Tetley and I had a nice hack out in this cooler weather. He was sound on the flat but squiffy for the first downhill trot test. He was fine on the second one. He seems happy and very well in himself. I was riding along by the reservoir watching a Merlin (a small hawk like a Falcon, but reddish colour) hunting when I heard a tremendous noise like a building collapsing. Tetley was unconcerned, but we both turned to watch a flock of Canada geese come out from being hidden behind some big trees at the water's edge. The noise had been their wings beating the water as they all took off.
I tried a different approach with Tia’s schooling this morning. I usually start with every horse by suppling in walk, but she is difficult to get to relax and stretch when you do that. I end up pushing her forwards into trot constantly. So today I went straight for trot, which was a horrid, sewing machine type thing she offered. I put her on a 20 metre square and that very soon sorted her out. The walk after that was very nice. So we tried some canter transitions, some of which were truly wild! In the end, we had it nicely. The key, (as always!), was that she had to be going forward in the trot before she could do a smooth transition to canter. Doesn’t it sound SO darned easy when you write it like that?!!?!?
Caddy is now unmistakably a big horse. His backside is filling out and will look quite powerful when it’s finished. I’m going to have to wait quite a long time before the front end matches, but I’m feeling more hopeful that he will turn out the kind of horse I really wanted. He has a plaster on again today but the cut is looking great. It was over 7 inches long but the scar is going to be less than 3.
The girl who was coming over from the Isle of Man to see Tia looks as if she has turned out to be a timewaster. I know she is in the area because I saw the guy she is staying with yesterday at Tetton and he told me so. But I haven't heard a dickybird from her. It's just as well I'm not the slightest bit fussed about selling her, isn't it? I'm thinking now that I am torn between competing her for the rest of the season and getting relationship started with Caddy. I really don't want to part with her, but I do want to start him, and I can't do both. So I think I might put her up for sale at a huge amount of money. That way, if she sells it will at least be a compensation to have all the money for losing her. And if she doesn't, I can happily compete her for the rest of the season. The way prices are at the moment I'd be looking at over £6,000 I reckon. I'm mulling it over....
C
posted by cptrayes @ 12:41 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Just thought of something. Some Thoroughbreds actually warm up best at the canter. Walk just a bit to get the blood flowing, trot a little as well, but not to school the gait, and then get a good canter/gallop going. I think it was Bela Buttykay, a Hungarian classic trainer who suggested all dressage horses needed 3 minute gallops every day. And, Edgar Hotz, a well respected German trainer had me gallop my old guy as part of his work to get him loosened up for the other gaits.
Wonder if Tia might benefit from that approach? Thoroughbred are bred to run and for most, that is their best gait.
Sounds like plan with Tia. Wish you could keep everybody, but I do understand. I rarely ride Toby my middle guy and he is sound and fine for work. It's just hard trying to keep him fit along with Tucker. (Then again, I'm not as young as I used to be, so my body doesn't want to do the work...even when I do have the time.)
So when do we see the big butt Caddy pics? The right kind of exercises now will help his physique fill out the way you want as he keeps growing....and growing....and....*G*
I agree Jean.
Before Robin's ligament injury i'd routinely immediately canter afew circuits in xc seat to get him moving forward and thinking forward.
Now I have to do considerable amounts of walk to warm the ligament up before I start so that's not possible. We now do 15 mins of walk (5 mins long rein, 5 mins long and low and 5 mins collected walk doing squares etc to bring quarters underneath him) but we have to do some "spencering" to get the forward thoughts!!
I'll try that Jean, it can't do any harm. She does come out so rigid most days, and then works so beautifully once she has cottoned on.
"spencering"?????????
C
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