Piaffe
Do read the latest comments on Saturday's "still alive" post and add any suggestions that you like.
I've just got back from a super lesson with Sonia. We were working seriously on doing piaffe, and he is nearly managing it. She says that he is a lot better at it than her own horse, who is also seven. I was slowing down the trot and she was tapping his hocks from the floor, and between the three of us he really got the idea. He's not on the spot yet, but he is definitely going to get it at some point. We also included sharpening his response to trot from walk as Sonia says this is key to piaffe into passage.
I had no idea just how sharp a horse at Advanced has to be. I have always had my horses, I thought, very quick off the leg, because that's how I like them. If I sell one, I have to tone it down a bit first because it can scare other people to death! But we obviously need him even sharper yet, so we have begun to work on that with some trot down to one stride walk and immediately back up again. He coped well once he understood what the daft jockey was asking for.
His medium trot is improving and he is getting more strides and higher elevation. It will never be brilliant behind, or in stretching his body, but it will be a very pretty, high-stepping, flicky-toes trot that should get us a decent mark.
His changes are progressing, slowly it feels to me but I'm told this is normal. We threw in some shoulder in and half pass in trot and some half pass in canter too.
He did try very hard for us both today and he felt like he was enjoying the physical challenge. He knows how good he is now and looks very proud of himself most of the time. He's a lovely boy!
C
posted by cptrayes @ 2:23 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Crickey that all sounds very impressive. It is so rewarding when they start to understand and learn this advanced work, a great feeling. Well done to you both - and Sonia.
What fun! The little piaffe work I have done is really cool, so I know how great you must feel.
Interesting about your assessment of his trot lengthenings. So much of dressage today is based upon a horse's overall talent rather than his training, I fear. Some horses will never have a huge extension. But, if they extend correctly and t the best of their physical ability, what's wrong with that? Trouble is, too many judges cannot take a horse's natural limitations into account and will not score a correct trot as well as a showy one.
Hypothetically, dressage should be the great equalizer, giving every horse an equal chance to succeed. Like all horse sports, it has now become a "can you breed a good moving horse?" as opposed to "can you make a good horse?"
Sounds as is Jazz has an aptitude for the collected work and really enjoys it. I'm glad he has found his happiness in the world. Look back at your posts from a year or so ago and you will read a totally different story! *S*
I think around this time last year I was crying in frustration, wasn't I? I'm laughing with the enjoyment of riding him now! He quite restored me after Radar's shenanigans at the weekend.
I do agree with you Jean. Competing at dressage has been spoiled for me by turning it into a showing class instead of a training class.
Sonia is such a smart trainer Judith. She knows I would be bored with perfecting what we know already, so she moves us on a step as soon as she possibly can. She is chuffed herself with how quickly Jazz learns and how much he has changed physically.
C
Post a Comment
<< Home