At last!
I managed to get out on the roads on Jazz for the first time in how long? It was cold but not unpleasant and he was a good boy. that's not to say, of course, that you could send a novice out on him and expect them to be out more than 5 minutes before he came home again :-) But he was a big brave boy for me when the world looks all different covered in snow, and we had a very nice time.
Zippy was a horriblefive year old again today! After some good lateral work in walk, he rooted to the spot when asked to trot with a loose back. I asked him to walk off and he didn't. I tapped him with the whip and he bucked. I yanked him in the teeth to stop him throwing a second, because a second would have had me on the floor.
I asked him to walk off and he didn't. I tapped him with the whip and he bucked. I yanked him in the teeth to stop him throwing a second.
I asked him to walk off and he didn't. I tapped him with the whip and he bucked. I yanked him in the teeth to stop him throwing a second. Get the pattern :-) ?
He stood thoughtful for a moment. I asked him to walk off and he didn't. I tapped him with the whip - and he walked off. He's a bright fellow, he connects up the dots very fast. We had a good bit of stretched-over-the-back, long and low, relaxed trot then - only what I was asking for in the first place - which confirmed to me that I was right in believing that his evasion was mental, not physical, in origin.
Buttiebutkins is a daily delight. He's not doing anything particular, he's just "himself" - delightful.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 4:15 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
buttlebutkins! mmmmm
glad you could get out, always refreshes
Wow, naughty Zip. Isn't so difficult to know if it is a "try on" or something troubling. I think horses are very capable of trying out the rider, to see if you REALLY mean it.
I have had two lovely rides in the winter sunshine, yesterday afternoon and this morning, although I did dig out the leather knee boots for today's ride as there were some icy patches.
But there were two sad little hunched up horses looking at the kitchen window through the snow this evening and some relieved looking expressions when they were in and tucking into their hay.
Do you need a bigger screen Claire :-) ??? ButtIe as in Chip Buttie :-) Drive all that way in a lorry???? Put him in the back of an open topped pickup??? :-)))
Me too Judith - two inches of snow on the back of an iced Shetland. Sounds like a new kind of cake!
Both my eyes on the floor, SH and Sonia, have been convinced from his movement and his demeanour that he was trying it on with me. It's terribly hard to tell if you are on top and only feel all that tension.
C
I know all about the buckeroo's it's a case of self preservation and doing whatever it takes to stop the head-between-the-knees jobbies!
Way to go, Jazzy.
Tucker moment or two, or three there with Zip. I know exactly how that tension feels from the saddle. Exactly. I hate it, and I'm not "man" enough anymore to ride the first buck so I don't tend to apply the whip. Fortunately, usually a little psychology and some lateral efforts tend to get Tuck going again, but sooner or later I know we are going to have to deal with it more directly. *sigh*
Monsieur Le Button is quite the little fellow, isn't he. All he has to do is be himself and you fall into a swoon. No wonder Jazz is jealous. *LOL*
Well I know "yank in the teeth" is not a term the died in the wool EEers would like to hear Nicola, but if it's that or land on the floor, it's that! And guess what - he never tried it once today. You could feel him think about it, and decide not to. So it worked, and what works goes with me!
Zip was frozen Jean, he wasn't going to move without a buck :-( Lateral work is good for him too, usually.
C
I love your directness, say it like it is in the real world. Oh yes sock in the gob and a sharp dig in the ribs - the alternative half halt or would it be called a full halt mmmm Whatever it takes to get the attention back to the job at hand, as you say what would he learn if you landed on the floor.
When Mr spooky chops' ears go forward and he humps his back I often shout in his ear 'Hoy excuse me are you listening' and give him such a a dig in the ribs or a slap. My instructor goes mad but hey she should try sitting on it when it spooks!
Anne
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