Little weeeee-eeeeeeed
You foreign folks won't understand the title I guess? It's a character from the Flowerpot Men, a kids program with two men made of - you guessed it - flower pots, and a girl character called Little Weed, whose name was always strung out "weee-eeed", in a high pitched voice. Anyway, enough of that, the weed is definitely growing. Caddy is eating tons and still putting on very little weight. But he has most certainly got more bone in his back legs, a higher bum, and I'm waiting for the front end to grow on to match. Photo soon I promise.
He was a right pain to ride today. He bolted three times when cars went down the road past the arena (he'll be out there Saturday afternoon when all the butterflies (holidaymakers) are out!!) Apart from that, he didn't do anything much, but he is so lacking in forwardness that I am constantly on at him to walk out. His neck sets, he doesn't walk two steps in a straight line and he can't bend. So can't walk a straight line, can't bend - not a good prospect for a dressage test right now :-) This is all totally typical ex racer stuff, though he is maybe stiffer than most. He also feels much more of a baby than any other four year old I have had, so I am hopeful that just means we have a LOT more growing to do. It certainly looks like it.
Tia didn't want to work either, but consented when she realised that I wasn't letting up, and that if she wouldn't walk forward nicely then she was going to have to trot instead. Her canter is improving markedly in the deep surface. She used to throw herself about in it, but is now slowing down and controlling herself much better. I popped a 90cm 2ft11 fence to finish and she was very keen.
Tetley got a hack up the road this morning before I went to court. 7.30AM that's early for me!! The diagonal he is less comfortable on has definitely swapped sides. He was sound, but you could feel a difference between one and the other. So it is now the black leg which is worse. Things are moving on, and I am very happy with how it's going.
It's been a great day for me, hope it was for you.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 6:24 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
i think we all said he'd grow....
your day sounds tons better than mine
Some Caddy suggestions....you can do a bit of yielding to the bit on the ground. Hold one rein near his wither, slightly to the inside. Put on some contact. If he gives even a fraction, let go completely. Repeat this exercise until the least touch on the rein gets him to soften.
Same with expecting "down" for "down and round." Use the rein at the wither. Each even slight drop of his head towards the ground, reward with a full release.
The goal here is to get an auto rein response so when he is under saddle he will react the same. A John Lyons/Kenny Harlow exercise that works a charm but does require a ton of patience.
You do the same under saddle just kind of standing there. If he moves, fine, but the idea is to get him to instantly drop when you touch the rein.
From this, comes the "down and round" walk and trot that will loosen up his back. The exercise will unlock his neck and that will go right through to his back.
It is a more subtle approach than expecting him to handle it when he is moving along perhaps worrying a bit about his balance since he is still trying to grow into himself. Very stressless and eventrually it becomes very reliable.
It even worked with "Tuck the Ruck!" He is very easy to get into a frame, as you saw. He has a short, strong neck and back and can easily lock up and not go foward. The down stuff softens him right up as you well know with Tia. But, no sense in making an issue of it with a blank slate like Caddy. Make it easy.
And, he has been "talking" cross-ocean with Tucker. The spooking is contagious. "Ladida, we're just moping along at a lazy walk and then....then....the bush moves! A bird chirps...a truck goes by...we see our shadow....scootQ Escape! And then... and then...just kind of mope along in a lazy walk...etc." *G*
Are you doing any carrot stretches with Caddy? If he's particularly stiff they might help him loosen up a bit, they have been brilliant for Saff. At first she used to try and cheat by hanging back a bit instead of making a smooth stretch and then lunging for the treat when I paused to wait for her to catch up. Then she realised she only gets the treat when she reaches right round to her hip so now she just sees the treat moving back, reaches round and touches her hip with a look of "okay, okay, I'll do the stretch, just give me the damn treat!" :D
Good to hear he's growing though, he's just too nice a horse to have to sell :D
Thanks Jean I'll try some of that. Em I haven't done carrot stretches and they wouldn't hurt I know. His problem isn't mobility though, it's that for 3 years he has been positively taught to lean on the bit with a stiff neck and run like hell into it :-) It takes some time to get a different message through!
C
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