Well tried George.
George is finally getting the message. Back off, pop up the head, poke out the nose and you can expect an irritating tap-tap-tap with a whip. Drop the head, work forwards towards the contact, be left in peace. He still takes a monstrous number of half halts to keep him in balance, one practically every single stride. But keep in balance he can, and does. He still has a "stand on the spot andshuffle all four feet in a panic" moment now and then, but oOur session today was quite a bit better than anything he has done outdoors before. I wanted to try some canter but I thought he had worked enough, and the improvement in the trot will automatically feed through into improvement in the canter whether we train in canter or not.
Jazz and I went out for a hack. He was swinging along on a loose rein all the way out and all the way back. He looks at things, but he is nothing like he was last year. Even a guy turning on his windscreen wipers didn't make him totally freak, just jump.
He was also less sensitive to stones and was plonking his feet down harder than last week. His pulses were so low this morning that I was so tempted to let him go without the muzzle. Then I thought - what would you gain by that? and what could the downside be? So he has it on.
So ..... soon we will have to start making some decisions about George, before I get so fond of him that I don't want to part with him. First, we need to know that Jazz is coming up to the mark. We may find that out tomorrow, when we have a local cross country that we went to last year, from which I returned to tell you all that he was a gutless wretch. Second, we need to know whether Zippy is going to be equally mentally immature, or whether he is going to affiliate at five (next year). I plan to take him on the farm ride on Tuesday after showjumping Jazz, and see what his reaction is to little logs and tyres and stuff. I have always taught my horses to jump on that ride, so I'll be comparing him with previous trainees to judge just how good he is.
Watch this space :-)
C
posted by cptrayes @ 3:54 PM
16 comments
16 Comments:
Why cant you keep three until next year then you'll have a better idea of who can AND will do what?
You could just rough one off over the winter so your not trying to work three in the bad weather?
Honestly Im with Allan I think you'd be crazy to sell George. A)he's a eventer at heart,B) your having so much fun competing him C)how often does a horse come along who completely loves the job?
Also,im a bit scared to say it cos I know you love him to bits,but I still have this niggling doubt Jazz isnt going to come up to scratch with regards to xc.
Obviously you ride him and he's made huge improvements but if push comes to shove and things went wrong would he be brave enough to get you out of trouble?
I think this has to be the key here as its a bloody dangerous game at the end of the day!
Obviously its a bit more difficult to decide re Zippy as he's so young but you might have a better idea after your farm ride.I still think he's going to be a good'un though there's just something about him:))
You're post is very well put Nicola and I need the discussion to help me make sure I do the right thing. Keep it up! I understand all you're saying. Here comes the "but" :-)
Three in winter - it's too much hard work and you don't feel like you do justice to any of them. I'd hate for any one of three horses in their absolute prime to be idle all winter, though sending one, probably George, out on loan is under consideration if the answer doesn't become clear.
"if push comes to shove and things went wrong would he [Jazz] be brave enough to get you out of trouble?"
Good gracious no! Not a hope :-) I would just hope to get him to PreNovice, but I think that's my limit too these days so it would be OK as long as he feels like he's enjoying it.
It's George's sheer enthusiasm that I'd miss, but I also thrive on progression, and what's going to be left for George and me next year? - go round all the same events again, doing the same as we did this year? - pot hunt the places after finishing his flatwork training? That's just not me.
I think the other thing that people need to understand too is that although I fully recognise that George is absolutely special, and a horse in a million, he isn't my kind of horse. It's a bit like why you bought Ali when you don't do serious competition to "justify" him - I absolutely love blood horses. George doesn't light up until you are on him. The horse that I look after every day is a handsome but unexceptional Irish mongrel. I don't SEE the fabulous creature in the photos, I only feel it.
I feel extremely privelidged to be able to decide between three such amazing horses, I really do.
C
I think George has it in him, from what you've said, to go a lot further than PN, and I think you think that too. He's a born jumper, clearly.
I think Jazz, from what you've said, will find his forte in dressage. and I think you think that too.
Therefore, given your passion is eventing NOT dressage, that's an even harder decision for you to make.
Why does SH think you should keep George? because, I expect, of the sheer enjoyment you get with him. and he'll give you more next year, probably! and you may find that your level is more than PN with the right horse.....
Serious competition..more like no competition haha. Truthfully im not very good at failure or getting beaten so i suppose dont compete because I know im not good enough to win,or do as well as i'd like to!
Im secretly very competitive so i'd rather not bother than get stuffed...its a difficult mindset to get round but im hoping to one day!
Honestly i bought Ali completely using my head and not my heart.Dont get me wrong i looked at the pics and thought WOW but the rest of it was purely done with a cool head and common sense. I knew having one horse im far too emotionally involved with was more than enough. So i wanted something which was physically easier for me to ride(ie smaller moving),cooler temperament, braver and generally less temperamental...the good looks are a bonus:):)
I dont think any of them would mind a break over the winter. I know you dont think it serves any purpose but i often have a break from riding over the winter when the weather's getting too me and time is short with dark nights,work etc.Polo has always come back into work refreshed and with a vengence so ive always felt it did him nothing but good.
Right on every count Claire :-)
SH wants to keep George because he is unadultered fun and every time we do anything with he we all three end up grinning. Keeping him would make sense if I wanted to get back to Novice. But I remember the churning stomach, sleeples nights, and the sticky start to the showjumping every single season (check my scores!), even on two horses that had already been out and done it the season before. I really don't think I want to go back to living on my nerves like that. It was fun once, but I think I'm past it! Pre Novice has also got a lot more difficult in the last two years and is much more of a challenge than it used to be. When I did it with Scooby you would never get a corner, for example, and now they are common.
Selling either of the other two isn't really an option I'd consider. Much as dressage competition is not my preferred game, I have always enjoyed schooling and riding Jazz and Zip is like something from a different planet from any horse I have ridden before. It's three or sell George I think.
Ah Nicola, but you could have achieved your objective spending a third as much by buying a horse that looked like George. Like you, I really love a class horse, and Ali was your choice, not a George, because he's pure class. An Ali,a Jazz, a Zip makes you smile just to look at him. George doesn't do it, he's just a nice pony.
Of course he's a superstar jumper -up to at the very least Novice I think Claire, but I have three superstars and I only need two.
What a wonderful dilemma - how lucky can a person be!!!
well then, you'll have to keep all three. at least for next season until you see really how Zip pans out.
Jazz is wasted unless you compete him, which means dressage, and you should do well which will satisfy your competitive streak (and yes, you have one, clearly! :-))
then reconsider at the end of 2009, by which time you'll have a better idea.
Also, I agree with Nicola re time off in the winter. of course, neither of us have access to indoor as you do ... but winter is never a time for hard work unless you go the winter dressage route with them to keep them ticking over, or go hunting.
in the meantime, go admire the pics of molly's new yard...
We're all in a chatroom here :-))
Jazz may have a silly head but you'd need to sit on him over a fence to understand why I've stuck with him. He's far more than just a dressage horse, his jump is astounding.
C
yes, but he's got to have his head right to event, and until you know he has, he won't ...
and again, he'll go further than PN if he does get his head right about it.
Three is hard, no doubt about it. Here, not so much the care, with the set up I have, but definitely with the riding and training.
With what I do with horses, and the fact that two are Thoroughbreds, the fitness level does not pose the same problem eventing does. There is no way, even when I was a lot younger, that I ever could have kept more than one eventer in top physical shape for competition.
Leasing George to someone might be a super idea if you could find the right rider. Since he is such a fun horse for you, I sort of hate the idea of your losing him altogether, but if your still could doe some jumping with him now and then, you could still have fun and someone else could enjoy him as well.
You are right, though, it is a good dilemna.
Nice yard!
Tomorrow will show if his head's coming together like I think it is.
night night!
C
"I sort of hate the idea of your losing him altogether"
Me too - I keep wishing that I had enough money to loan him to a competitive teenager whose parents can't afford to buy her a horse. I'd be her mentor and train her how to ride cross country. Wouldn't that be so much FUN!
Now I AM going to bed!
C
I totally get where your coming from re Jazz I get that buzz from Polo.On more than one occasion when he's made a break through during a lesson he's took some pretty knowledgable people's breath away.But his abilities have always been hampered by his confidence,insecurities etc
I really do understand where your coming from so clearly the answer is keep the three till one of them makes the decision obvious!:-):)
Well im not a teenager but....:-)
Now don't be greedy, you've got Ali :-)))
C
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