Reassurance.
The equidawg and I had a little sit together on the yard today and discussed how the recession is going to resolve itself. He says "it'll all turn out OK in the end, it always does", which is reassuring, isn't it?
Radar and I went on the arena. I put a straight bar on him which is a bit too narrow but he liked it much better than a joint. He struggles hard (not) to slow the walk down, but he does get the idea after 10 minutes or so. In the trot, he has to run himself into a tizzy before he suddenly realises that the motorbike wall of death act is really very difficult. Then he slows down and pulls himself together and does a decent trot circle and we stop. I'd love to help him more, but he just sets that big neck of his if I try.
The new Jeffries bit with the Myler type mouthpiece has arrived. It's basically a straight bar, very thin, which swivels in the middle. So you can move each side separately, but it can't bend and pinch his tongue. TB types seem to love it, so we'll see what Radar thinks tomorrow. I also have an eggbut mullen mouth on order that will take another week to come.
Meanwhile, I had a good feel around in his mouth and I have found two things - first that his canines (tushes) are erupting at the top, and the bottom ones are very close to the front teeth. So he has a lot of "bit room", which I think will be good. Second - not good - he has two of the biggest wolf teeth I have ever come across. Unfortunately, they are so big that they actually prevent the bit from sitting back against his bottom molars. They are going to HAVE to come out. We are booked to go to the hospital on Tuesday, so we'll go round the farm ride first.
I also schooled Jazz but it was raining by then, so we went indoors. I practised travers right, because at Sonia's this week I realised just how weak my left leg aid was. I tried to make it much more positive, instead of having my calf vaguely brushing his side somewhere. Then he did two perfect canter/walk transitions, one on each leg. And then I counter-cantered up the "long" (90 feet only) side by striking off in counter canter after the corner. He's great to do that on command in a space that small, never mind actually give me a flying change around the bend. They were both in-front first, but really great efforts.
Zippy has another day off but I have people wanting to see him on Tuesday I think, so we will work tomorrow.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 12:09 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
Teeth issues can make such a big difference. A good dentist will sort it out, I'm sure. Then you will find out which bit is the best.
Never tried a myleer style bit, but people speak well of them.
Love the "Motorbike wall of death" concept. That is exactly what it feels like when they careen around leaning in trying to find some kind of balance. *lol*
Good for Jazz! He is putting Tucker and me to shame. Then again, Tucker does counter canter "till the cows come home." Which is why the concept flying change is a bit foreign to him....why change? *G*
Hey, Caroline!! There is a trainer who does upper level dressage at liberty with her Shetlands.
Here's the link:
http://www.naturaldressage.info/who_are_we.html
I think this is Button's future! Go for it, woman!! *G*
Nice to hear the little fella's take on the state of things. I hope he's right. I am listening with interest to your search for a bit that is comfortable and works well too. I don't think the hanging cheek jointed snaffle made any difference to Tetley. He does love to get the side in his mouth and play with it so I have put the straight bar back in and his mouth is quieter.
Pretty amazing - the work you are doing with Jazz.
I'm fascintated that you have come back to a straight bar with Tetley. I always reckoned it was his favourite, as it seems to be of many horses. It's an "old fashioned" bit and very often discounted because of that.
I think I'd rather train him to fetch Jean. More cute to have him do the dog thing, don't you reckon?
C
Jazz always was a physical star, it's why we bought him. It's only taken nearly three years for his brain to match!
C
This particular mouthpiece is very interesting Jean. It allows the independent action of each side, without a folding joint - really quite clever. If you have £25 to spare ML, I think Tetley might like it. It is Jeffries. It has hooks on for the reins and cheekpieces but you can make it legal for dressage by having Dave cut them off for you.
C
have you tried just putting more weight in the stirrup to slow.... it's like magic! i guess you will have...
Well it certainly doesn't work like magic on Radar yet, he just hasn't the balance to do it :-)))
C
Perhaps Equidawg should be PM? Hesounds a lot more confident than the present occupant of no. 10!
Before the advent of all these new bits all we had (back in the dark ages when I was a kid) eggbut snaffle, straight bar, straight rubber, kimblewick, pelham and double ........ now when you walk into a saddlers there is a mesmerizing display of ironwork designed to confuse! A seeming never ending combination of materials, mouthpieces, cheeks and add in rollers, links, lozenges .... well, don't know about anyone else but it confuses the heck out of me! It's serious headache material! The Old Orange One likes his loose-ring french link, and the new lad seems happy enough in a Neue Schule loose ring with one of them there lozenge things!
Like the wall of death description - sounds like he's all legs and wings at the moment! Sometimes you just have to trust them to work it out for themselves.
Jazz sounds divine.
Ann
Equidawg for PM - yeah!
So agree with you on the bits Ann (although you have forgotten sweet iron, Aurigan, plastic, nathe, copper, copper inlays etc etc :-)))) I saw in H&H once that a top Showjumper had had a curb chain put on a Dutch Gag. Why did he just not use a pelham? Same action exactly.
The only innovation I do go for is that "straight bar with independent movement of each side", which I have just bought for Radar. It is a geniune innovation in mouthpiece design and works really, really well with the TB horses I used to ride. Jazz has French Link, Zippy a single joint and Radar will, I suspect, end up that much overlooked and undervalued old-fashioned bit, the mullen mouth eggbut snaffle.
C
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