually warmed out of it but I was not happy. She was reefing the reins out of my hands, causing small sores in her mouth. She was fussy. She was not happy. Teeth were fine, she was just blergh.
Cue lesson. We had had time off when my bruise was healing after that kick I copped from Gracie, then I bought the jump saddle and fluffed around with that for a few rides, then we have been getting back into schooling properly and I stupidly thought I could pick up where we left off without going through the couple of weeks of suppling rides first. Plus I have been working on my sitting trot which hasn't helped. Ann says the drama was Allie trying to tell me she was a bit sore and we spent the lesson getting her through in a longer frame. She went excellently.
Trot work:
Canter is still giving us drama but we just need to work through it.
This one is funny - watch what she does when I ask for right canter:
Those videos are so much fun to watch. Thank you for sharing them!
Allie has such beautiful reach in the trot. I like how you were warming her up with long reins so that she could stretch her entire topline.
I do not know if this would work for you, but I like to use a different sound to cue the canter. I "cluck" for trot or more trot please and I "kiss" for canter or keep cantering please. I have found the separate sounds to be really helpful under-saddle or on the lunge line. I realize that Allie is working with her balance there more than the cue, but I still thought if might be useful to mention.
If you look down,say at the horses ears,you are directing energy downward and the horse onto its forehand. You may find it helpful to try and concentrate on looking up and forward which will direct the energy in the same direction and help lift your horse up. This is something i had to think about alot with my horse, as he is already built slightly downhill and it helped him tremendously with gaining his balance when he was young. Just by lifting my gaze to up and forward, changed my whole body position in the saddle which made a big impact in his way of traveling. Just something that worked for me...
4 comments:
Those videos are so much fun to watch. Thank you for sharing them!
Allie has such beautiful reach in the trot. I like how you were warming her up with long reins so that she could stretch her entire topline.
I do not know if this would work for you, but I like to use a different sound to cue the canter. I "cluck" for trot or more trot please and I "kiss" for canter or keep cantering please. I have found the separate sounds to be really helpful under-saddle or on the lunge line. I realize that Allie is working with her balance there more than the cue, but I still thought if might be useful to mention.
Val! I honestly never thought of that, what a great idea! I am going to start using that one! :)
If you look down,say at the horses ears,you are directing energy downward and the horse onto its forehand.
You may find it helpful to try and concentrate on looking up and forward which will direct the energy in the same direction and help lift your horse up.
This is something i had to think about alot with my horse, as he is already built slightly downhill and it helped him tremendously with gaining his balance when he was young.
Just by lifting my gaze to up and forward, changed my whole body position in the saddle which made a big impact in his way of traveling.
Just something that worked for me...
You both look great! Love watching the videos. Happy New Year!
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