Jedward or RadaR
They are a strange combination of irritating and entertaining. I'm not sure which pair of twins I am talking about, Jedward or RadaR. (Look them up on uTube Jean :-). You simply would not recognise the horse that I schooled in the barn today for the super confident hunter who I rode at the weekend. He was unbalanced, panicky, nervy and rushing everywhere. He settled, admittedly more quickly than he used to, but it is such a shock when you first get on and he starts to back up and jump about, and then marches off into a running walk that would quickly turn into a proper run if you did not stop him.
I was very pleased with the walk that I got at the end of doing some serpentines - long and loose and nice relaxed with a stretched outline. But the serpentines! Every time I changed the bend and pointed him at the wall he rushed and went to throw himself into the next bend. Every time he did that I kept him straight and he walked up to the wall and had to stop. When he stayed balanced and relaxed across the school, he got to be allowed to turn the next bend. It actually worked surprisingly well and he learnt to wait, keep in balance, and listen for which way I was going to ask him to bend, instead of deciding for himself and diving for it!
Yet again I am thanking my lucky stars that I did not "need" him to be producing a dressage test this season, because it wasn't going to happen!
No hedges this weekend, I'm at Your Horse Live with UKNHCP, but I am still basking in the memory of last Saturday and feel quite happy about having a break.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 5:32 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Gee...I am SO glad I looked up Jedward....NOT!
Even radaR should be insulted by being compared to THAT!
Wonder if kind of letting Radar just "go" at the beginning of the ride would help--provided you have the room. Some TB's warm up best at the canter. Could be he needs to get rid of the excess energy before his brain can engage.
Chance often starts off at a fast trot when I first get on. I just use it and "shape" him afterwards.
Makes it hard if you are indoors in the tight space, I know, so it may not be the perfect solution. For that, all I can think of are hundreds of small circles at the walk. Every time he starts to run off, circle. Rinse, repeat.
Other than that, the fact that the time between radaR and Radar seem to be diminishing each time you school, hope lies not far off.
I love Jedward!!!!!
I have a sneaky affection for them Mandeigh. They are hopeless singers and dancers but somehow addictive, like a vice!
Ooh, no Jean, letting him go doesn't work. In that tight space he is downright dangerous, he trips over his own legs :-0
C
I kind of figured inside it would be a problem.
However, the next time you have a nice day and can get out, see what happens if you warm him up with a nice gallop somewhere. Then try the arena exercises to see if it makes a difference.
A Hungarian trainer I worked with was big on galloping dressage horses. And one time I had a German trainer send me off on a rolick on PJ to get him "cooridinated" and going in a schooling session. Could be radaR's TB blood needs that kind of warm up.
And, what the heck, if it doesn't work, at least you've had yourself a good frolic!
Post a Comment
<< Home