Three out of three
All three ridden today - it was too nice to be indoors!
Jazz has done some really great canter walk. He is dropping down into the walk so casually and easily now, it's beginning to be real fun to ride it.
Zippy is still learning submission in walk, but he is doing well. I am using the whip to tap him up into the contact with very little objection now, which is great.
And Radar - I did some walk and trot on the arena. He can't hold trot in a straight line, only on a circle. On a straight line he flops about everywhere but in a straight line on the track :-) I thought it was time we found out if he could canter, so I took him down the field and cantered him back up towards home. I wouldn't normally canter a horse back towards his own stable and his friends who are still in theirs, it's risking being bolted with. But Radar is so laid back about his work that I thought he might actually need the encouragement to get him into canter. I was right, and he took some persuading to break out of trot. But when he did - my my! What a smoooooooooth canter he has - all long and raking and relaxed, a bit like a huge ship in a gentle ocean swell. He's going to be so comfortable to hunt :-)))
He is still far too unfit to do much, so this week will be all about longer periods of work, to try to build up his core fitness.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 5:28 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Some pretty obvious contrasts there among your horses. I would say it's all going to make you an even better rider in the long run.
Radar just keeps proving himself, doesn't he? One new charm aftr another. Love the description of the canter, and nothing like a good comfy one for galloping about on the hunt...or cross country...*G* Funny about the trot on a straight line, but you will just need to concentrate more on your outside supporting rein when you ride him, something we often forget on the straightaway. Also, to help him along, ride the straight line being definite about being on one rein or the other, even with a little tiny sense of inside bend. That will help you put your aids on to shape him a little and help him learn to carry himself without the support of a circle.
Was he better for mounting today? Hope there is progress there too.
He swings his shoulders left and right alternately When he is on a straight line Jean - like a boat in choppy cross currents. It's impossible to hold him together, there is just too much of him :-)) I've not really come across this issue before, I can't quite put my finger on what he's doing that is any different from any other horse. I think it may be related to how wide his chest is, and consequently how far apart his front legs are.
He is much better for mounting thankyou. One reminder today, and then he stood at the block for me. He's going to be absolutely fine soon.
I am still trying not to believe quite how good he is, I don't want to be disappointed if it turns out I'm wrong. But the signs are fantastic right now.
C
C
Lots of "lateral" feel then. Hard to say, but a bit of shoulder in might help if you can manage anything of the sort. A big, loose moving horse is wonderful in some ways and really hard in others. Trying to gain control of both ends at the same time must be tricky. Kind of a big, gigantic snake.
But, actually, that is a good sign, I think. I'd rather have him feel like that than stiff as a board. Perhaps...go on a circle, get him solid on the aids, then go off straight for a bit, then back to the circle. Rinse, repeat. If you can get him truly through on the circle and introduce the straight out of that you might get him to figure it out.
I'd wager there are some trainers who would also suggest that you get him more forward to help. Don't know if that's as easily said as done in the arena, but perhaps out on a hack? Kind of push that trot forward into your hand? Just a thought. The big, talented guys sometimes are the most challenging as they just have so much "horse" to put together.
I just keep "feeling" in my brain as I ride him mentally that you need to get that inside hind leg forward and up into the outside rein.
I learn so much from reading this, both the post and the comments!
Forward works but I run out of space because his stride is so huge :-))) It's going to be a looooooooong time before he can canter in a 40m arena!
Tetley had long paces ML, but he didn't feel like Radar. I think Radar is probably consderably wider, with a shorter, thicker neck. That makes it much more difficult to influence his way of going than Tetley's at the same level of training.
C
Three out of three yesterday. None out of three today! Got tempted by a friend for breakfast and a walk for lunch and a snooze for tea. Tomorrow maybe :-)
Raining here, and the vet came for annual shots, teeth, etc. May not do anything myself. Weather inspires a nap, actually.
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