Just Jazz.
I have given George the day off, since he was out travelling or working from ten til five yesterday. I want to ride Zip, but he's obviously in a high old mood with the spring coming and it would be senseless to get on him without someone else here. So he'll have to wait until Friday.
But I rode Jazz. In fact, I got on so well out in the open with George yesterday that I took him out for a hack. I reasoned that unless I try and make him do something he doesn't want to do, Jazz has never done anything that would unseat me. I was very pleased with him on the whole. He was pretty much where we left off two weeks ago, and seemed to be enjoying himself.
He did throw a paddy at the house with the horse eating chickens, but I just waited him out. Eight minutes of backing up and inching forwards or standing rooted to the spot. Then he went straight past. On the way back down, I made him stand and look at the chickens. I had to stop him running away half a dozen times (the shoulder is really NO problem!:-) and then suddenly, without being asked to, he walked in the gate and went right up to them, full of curiosity about what they might be. Isn't he an ODD horse? He just HAS to decide for himself, the ornery dveil.
Anyway, we had a nice ride in the bright winter sunshine - there was ice everywhere and worse is forecast for the weekend. My shoulder continues to gain in strength and everything gets that bit easier every day. I think I'll be ready to jump train George next week. That'll be fun!
C
posted by cptrayes @ 11:13 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Those chickens can be really dangerous....why, they might even peck his hoofs! *G* He is funny about how he has to face his fears in his own time and on his own terms. Makes him tricky but not impossible.
Glad you are waiting on Zip until SH is there. No matter how good he is, he is still just a baby.
caroline, it occurs to me to wonder, when Jazz does that, does he set his jaw and how do you get over that if so?
i can't do backing up yet - well, molly can't, ridden, and i'm never sure if it's me not asking right or her not being strong enough to do it or both... but anyway, thought i'd ask and it might help me...
Tricky but not impossible - yes, just how I feel. Not irredeemable, just a looonggggg term project. It's just as well he's so cute!
When Jazz sets himself, does he set his jaw, do you mean? No, I can still swing him, but there is no point. Normally with a "set" horse I would do anything to make it move, in any direction at all. With the vast majority of horses you can then channel the movement into forward movement and break the deadlock. Not so with Jazz. If you make him move, you frazzle his brain, and until he has it straight in his brain, he won't go past what is scaring him. So making him move just prolongs the agony until he decides he's ready. The quickest way, I have found by experience is just to sit him out, and if he moves, prevent him from going home but otherwise wait for him to offer forward movement. He is the ONLY horse I have ever had to deal with that way.
If you mean when he backs up does he set his jaw, again the answer is no. You can't get a true reverse with a set jaw - it's a forward movement. Most of the time I'll have loose reins in a rein-back. When he's backing up to go home, Jazz just walks backwards in a beautifully rounded fashion. He is such an athlete!
It sounds to me like you need to teach Molly a verbal command to back up from the floor. Then to get on board, use the verbal command, and have someone on the ground push her back for you. Then you will have proved to yourself that she can back up with you on board (of course she can - I'll bet she already does when she's napping and you don't let her turn!) Once you are confident she can do it, then you can transfer to the seat aid, raising your seat slightly out of the saddle and sliding your legs well back behind you, which should automoatically cause her to reverse.
Any help all that lot :-))) ???
C
Claire, do be careful, though. NEVER try to back her up if she throws her head in the air. That is how a bad rear can start.
She must give to the bit and keep her head down to back safely. Working from the ground first and then with a partner in front of her will help, as will teaching her to back on the long lines.
I echo that Claire - a rein back should never be a pull back.
C
n at all of pulling her back to get rein back
the reason i asked about whether he sets his jaw is that, when molly plants, she then turns and sets her jaw - or even her body - and marches back the way she comes with her jaw set and thus is very difficult to get turned round again. she doesn't tank it, just marches off. that's why it's difficult to sit her out, as she doesn't stay stood!
Ah, right. You need quick reactions for that one - as she begins the turn pull hard on the inside rein and keep her turning until she faces back the same way again. It puzzles Jazz to bits to find him self pointing the way he was going in the first place!
You have to time the pull to a point where she is in a turn herself. If you miss it and she gets straight, you've lost it. It has the benefit too that a circling horse can't rear, so if you think she's going to do something daft like that just keep turning her until she gives.
Easier said than done of course, all of it.
C
C.
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