A session in the school with Bonbon, continuing lunge work and a little sit-on. Today, she was again, a little squeally and jumpy, but I was pleased that she settled and then did some calm, attentive work. I look forward to my little sit-ons, I like working with her, but I'm really getting desperate for a regular trainer to help me. With Remy, I need affirmation perhaps that my work is going in the right direction, and as we progress, I feel that it's even more important to get the support of 'eyes on the ground'. Bonbon's a completely different kettle of fish to Remy, with an unpredictable temperament and for that alone, I'm beginning to feel that a trainer is even more of a priority.
It gets me down always working alone, but what gets me down more is that I don't know what to do about it. I really envy folk who find a trainer who's on the same wavelength that they can really relate to.
My Life, My Horses and My Attempts to Train the Classical Way
Showing posts with label Bonbon lunge trot work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bonbon lunge trot work. Show all posts
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
You are my sunshine.......
Two great sessions today.
First with Remy, starting on a long rein, moving him around just using body and weight aids until he started to really stretch and relax. Then taking up the rein but staying at halt with flexions to mobilise the jaw, allowing him to extend the neck and then asking for the walk transition. I made it as clear as I could today and as soon as he lost the mobility I asked for halt and we started again, asking for the release with a lift of the rein to the corner of the mouth. I'm not doing this enough and I'm allowing him to continue, even though he's tensing slightly, especially on the outside when on the left rein.
What we got today was the best he's been and we worked on circles first, lots of changes of bend and direction, some shoulder-in into counter shoulder-in, asking for halt and rebalancing at the first sign of any tension through the rein. We then worked on the long sides, introducing the reinback/walk-on work, keeping the shoulders up and the softness into the walk transition. It felt light and well balanced, working with slight inside flexion. If he lost the softness on the outside rein, I asked him to change flexion to the outside which remobilised the jaw and freshened the contact on that side. It was a great session and I'm pretty chuffed with him!
I then took Bonbon into the school, continuing the close-lunge work. Asking for good, even bend, relaxation and a nice, easy stride. She was more attentive today and we worked for a few minutes moving her shoulders and quarters before returning to the circle. She offered me trot on the right rein and it was fairly soft and calm, a real improvement. She returned to walk on command and stretched out into a relaxed walk. Same on the left rein, very relaxed in the walk, she offered the trot, not as calm, and not as well balanced, but, again, a real improvement on our previous session.
I couldn't resist getting on and we had a few minutes just moving her around with lots of changes of direction. She responded well when I asked for the release and felt soft and relaxed in my hand and responsive to my leg, giving me nice even bend. It's a while since I sat on and she felt bigger, with more in-front. Perhaps she's finally getting a wither - it's about time! :-)
My little rays of sunshine, I couldn't be happier with them both.
First with Remy, starting on a long rein, moving him around just using body and weight aids until he started to really stretch and relax. Then taking up the rein but staying at halt with flexions to mobilise the jaw, allowing him to extend the neck and then asking for the walk transition. I made it as clear as I could today and as soon as he lost the mobility I asked for halt and we started again, asking for the release with a lift of the rein to the corner of the mouth. I'm not doing this enough and I'm allowing him to continue, even though he's tensing slightly, especially on the outside when on the left rein.
What we got today was the best he's been and we worked on circles first, lots of changes of bend and direction, some shoulder-in into counter shoulder-in, asking for halt and rebalancing at the first sign of any tension through the rein. We then worked on the long sides, introducing the reinback/walk-on work, keeping the shoulders up and the softness into the walk transition. It felt light and well balanced, working with slight inside flexion. If he lost the softness on the outside rein, I asked him to change flexion to the outside which remobilised the jaw and freshened the contact on that side. It was a great session and I'm pretty chuffed with him!
I then took Bonbon into the school, continuing the close-lunge work. Asking for good, even bend, relaxation and a nice, easy stride. She was more attentive today and we worked for a few minutes moving her shoulders and quarters before returning to the circle. She offered me trot on the right rein and it was fairly soft and calm, a real improvement. She returned to walk on command and stretched out into a relaxed walk. Same on the left rein, very relaxed in the walk, she offered the trot, not as calm, and not as well balanced, but, again, a real improvement on our previous session.
I couldn't resist getting on and we had a few minutes just moving her around with lots of changes of direction. She responded well when I asked for the release and felt soft and relaxed in my hand and responsive to my leg, giving me nice even bend. It's a while since I sat on and she felt bigger, with more in-front. Perhaps she's finally getting a wither - it's about time! :-)
My little rays of sunshine, I couldn't be happier with them both.
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
More hacking please
I rode Remy today as the rain has gone and the sun has returned :-)
I took him in the school and unfortunately, it wasn't a good session. He just couldn't relax. He was rushing in the trot and running into canter. I was taking too much inside rein (which I have a tendency to do) and too little on the outside! Not his fault, totally mine. I wasn't relaxed either! Not one of my better days, I expected too much. I should know better.:-(
"Ask often, expect little, reward generously" Col. Podhajsky"
So I took him down the track for a short hack. We had several trots, he had a splash and a drink in the puddles and a quiet few minutes eating grass. He relaxed. I relaxed.
We really need to do more of this!!
I then took Bonbon into the school.
After our previous sessions, and my earlier ride on Remy, I was keeping my expectations low, but I was asking her for basics, things that she knows, and all I wanted was that she listen and keep her attention on me. We started off in the usual way, walking around the school, me in a close lungeing position, keeping her on the track, inside bend, asking for relaxation. I wasn't even thinking of a trot transition, but she offered it (without any squealing etc.) and so I accepted and let her trot a few revolutions of the circle before asking for walk, letting her relax into the walk and then asking for a halt transition. We changed the rein and the same thing, she offered the trot, a few revolutions staying calm on the circle before asking for the walk and then halt transition. It doesn't sound like much, but I think it's great progress. We left it there, finishing on a good note, hopeful of a repeat performance tomorrow!
I took him in the school and unfortunately, it wasn't a good session. He just couldn't relax. He was rushing in the trot and running into canter. I was taking too much inside rein (which I have a tendency to do) and too little on the outside! Not his fault, totally mine. I wasn't relaxed either! Not one of my better days, I expected too much. I should know better.:-(
"Ask often, expect little, reward generously" Col. Podhajsky"
So I took him down the track for a short hack. We had several trots, he had a splash and a drink in the puddles and a quiet few minutes eating grass. He relaxed. I relaxed.
We really need to do more of this!!
I then took Bonbon into the school.
After our previous sessions, and my earlier ride on Remy, I was keeping my expectations low, but I was asking her for basics, things that she knows, and all I wanted was that she listen and keep her attention on me. We started off in the usual way, walking around the school, me in a close lungeing position, keeping her on the track, inside bend, asking for relaxation. I wasn't even thinking of a trot transition, but she offered it (without any squealing etc.) and so I accepted and let her trot a few revolutions of the circle before asking for walk, letting her relax into the walk and then asking for a halt transition. We changed the rein and the same thing, she offered the trot, a few revolutions staying calm on the circle before asking for the walk and then halt transition. It doesn't sound like much, but I think it's great progress. We left it there, finishing on a good note, hopeful of a repeat performance tomorrow!
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Gently playing with the bit
I started with Bonbon in the school today. She's not been up there for a while as we've been working in a small area at the bottom of the garden.
We did some groundwork at walk and she worked well although not entirely settled. There were a few things going on around us and she was a bit distracted. I delayed asking for the trot and concentrated on getting her relaxed on the circle, walking out nicely with good, even bend, also working on moving quarters and shoulders, lots of halt/walk transitions and some reinback. I don't know if I'm transmitting some weirdy 'were going to trot now' vibes, but I swear I saw a little glint in her eye as I was thinking about the trot transition and she started squealing and first trotting and then cantering, all entirely without any form or balance! I stood quietly in the centre of the circle until she halted and stood to face me and then continued with the walk work to try to restore some calm and relaxation. I changed the rein and waited until she was relaxed and then asked again, same thing although not quite as explosive as the first time and she did settle a little. We finished on a good note with a good forward walk, with stretch and relaxation through the body.
I'm not sure why she's doing it and I'm not sure how we're going to handle it, but I'll continue doing what I'm doing now and see if she settles. She's a funny girl sometimes, but I think we can come to some agreement one way or another.
It's been a good day with Remy today. I walked him to the school and started with a little groundwork, asking for even, relaxed bend on the circle, giravolta on both reins and a short trot on each rein. He was relaxed and soft and he kept this in the trot work, moreso than I've seen from him before.
I started the ridden work on a long rein, moving him around the school, letting him stretch out to the hand. He felt loose and active, overtracking really well. Then I took up the reins and started to work on small circles, keeping inside flexion, stretching the outside and trying to keep even bend round my inside leg. We worked on shoulder-in to counter in on the circle and then moved to shoulder-in and counter shoulder-in on the long side. Also some reinback and travers. When we started the trot work, I asked for the transition from shoulder fore on the circle, this seems to work well and he keeps the softness in the hand and relaxation through the neck. The trot lacks any power, but it's becoming more rhythmical and balanced, he's managing to keep his inside shoulder up and keep the inside bend. Of course it's still very basic and not so good on the left rein as the right, but it's improving. What gave me the biggest thrill was the last five minutes of walk work before we finished which felt so well balanced and light. We were changing the bend and direction with ease and he was gently playing with the bit with a lovely lipstick of white foam. I just wanted to keep riding him and never get off!
We did some groundwork at walk and she worked well although not entirely settled. There were a few things going on around us and she was a bit distracted. I delayed asking for the trot and concentrated on getting her relaxed on the circle, walking out nicely with good, even bend, also working on moving quarters and shoulders, lots of halt/walk transitions and some reinback. I don't know if I'm transmitting some weirdy 'were going to trot now' vibes, but I swear I saw a little glint in her eye as I was thinking about the trot transition and she started squealing and first trotting and then cantering, all entirely without any form or balance! I stood quietly in the centre of the circle until she halted and stood to face me and then continued with the walk work to try to restore some calm and relaxation. I changed the rein and waited until she was relaxed and then asked again, same thing although not quite as explosive as the first time and she did settle a little. We finished on a good note with a good forward walk, with stretch and relaxation through the body.
I'm not sure why she's doing it and I'm not sure how we're going to handle it, but I'll continue doing what I'm doing now and see if she settles. She's a funny girl sometimes, but I think we can come to some agreement one way or another.
It's been a good day with Remy today. I walked him to the school and started with a little groundwork, asking for even, relaxed bend on the circle, giravolta on both reins and a short trot on each rein. He was relaxed and soft and he kept this in the trot work, moreso than I've seen from him before.
I started the ridden work on a long rein, moving him around the school, letting him stretch out to the hand. He felt loose and active, overtracking really well. Then I took up the reins and started to work on small circles, keeping inside flexion, stretching the outside and trying to keep even bend round my inside leg. We worked on shoulder-in to counter in on the circle and then moved to shoulder-in and counter shoulder-in on the long side. Also some reinback and travers. When we started the trot work, I asked for the transition from shoulder fore on the circle, this seems to work well and he keeps the softness in the hand and relaxation through the neck. The trot lacks any power, but it's becoming more rhythmical and balanced, he's managing to keep his inside shoulder up and keep the inside bend. Of course it's still very basic and not so good on the left rein as the right, but it's improving. What gave me the biggest thrill was the last five minutes of walk work before we finished which felt so well balanced and light. We were changing the bend and direction with ease and he was gently playing with the bit with a lovely lipstick of white foam. I just wanted to keep riding him and never get off!
Monday, 12 December 2011
Bonbon and Remy progress
It's been a busy weekend so not had chance to do much with the horses.
This morning the weather was lovely and ideal for a session in the school with Remy. He was very calm and responsive, he was staying soft and relaxed and gave me some really nice work. Shoulder-in and counter shoulder-in on both reins, some nice reinback and some of the nicest, balanced trot work to date. A long way to go, but definite improvement.
My last two sessions with Bonbon have been a bit wayward. Groundwork and close lunge work ok in walk and then squealing and overreacting when asked to trot.
Today, we continued with this and although reasonably calm in the walk work, we got the same reaction into the trot transition. Not as extreme, a bit of an explosion and a squeal, then stopping to face me.
It's definitely a worry thing, and in the walk work, I've always walked with her, staying reasonably close and she's pretty ok and relaxed with this. When I ask for the trot transition, I am, in effect sending her away from me and I think it's this that's confusing her, so I started to trot slowly at her side as I asked her to trot, and after a few seconds she started a hesitant little trot with me, and it seemed like you could see a little light bulb go on in her head. I asked once more and she gave me another little trot, so we happily left it there for the day. Hopefully it's a start and we'll progress from there in our next session.
This morning the weather was lovely and ideal for a session in the school with Remy. He was very calm and responsive, he was staying soft and relaxed and gave me some really nice work. Shoulder-in and counter shoulder-in on both reins, some nice reinback and some of the nicest, balanced trot work to date. A long way to go, but definite improvement.
My last two sessions with Bonbon have been a bit wayward. Groundwork and close lunge work ok in walk and then squealing and overreacting when asked to trot.
Today, we continued with this and although reasonably calm in the walk work, we got the same reaction into the trot transition. Not as extreme, a bit of an explosion and a squeal, then stopping to face me.
It's definitely a worry thing, and in the walk work, I've always walked with her, staying reasonably close and she's pretty ok and relaxed with this. When I ask for the trot transition, I am, in effect sending her away from me and I think it's this that's confusing her, so I started to trot slowly at her side as I asked her to trot, and after a few seconds she started a hesitant little trot with me, and it seemed like you could see a little light bulb go on in her head. I asked once more and she gave me another little trot, so we happily left it there for the day. Hopefully it's a start and we'll progress from there in our next session.
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