In short, when I used the gag yesterday I saw a little glimmer of hope for the River pony! He respected the bit and was much more easily controlled. He felt connected and round and was actually using his back! At first, when he added a stride and was deep to a fence, he did NOT like having to make a big effort to jump the fence. He often knocked it down and then tried to take off and buck. The gag definitely helped in that situation. Later in the session, when I was less tense and he had settled and grown more used to the new bit, I was able to relax and wait for him to jump no matter how he got to the fence (like I did in my last jump lesson on Flo). Even when he was deep to the fence, as long as I waited for him, he would land soft and round and in the same tempo. PRAISE THE LORD! While cantering around Jim Graham's voice rang in my ear, "This horse will be good for you because...." he will show me when I'm tense!
I'm going to do my dressge school in the same bit today. I'm hoping that it will really help River learn some submission. When all the foundational elements of the training scale (rhythm, suppleness, connection) come together on this horse, he will be unstoppable. He just has to throw in the white towel and let me be his leader.
intermission:
check this out. someone posted a threat to share it on COTH.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/pony
There is a good article in Eventing USA 2.0 called "Slow Down: Enjoy Your Horse" by Josh Walker. That will be my mantra today as I am already stressed!
With the recent decision to ride Mia instead of Flo tomorrow, I had to run Mia through the test for the first time yesterday. I lunged her first and am glad to report that she is getting bored of it! She's much more relaxed when I get on her and rarely jigs now. I'm having a hard time getting her consistantly supple, but she's green and doesn't know her job well and isn't muscled for it yet. She wants to lean on the bit and run around on the forehand too. This is also a result of her lack of training and also partly due to her conformation. I really drove home that she CANNOT bulldoze through the bridle by halting everytime she did. She started slowing and changing her balance from my seat a bit better after a few halts :) It was a bit frustrating and I hate to say that I let it get to me because I was already a bit stressed. Mia, as a result was also frustrated, and started overreacting to my aids. She even let out a bit of a buck when I asked her to go forward! She is still learning how to move forward into a steady connection. It will come. I need to be patient and not get stressed and impatient myself so I can teach her that dressage should be fun and rewarding while being challenging . She's trying to figure it all out and trying SO hard to please me (pinning her ears to show her determination). Amy says she might be my training horse or more. SO, relax and enjoy your horse, Megan!!!
I'm going to do my dressge school in the same bit today. I'm hoping that it will really help River learn some submission. When all the foundational elements of the training scale (rhythm, suppleness, connection) come together on this horse, he will be unstoppable. He just has to throw in the white towel and let me be his leader.
intermission:
check this out. someone posted a threat to share it on COTH.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/pony
There is a good article in Eventing USA 2.0 called "Slow Down: Enjoy Your Horse" by Josh Walker. That will be my mantra today as I am already stressed!
With the recent decision to ride Mia instead of Flo tomorrow, I had to run Mia through the test for the first time yesterday. I lunged her first and am glad to report that she is getting bored of it! She's much more relaxed when I get on her and rarely jigs now. I'm having a hard time getting her consistantly supple, but she's green and doesn't know her job well and isn't muscled for it yet. She wants to lean on the bit and run around on the forehand too. This is also a result of her lack of training and also partly due to her conformation. I really drove home that she CANNOT bulldoze through the bridle by halting everytime she did. She started slowing and changing her balance from my seat a bit better after a few halts :) It was a bit frustrating and I hate to say that I let it get to me because I was already a bit stressed. Mia, as a result was also frustrated, and started overreacting to my aids. She even let out a bit of a buck when I asked her to go forward! She is still learning how to move forward into a steady connection. It will come. I need to be patient and not get stressed and impatient myself so I can teach her that dressage should be fun and rewarding while being challenging . She's trying to figure it all out and trying SO hard to please me (pinning her ears to show her determination). Amy says she might be my training horse or more. SO, relax and enjoy your horse, Megan!!!