I was tempted to go and visit the scaffolders again today but I didn't have unlimited time and you don't start something like that with Jazz unless you can finish it, so we schooled instead. Flying changes seem to be "business as usual" for him now, and half pass left in trot was a doddle too. We tried for some medium trot, and he tried very hard. He finds it difficult to keep his weight back on his hocks and throw out his front legs, but he's making every effort. He gets very heavy in the hand and tries to get his head too low, but he is improving each time we try it, bit by bit.
Radar was so silly today. He walked nicely but he was throwing himself into the trot and completely resisting taking responsibility for his own balance. I put him on a 20 metre circle in the middle and when he ran on or skewed his bum one way or the other, I turned him onto a 10 metre circle in the other direction. This is a very tough exercise, with the changes of bend, and he flung himself around even worse to start with. Then it seemed to dawn on him that there must be an easier way to do a circle, and he made a big effort to hold his own body together. As a result we got a decent trot, at last. I changed rein and he produced a nice trot almost immediately on the other rein, which shows, I think, that he is growing up mentally. Otherwise he would simply have started the battle all over again on the other rein.
His breeder came to see him just now and seemed very pleased with where he was living and what we have been doing together.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 5:45 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Flying changes on command...Jazz progresses nicely. Good idea not to challenge the scaffolding again today. Maybe if he has a day to think it over you can try again tomorrow--presuming the sacffolding is still there and it's not some new and "deadly--at least in Jazz's mind" distraction.
Radar is an interesting study from afar. At times he seems to physically apt--such as with mastering the concept of jumping--and at other times, he seems totally out of touch with his body. I am sure there are "natural horsmanship" trainers out there who would have all kinds of magical cures and touchy feely methods to work on that.
However, I wonder if you did just a little ground work, having him move off your hand, right to left, back, circle around you, etc. before you get on if it would help. It almost sounds as if each time you go out to school that at least for a little while he simply cannot sort out his own feet.
That being said, I love the longlining for that very reason as the horse gets to learn to carry himself without the added weight of the rider to confuse things. Just a thought that might help get through some of Radar's issues.
He's very out of touch with his body a lot of the time Jean. Loose in the field he can be very ungainly. When being led he will trip over things, including his own feet. Out on a hack he takes most of the ride to find a relaxed rythmn. When he sees a jump, he becomes a different horse, it's quite fascinating to sit on him and feel it. He's an anxious horse and I think he just thinks too much, and can't work out what to put where - but when he sees a jump he focuses on that and no longer thinks about where to put himself and because he is naturally very well put together, everything works.
He's a very interesting training experience.
C
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