Well finally I'm back (thanks to my friend Ray) online. Sadly :-( I've lost every bit of data off my hard drive (Oliveira book, Baucher research and lots of 'photos plus all my email addies) but we're back in business.
On the friends front, I spent a lovely morning with Di yesterday. A cool morning (rare around here at the moment) meant that we could work Anky and Remy in the school. Despite Di's feelings of apprehension, she is doing a great job with both. Anky is such a willing girl and in spite of her health problems it was easy to see what a star she's going to be. Remy is another story, like his mum (Anky) he is very trainable but being a total baby he is just so much fun. When he got away from me on the lunge (my fault) he showed just how extravagent his natural paces are. Good job he's not 2 hands shorter or I'd be horse napping him. Lydia was our video queen until she found Jim, the chooks and picking produce a more entertaining prospect. Thanks Di.
Today I walked Moo round the triangle hack. Kids, cars, trailers and bikes but he was (as always in hand) a good boy. I guess I'll just stick with it until he chills, hopefully soon.
On the 'goat' front he will now pick up each rear foot when tickled with the whip and I guess he'll work out the stepping under soon enough.
Showing posts with label goat on a mountain top. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goat on a mountain top. Show all posts
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
he ain't my hoss he's my goat
Well I'm typing in the sauna that is the study. Too hot for man or horse (or for that matter goat) today but I rode this morning, thank goodness, before it hit 38+.
When he was massaged last week I remarked on the fact that when Lucinda put down his leg after the hamstring stretches, he looked like he was doing the 'goat on a mountain top' exercise that the Iberian trainers use. Then at the week-end I watched the Richard Hinrichs (training in-hand) DVD that Di lent me and low and behold he's using a similar technique of bringing the hinds deeply underneath (in his case to help the piaffe). Thirdly, this week I have been stretching my own spine out by doing a deep 'roll down' in the pilates style whilst seated and keeping a pillow on my lap to 'roll' around. It is the 'best' stretch I have ever done and my back has been much better because of it, yippee. This is goat on a mountain top for me!
So to cut to the detail, yesterday I started to ask in-hand for him to raise a hind when touched with the whip and I hope to progress this to the hinds being lifted and brought more underneath...I'll keep you posted.
Today I rode in the school, fist some lovely in-hand work and he is now almost established in the renvers and have added the reverse pirouette again into the in-hand mix. Headcollar or hackamore he is really fluid in the in-hand work at the moment.
Ridden work started with some work on a long rein, in walk and trot and using figure 8's and serpentines to bend ans stretch. Lots of transitions (keeping it low and relaxed) from trot to walk, trot to halt and some reinback too. A really good session.
Soooooo, after 45 mins I called it a day and tootled down the field to have a relaxed cool down. Uh?? How wrong was I? We got down to the bottom field (he was a bit high but we managed it) and I dismounted under the tree to let him pull some grass and after a few minutes I gathered him up to return up the hill. Just got my leg over the saddle and next door's horse galloped up to the fence and Moo went nuts. Up and down, back and forward in some insane dance. Not sure how I stayed on but I did somehow and gor back up to the yard in one piece. Oh dear, he's such a sweetie in-hand out and about but just panicks when I' on board. I don't know if I have the patience for this at his time of life.
A good day really though if way too hot.
When he was massaged last week I remarked on the fact that when Lucinda put down his leg after the hamstring stretches, he looked like he was doing the 'goat on a mountain top' exercise that the Iberian trainers use. Then at the week-end I watched the Richard Hinrichs (training in-hand) DVD that Di lent me and low and behold he's using a similar technique of bringing the hinds deeply underneath (in his case to help the piaffe). Thirdly, this week I have been stretching my own spine out by doing a deep 'roll down' in the pilates style whilst seated and keeping a pillow on my lap to 'roll' around. It is the 'best' stretch I have ever done and my back has been much better because of it, yippee. This is goat on a mountain top for me!
So to cut to the detail, yesterday I started to ask in-hand for him to raise a hind when touched with the whip and I hope to progress this to the hinds being lifted and brought more underneath...I'll keep you posted.
Today I rode in the school, fist some lovely in-hand work and he is now almost established in the renvers and have added the reverse pirouette again into the in-hand mix. Headcollar or hackamore he is really fluid in the in-hand work at the moment.
Ridden work started with some work on a long rein, in walk and trot and using figure 8's and serpentines to bend ans stretch. Lots of transitions (keeping it low and relaxed) from trot to walk, trot to halt and some reinback too. A really good session.
Soooooo, after 45 mins I called it a day and tootled down the field to have a relaxed cool down. Uh?? How wrong was I? We got down to the bottom field (he was a bit high but we managed it) and I dismounted under the tree to let him pull some grass and after a few minutes I gathered him up to return up the hill. Just got my leg over the saddle and next door's horse galloped up to the fence and Moo went nuts. Up and down, back and forward in some insane dance. Not sure how I stayed on but I did somehow and gor back up to the yard in one piece. Oh dear, he's such a sweetie in-hand out and about but just panicks when I' on board. I don't know if I have the patience for this at his time of life.
A good day really though if way too hot.
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