Better!
Well we certainly found a technique that worked today. Jazz was very happy indeed to jump 2ft 9 without much warm-up. We went up to 2ft 11 and it wasn't quite as fluent. I am still annoyed with myself that I let the rythmn go, resulting in a stop half way around. Entirely my fault, I just wasn't riding him with the fluency that I did that one hole lower. Still, we did another round and he was confident and happy. We wanted him to finish full of confidence, so we stopped there.
It's clear that 2ft11/3ft is currently his comfort zone, which is fine because that's Intro height. We will work within his comfort zone for a week or two now just to cement in the level of confidence that he had today. Superhubby says that he thinks we should go cross country next. I want to go showjumping because I think he's really learning now, so we'll have a discussion over the next week and then I'll probably do what I'm told!
Zip is lovely now. In the morning I go out with a little food in a bucket and he leaves Jazz and comes trotting (bouncing!) up to meet me. He leaves Jazz and follows me into the stable yard, whereupon Jazz strolls up nonchalantly all in his own good time :-) ! It isn't possible to "catch" Zip, he doesn't like having anything put around his head or neck and is very wary, but we are now at a stage where I can pat his neck, which I couldn't a week or two back. It should be easy enough to catch him soon, but I don't know that I'll ever bother, it's easier for him just to follow me in like a tame dog :-)
Anyone interested in the plaiting story, be sure to read yesterday's comments as things have moved on.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 3:14 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Now, the wire makes me nervous. I would just worry that in case of trouble, it could really injure your horse. How about twist ties like they use on garbage bags, or even pipe cleaners, those chenille covered wires used for crafts?
And do you really need wire to band it? How about using rubber bands?
Perhaps the height restriction is just what Jazz needs. Sounds like a plan to me.
Zip is a little like Chance about being handled. Not quite 100% quiet about things. Chance freaks out at fly spray and sometimes reacts to my moving too quickly towards his head. It surprises me about him as he was hand raised when he was first born due to complications. I should think he would be far more trusting.
Time and patience will pay off, though. I do like the lap dog image for Zip, though. It is a cute way to describe his personality. What a cutie.
Copper and aluminium wire Jean, too bendy to cause any damage to anyone - it has to be able to be easily bent with the fingers for it to work.
C.
What exactly is it you DO with the plait thingies? Looking at the picture, I just don't understand how they work... Not that I'm going to need to plait anytime soon, I'm just nosey like that.
The plait thingies are actually a loop of wire covered in fur fabric, with a big button hole in the middle.
You pick up a plait sized (all three bits together in one lump) piece of hair and thread it through the hole in the middle and crimp the wire onto it.
You roll the hole hank of hair tightly to the top. Then bend one arm of the wire down and round and one arm up and round in the opposite direction, which holds the whole roll in place. It looks quite good, only the "chestnut" ones are very obvious.
Also they are extremely expensive at £10 for 12 and I reckon that I can find a malleable wire and do the same job for a lot less, with a better looking result too. If it works, I'll let you know. My wire should arrive tomorrow, but I'm out all day with a friend so I can't test it until Thursday.
It sounds complicated but in reality it is hugely simpler and quicker than plaiting three bits together. Plus I can NEVER make them sit down nicely on the neck, and the "roll" method sits much better.
C
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