Back to school
Jazz did some lovely work today. We did about 15 minutes precision walk work, with circles with lovely bend and laterals with great stepping "up" to the movement. Then I gave away the rein - and it was like turning a bucket of water upside down. All the energy whooshed out in all directions around us !! He marched off into a very long&low walk. He must have been really working to keep himself together to have that much of a reaction to being given the rein!
I expected resistance when I picked the reins up again but didn't get anything to speak of. A couple of walk/halts and we were back in shape. We did some walk/canter which is now really superb. His hind leg is now so strong that he can step gently straight into an uphill canter on the correct leg every time. After 5 to 10 strides I ask for a transition to walk, and today he has very nearly got it. I'm a great fan of these "short-order" transitions. They seem to me to do more than any amount of trotting or cantering around in circles to improve strength, balance and the quality of the pace. I do it in walk/halt, walk/trot, trot/halt, canter/trot and canter/walk, though only one variety on any one day to save any confusion about what I'm on about :-)
Zip's had the day off, and tomorrow we go showjump training with Jazz, hoping to recreate the technique that I got last time that was so successful.
C.
posted by cptrayes @ 2:47 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Dozens and dozens of transitions do the trick. They are some of the best exercises you can do to build strength, balance, and correct carriage.
Looking forward to the show jumping report. Nasty weather here--cold and showery, ugh--putting a crimp in my style. May have to ride "vicariously" through you today.
Yep im finding lots of transitions is the key for my two,for totally different reasons:)).The transitions help balance Polo and stop him from powering and rushing away all the time with AliG they sharpen him up speeding up his reactions.
The Ranitidene is from Morrisons..sure the other supermarkets will have their own cheapy brand though.Im convinced its made a difference to Polo my sister hasnt seen him for ages and really noticed a difference in him today:)I give him a packet a couple of times a week but I will get round to ordering the proper stuff from the link Jean found.
Remember pics tomorrow:)
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