Cocky devil!
George has moved into the next phase of showjump training - "I know what I'm doing, will you stop telling me what to do!". To say he was keen was a bit of an understatement and it took a while to stop him charging at his fences. But he warmed up over a metre (3ft3) and finished on 1.05 (3ft5) and he was totally fantastic. He jumps from canter every time now, and his rate of progression is nothing short of totally astonishing. Doubles, relateds, spreads, uprights nothing fazes him. His canter has improved beyond recognition too. Only eight weeks ago he could not hold a 30 metre circle. A month ago he couldn't hold 20 metres and now he is beautifully balanced and bouncing on 15 metres. The transition is still rough, but the pace itself is very high quality, affiliated dressage standard.
I tried my stirrups as short as I use them on Jazz today but I wasn't happy. George has a back like a table top, and if you ride too short, you don't have enough leg down his sides to anchor you in the event of a sideways shift. I went back to where we are both happy. He rides so very big that I am always amazed at how soon my feet hit the floor when I get off :-)))
He was still a devil to catch, but today it only took a couple of minutes. The time is reducing every day and I'm hopeful that he'll completely stop being silly about it soon. Zippy's a little love, he brings himself in and puts himself away. Jazz will be caught if I get him before George starts to lead him astray. It's just the small black boy that's misbehaving!
I had a real fun time with that training session today. What a wonderful horse George is turning out to be. Not just in the context of what I needed, but simply as his own horse - he's turned out to be a total star in terms of his performance. My Draycott entry confirmation arrived yesterday and we both can't wait to get there.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 1:25 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
Oh, George! What an impetuous boy he is, thinking he knows it all already. Then again, it does seem he has a pretty good handle on it. *G* If he's having so much fun jumping, you'd think he'd want to come to you when you call.
Toby is my "rogue" to catch. Tuck is fine, unless Toby gets him going. Chance is like Zip, most of the time, unless the other two start up. Ah, well, such is life.
For the change, use the whip with the leg aid. Think of it as kind of "quickening" the stride behind. Use it on the same side as you give the new lead canter cue. The idea is to kind of make him "jump" forward into the change.
You can also work the change over a pole on the ground. Ask for the change as he takes off. Sometimes that encourages him to use the hind end as well.
If you are getting complete changes sometimes, that's great. Some horses pick it up really quickly and others are slower to it. It will not happen cleanly overnight.
Ooops....meant to add...some horses will "buck" into the change. I think Tuck is going to be one of those. The hind end kind of flies up in the air when you tap them to get the hind end working. Just be ready in case.
It's probable that I am going to have my trainer teach Tuck the basics. We had planned on that before he had the gravel. Now I have to go back and ready him again. Lots of simple changes and, I will try a little myself again, but riding Tuck's bucks is not my cup of tea. I'm getting too old for it.
:o) just :o)
Who cares if you can't catch him immediately. I like the character in him.
Tracey B
Well no wonder he thinks he knows it all if he's improving that quickly he must feel a right clever clogs!
The catching will improve they just have to figure out you arent going to give in.Sounds like George already has but he just has to put up a token fight:)
Thanks Jean, it's good to know that the late change behind is nothing to worry about at this early stage.
He's a grand fellow, isn't he Tracey :-)
Nicola he used to look genuinely scared at the idea of being caught and now he looks just a bit bumptious. So I hope you are right that he will stop doing it soon. I make a point of catching him on days I don't even want him - just to prove to him that I can and to show him that it's not always about work.
There were some wild games going on between Jazz and George in the window just before it got dark!!!
C
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