Out at last.
I finally managed to get Jazz out for a hack. We had a lovely time. He was walking along tipping onto his forehand and putting some weight into the reins and I was about to get cross with him for not being balanced when I realised with a shock - he was pulling me along the road, AWAY FROM HOME. He was a little spooky, but every time he spooked he speeded up past, he didn't try to turn back. He even passed a Landrover pulling a trailer with a dozen dead Canada geese and a load of other odd stuff. He was powering up the hills and bouncing in the trots on the flat. I think we both enjoyed ourselves a lot :-)))
George will wear my patience if he doesn't stop the pointless and illogical tension at home soon. Today nothing worked except continually bringing him to a halt, standing him up, taking the contact and sending him on with the contact, flicking him with the whip if he would not go forward to it. Fifty minutes to get it on one rein, and then starting all over again, another half an hour to get it on the other. All we've done is walk. All he's done is steam.
He knows what I want and he seems to have no physical difficulty doing it. If I stand him up and say "stand up" he lifts his back and drops his head. If he doesn't do it to the voice, I flick him with the whip and then he does it. But walk him off and he drops it as soon as he can. Then the walk speeds up and he's stamping his hind feet with a short, choppy stride, and if you try and half halt it gets even faster. If you try to turn, he either ignores the aid completely, or runs as he comes off the wall. The really dumb thing is that when he gives in, his work is lovely, really lovely. Relaxed, swinging with a super long stride, a soft neck and mouth and completely free of tension.
Today he tried a new evasion - lean on the wall. It's a new one on me :-) When I stopped him to stand him up, he took his weight slightly off the two legs nearest the wall and leant on it, including my leg. Neat huh! He got more than one sharp crack for trying that one!!
I'm sure he'll work it out one day! Let's hope it's tomorrow.
C.
posted by cptrayes @ 6:38 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
leaning on the wall is certainly different!
It might be cute if it wasn't for my knee!
C.
George is just full of tricks, isn't he? Pretty determined to have his own way, I fear. I just wrote on Muriel's blog how that kind of horse needs a consistent, determined rider who will always make clear exactly what is right. I think you fit the bill.
However, it certainly can be trying. I see a bit of that attitude in Chance. Then again, it does show a certain level of confidence in the horse who thinks he knows exactly what he wants to do and is willing to try to do it no matter what. *sigh*
Go back in time. Remember how Jazz was when you first tried to take him out. The fruits of your labor paid off in a big way if your recent ride is any indication. Surely George will come round to your way of thinking as well.
Keep the faith.
Yeah, George will come around too. I know he lives out so lungeing is not a necessity, but have you tried to loosen him on the lunge or at liberty in your ban before riding ...
I know you prefer to ride ... but ^-^
Jean he's definitely frightened. There is no reason for him to be, but that doesn't alter the fact that he is. So he's not exactly trying to get his own way, more to protect himself from what unreasonable demand he assumes is coming next.
Muriel I had thought about lungeing but he needs to run on in trot and the barn is too small and the outdoors too inhospitable. If I chase him round the barn loose he will get scared, I think. It will be worth a try if he doesn't keep up the improvement that we got today.
C
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