I've not blogged the last few days, I've lots of thoughts in my head but not been able to unscramble them.
I've had a busy time with Anky, stretching sessions, lungeing and ridden sessions. Our ridden work is very basic stuff. Anky has never been able to relax and her usual way of going is to throw her head up and go hollow. We work only at walk in the school and my prime objective is to get her to relax and lower her head. It's not as easy as it sounds and I'm not sure I'm doing it right, she's very inconsistent and if I give her a long rein, she doesn't want to stretch into it, bracing herself through her neck and in her mouth. She has muscle under her neck which has built up even though I've ridden her very little, this is how she carries herself at liberty.
The stretching exercises will help her, together with the lungeing, but my thoughts are that her main problem is with the mouth. She doesn't like the bit, the first thing she does when you put the bridle on is to hang onto the bit and hold it tight. Her jaw is rigid and I have to teach her that she can release and relax the jaw and trust that everything will be ok. We have done this before and we have made some progress, but it's not a 'real', consistent release of the TMJ, she doesn't trust the contact and therefore is very inconsistent. Until we have this we can't progress, so I've gone back to the beginning, the asking for the release by a simple lifting of the bit on the corner of the mouth, we must have relaxation in the jaw if we're to have relaxation through her body. I find myself particularly focussed and determined, and the last couple of days I've had several sessions in the stable, simply asking for this release. She's determined also, but we have made a little progress and I'm hopeful that when we do get it, it will make a world of difference to her way of thinking and her way of going. I'm wondering if I should try her bitless, she may have no reason to tense up in the first place then?
I've not done anything in the school with Remy over the last few days as he has this little swelling under his knee. It doesn't seem to be getting any bigger and hopefully it won't be a problem. I've had a few short sessions in the stable concentrating on walk/halt transitions though.
After contacting the Suber Pad people, I'm now waiting for my new pad to arrive and when it does I can start to ride him.
7 comments:
ummmm i thought bitless; but if she carries herself like that in the field at liberty, would it help that much? and if she carries herself like that anyway, is it really the bit/contact that's the issue?
Sounds like she's got a very established way of going and holding herself, which means there's a lot of muscle memory to reconfigure. It'll take time and patience, but it sounds to me like you're on the right track. Claire may be correct - it may not be the bit if she's had good dental and chiro care, which I expect she has - it just may be well-established habit. Dawn presented me with similar challenges - she came to off the track with that same upside-down neck with muscling underneath. She looks different now, and we've got further to go.
does she tense when you work in-hand/lunge on a headcollar? That would give you an idea of a way forward. Although tbh I'm not sure I'd advise bitless it will lead to lots more scrambled egg head for you, lol.
Yes she does, but not as much. It's a combination of things, but pretty much as Kate says, having to change her way of going and muscle memory to reconfigure. You know we've had success by massaging her neck and that's something to continue with, the bit is just part of the equation and we'll work on that also. Thought we may be able to make a comparison with the bitless, but you're probably right, it might just muddy the waters even more, for me and for her. LOL
mmm,it's not that I don't think you can cope 'cos I know you could it's just a different system and (as you know) it's led me up all sorts of blind alleys; mind you as you're starting out almost from the beginning then it would be best to try it now rather than later.
I think sideways, sideways and then sideways; bend and more bend and yes the neck massages in between LOL
Stupid remark, but you have checked her mouth/teeth for any soreness.
I'm starting back with my mare - quite tentative as just out of plaster for the wrist. I know I'll have resistance, but that is her way of trying to get out of work. I just have to quietly sit and wait for her for work it out. It comes eventually. Anky sounds so like Flight! Mares think too much!
Hi Sheila, yes, we have their teeth checked every 6 months so I don't think it will be that. I don't think it's a physical thing, like you said, mares think too much!! I've been accused of that more than once!!! LOL
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