The boys were calling to come in this morning before 9 am, very unusual but it was already 25°. Way too hot to ride for me but I've only lunged the last few days; feeling apathetic after loosing Harri but needing to keep Moo's feet conditioning going.
So in spite of the heat and covered in fly spray we took to the school. Moo was a good boy and his lateral work is progressing really well now that I've worked out how to ride better, LOL. Worked on the entwickeln exercise, which I'm finding incredibly useful, and moving the 1/4's away and then re-positioning the shoulders which works well to slow everything down, especially in the trot.
Good storm would seem to be the order pretty soon!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
twinkle, twinkle little star
No ,blogging this week-end as our little Harri has been poorly. She is now pain free as we took the awful decision to have her pts. After 13 years of loyal service it was the last thing we could do for her. We're all so sad but have many happy memories of our little dog, thanks twinkle.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
I'm probably getting quite boring
Do I care? If I'm being boring it's because I'm all excited, LOL. Another good ridden session today; good trot work and even a little canter to check the brakes. Moo is just like a *proper* horse now but with *beans* which is just perfect because I LIKE forward in a horse. We had some good transitions and lateral work and I probably had a big grin on my face the whole time. To think I nearly didn't ride as it was so hot this afternoon but I'm glad I did; I needed to for his feet rehab anyway so I'm feeling doubly happy. It is so nice not to have a head and neck acting like a snake on speed.
I do feel I can go back to my *turning* ramblings now, it all makes so much sense when you're bitless.....ummm, some clarity I hope. I still have a huge mountain to climb with regard to where all this might fit in with my belief system, oh dear I'm sure I'm too old to be starting back at the beginning again.
Here, for Kate particularly, is the type of hackamore I'm using, I forgot to take 'pics today but mine is way higher on the nose than this and I wouldn't ever advocate using one this low.
I do feel I can go back to my *turning* ramblings now, it all makes so much sense when you're bitless.....ummm, some clarity I hope. I still have a huge mountain to climb with regard to where all this might fit in with my belief system, oh dear I'm sure I'm too old to be starting back at the beginning again.
Here, for Kate particularly, is the type of hackamore I'm using, I forgot to take 'pics today but mine is way higher on the nose than this and I wouldn't ever advocate using one this low.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
bitless musings
Kate and Di are interested in why bitless might be better for Moo; me too!! I know that I may have mentioned some of this before but just to paint the full picture....
When I first bought Moo he was a brilliantly straight horse, so damned straight that he couldn't turn or indeed work on a mega large circle. I'm a sucker for a pretty pony and I guess I felt I could work some sort of miracle and so ,being nicely bred; I just took the risk. He had a very sore mouth when I saw him, corners of his lips red and raw. Please don't get me wrong, the lady selling him had suffered a personal crisis and was unable to spend the time she had envisaged with him, she wasn't an awful owner..far from it. I think the sore mouth was the result of an attempt at sorting out his steering in order to impress buyers.
OK fast forward a year and we're in France, new business and Moo here too (by the seat of his pants I may add) I sorted out some of the most basic problems in the UK before leaving (like how to turn) and now on French turf we got stuck in to some more serious work. At this point I decided to try him bitless to see if it cured his almost unbearable habit of head banging. A few months and he was doing OK so I put him back in the bit. Then he had two years off whilst we sold up, moved and settled in.
So now we come to the start of this blog and he started work in the snaffle. He is lots better than he ever was before, much happier and pleased to be working (I think) but still the head is unsettled. So we're back bitless and I have no idea where it will lead, I just know he feels better. In the past it's been in my thoughts that without a bit in the mouth I will not have that *finesse* and that ability to access the *soul* (or indeed the hind leg) of the horse. Now I think that could be bollocks but I'm not sure, watch this space.
Oh and boots Di, well he's measured and now I will wait a couple of weeks and re-measure and then hopefully get a boot that fits. It maybe that Claire brings them if the timing fits. I would say though that his feet look so much better already.
When I first bought Moo he was a brilliantly straight horse, so damned straight that he couldn't turn or indeed work on a mega large circle. I'm a sucker for a pretty pony and I guess I felt I could work some sort of miracle and so ,being nicely bred; I just took the risk. He had a very sore mouth when I saw him, corners of his lips red and raw. Please don't get me wrong, the lady selling him had suffered a personal crisis and was unable to spend the time she had envisaged with him, she wasn't an awful owner..far from it. I think the sore mouth was the result of an attempt at sorting out his steering in order to impress buyers.
OK fast forward a year and we're in France, new business and Moo here too (by the seat of his pants I may add) I sorted out some of the most basic problems in the UK before leaving (like how to turn) and now on French turf we got stuck in to some more serious work. At this point I decided to try him bitless to see if it cured his almost unbearable habit of head banging. A few months and he was doing OK so I put him back in the bit. Then he had two years off whilst we sold up, moved and settled in.
So now we come to the start of this blog and he started work in the snaffle. He is lots better than he ever was before, much happier and pleased to be working (I think) but still the head is unsettled. So we're back bitless and I have no idea where it will lead, I just know he feels better. In the past it's been in my thoughts that without a bit in the mouth I will not have that *finesse* and that ability to access the *soul* (or indeed the hind leg) of the horse. Now I think that could be bollocks but I'm not sure, watch this space.
Oh and boots Di, well he's measured and now I will wait a couple of weeks and re-measure and then hopefully get a boot that fits. It maybe that Claire brings them if the timing fits. I would say though that his feet look so much better already.
Monday, June 22, 2009
more progress
I was very pleased with Moo this morning, rode in the hackamore again but first we played in-hand.
Just because I had to know, LOL, I tried flexions minus the bit. Quite unsurprisingly the bit chewing isn't going to happen but I did try the sideways flexions and he happily enjoyed the stretch and did the down and out afterwards. I figure this is actually going to be a useful tool to get over the point of how the inside rein works, i.e. as I close my fingers he takes his head to the inside and if asked will then take that stretch down and out; we'll have to see.
He gives an even better rein back in-hand without the bit and his giravolta/leg yield was good too. Tried shoulder-in and the counter exercise, both went well but the travers was the best I've ever had in-hand, in fact the best I've ever had from him full stop!! So I hopped on (almost literally as my back is a little restricting right now, bummer) and rode the travers, pretty good but not quite as good as the in-hand.
On the whole a good session, I think my reactions are improving and my hands are behaving a little better. Moo is so much steadier even in the trot and I can't wait for the next session each time. We had a little play with some square work on the grass afterwards because we can't hack at the moment.
His footiness is a little better and his feet look so much better, not great having to cancel my farrier; in spite of the fact that farriers don't understand all the issues of barefoot, he is a really professional guy who was never late or missed a rendez-vous. Oh well I had to do the best for my horses.
Just because I had to know, LOL, I tried flexions minus the bit. Quite unsurprisingly the bit chewing isn't going to happen but I did try the sideways flexions and he happily enjoyed the stretch and did the down and out afterwards. I figure this is actually going to be a useful tool to get over the point of how the inside rein works, i.e. as I close my fingers he takes his head to the inside and if asked will then take that stretch down and out; we'll have to see.
He gives an even better rein back in-hand without the bit and his giravolta/leg yield was good too. Tried shoulder-in and the counter exercise, both went well but the travers was the best I've ever had in-hand, in fact the best I've ever had from him full stop!! So I hopped on (almost literally as my back is a little restricting right now, bummer) and rode the travers, pretty good but not quite as good as the in-hand.
On the whole a good session, I think my reactions are improving and my hands are behaving a little better. Moo is so much steadier even in the trot and I can't wait for the next session each time. We had a little play with some square work on the grass afterwards because we can't hack at the moment.
His footiness is a little better and his feet look so much better, not great having to cancel my farrier; in spite of the fact that farriers don't understand all the issues of barefoot, he is a really professional guy who was never late or missed a rendez-vous. Oh well I had to do the best for my horses.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
playing with my pony
Chapiro seems to change before my very eyes and I am slowly learning to love the little bugger. Like a child he stretches you to the absolute limits and probably teaches me more than I can ever hope to teach him. He delights and frustrates equally and today was no exception.
Being Father's Day we spent most of the day lunching out and taking in the tourist sights ofBrantôme, (something we rarely get a chance to do as we are hell bent on finishing our kitchen and lounge at the moment). Known as the Venice of the Dordogne, Brantôme is a tourist trap but in June it is still bearable (February is better still) and we had a delightful day.
Anyway, I digress, back to Chapiro. Mellow from my day out I took him down to the school and took off the lead rope and on the advice of an EE friend, Butterfly, I waited to see what HE wanted to play at. We just stood there, looking at each other until he broke ranks and came over to check me out. Seems he was happy to play. We played back up, follow my leader, target my leg, walk away in *that* direction (please) and scratch my neck Mum. He was a total star, following my body language and me saying nothing. I took out two poles and made an open *box* with them and the side of the school. He thought they were truly terrifying and avoided them at all costs. I was dead chuffed that within 5 minutes he would walk between them, stand inside the box, reverse into the box and (this was the hardest to crack and he kept walking around them) finally would walk OVER them. Then I turned him out and he chased the pony......argghh, oh well guess he just stretched me again.
I had a lovely time and he seemed quite content, tomorrow ,as they say, is another day.
Being Father's Day we spent most of the day lunching out and taking in the tourist sights ofBrantôme, (something we rarely get a chance to do as we are hell bent on finishing our kitchen and lounge at the moment). Known as the Venice of the Dordogne, Brantôme is a tourist trap but in June it is still bearable (February is better still) and we had a delightful day.
Anyway, I digress, back to Chapiro. Mellow from my day out I took him down to the school and took off the lead rope and on the advice of an EE friend, Butterfly, I waited to see what HE wanted to play at. We just stood there, looking at each other until he broke ranks and came over to check me out. Seems he was happy to play. We played back up, follow my leader, target my leg, walk away in *that* direction (please) and scratch my neck Mum. He was a total star, following my body language and me saying nothing. I took out two poles and made an open *box* with them and the side of the school. He thought they were truly terrifying and avoided them at all costs. I was dead chuffed that within 5 minutes he would walk between them, stand inside the box, reverse into the box and (this was the hardest to crack and he kept walking around them) finally would walk OVER them. Then I turned him out and he chased the pony......argghh, oh well guess he just stretched me again.
I had a lovely time and he seemed quite content, tomorrow ,as they say, is another day.
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