Saturday
I can definitely tell a difference between Harry on the Calmex and Harry off of the Calmex. He is so much more relaxed when he's on it, but then at the same time, he's so pokey. I don't know which is easier -- to get him to wake up when he's pokey or getting him to calm down when he's anxious. He was a beast to longe today. I ended up having to use the pole, which I haven't in a while, but riding he was very relaxed. I can't believe that State Fair is two weekends away. I don't feel very confident about it.
Taco was great today. Totally performed. I'm feeling very confident about him at the Fair. Too bad I feel more confident on Jane's horse than on my own...I also found out that we can't bring Brie with...Jane gave the spot in her trailer to Samantha. I guess I shouldn't feel too bad about it. Samantha otherwise wouldn't have been able to go, and we would've brought three horses. I guess I just have to wait until next year to try Brie in showing again...
Sunday
I rode Brie a lot today. She is so good. I can't believe all of the progress we've made in her attitude. She just seems so much happier. Although, she did get a little crazy outside when I asked her to canter. I figured she was being so good lately that she deserved it...maybe I shouldn't be asking her to canter anymore either. She was pretty upset after that and it took a couple times around the ring once we got back inside to calm her down.
Taco was still nice today, but a little buggier. He takes a while to settle down into a speed that's acceptable. I brought him outside yesterday and today for a change of pace and he seems really happy!
Harry was a lot better today. He seemed more awake. I'm just really nervous about the show now.
Showing posts with label polework. Show all posts
Showing posts with label polework. Show all posts
Monday, July 30, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Day 202
I was determined to have a good ride today after feeling pretty bad about my rides the last couple of weeks. I marched right into the barn and told Harry who's boss.
Instead of playing around with the rope halter and longe line, longeing without any tack on, I cleaned him up and tacked up, going out to the pole in the arena to longe with him. As soon as we stopped walking he wanted to bolt out and start longeing but I made him wait until I was ready to start working with him. I looped the pisador around the pole (darn, I should've taken a picture) in a way that if he pulled, it would tighten the part of the jaquima that is built around his head, behind his ears and apply pressure, but it was also easy enough for me to release if we got in a dangerous situation without either of us getting hurt.
Today was probably the longest amount of time I've spent longeing him since we had decided that he had the basic idea, way back two years ago. He ran around that pole like a bat out of hell and it was okay for me because he wasn't dragging me with him due to the poll taking the force of him because of the knot. We worked at longer distances and shorter distances, both directions. It was easier for me to get him back out longeing when he fishtailed out and wanted to back away (which he couldn't because of the knot) and continue working. After galloping around for a long time, he calmed back down into a reasonable gait and we stopped.
For the longest, I've been switching between the barbada rein and the bit rein when I ride, using the barbada rein to warm him up and the bit rein when we're ready to perform. Today I used both reins at the same time. I think that it had more of an effect on him because his speed was easier to control. We also worked on flexing while walking, something I've never done with any of the horses before, but I know that it's a good stretch for them while they're warming up. He got the general idea flexing to the outside wall, but more often than not he thought I wanted to reverse when I wanted to flex to the inside.
After getting him collected and right where I wanted him where he was being responsive and performing, about an hour into our ride, I tied up the barbada rein and just worked off of the bit. He was a little jumpy at the transition at first, but settled right into it, with the last 20 minutes of work being fantastic. I could not have been more proud of us! We both ended in happy moods and accomplished what I wanted, which was to longe better and be more collected in gait. I still have to work on finding the exact speed of largo that he likes without pacing or breaking.
When Harry and I were all done, I got on Brie. My ankles were hurting, so I rode her without stirrups. At first I was just going to walk around with her because I wasn't using the stirrups, but I got up the courage to go through a full session with her, working her corto and largo and everything! She got upset a couple of times when Nick came up behind her with his horse, but she always does this. This is why we can't show, she hates horses being too close to her. I need to figure out a way to fix this, so if you have any suggestions, please tell me!
Eventually, I got enough bravery to canter her without stirrups. It was fantastic! I felt like I was flying and was perfectly able to balance myself. I was literally grinning the entire time. Too bad I never have a camera! Argh, I swear, I need like a personal photographer following me around.
Instead of playing around with the rope halter and longe line, longeing without any tack on, I cleaned him up and tacked up, going out to the pole in the arena to longe with him. As soon as we stopped walking he wanted to bolt out and start longeing but I made him wait until I was ready to start working with him. I looped the pisador around the pole (darn, I should've taken a picture) in a way that if he pulled, it would tighten the part of the jaquima that is built around his head, behind his ears and apply pressure, but it was also easy enough for me to release if we got in a dangerous situation without either of us getting hurt.
Today was probably the longest amount of time I've spent longeing him since we had decided that he had the basic idea, way back two years ago. He ran around that pole like a bat out of hell and it was okay for me because he wasn't dragging me with him due to the poll taking the force of him because of the knot. We worked at longer distances and shorter distances, both directions. It was easier for me to get him back out longeing when he fishtailed out and wanted to back away (which he couldn't because of the knot) and continue working. After galloping around for a long time, he calmed back down into a reasonable gait and we stopped.
For the longest, I've been switching between the barbada rein and the bit rein when I ride, using the barbada rein to warm him up and the bit rein when we're ready to perform. Today I used both reins at the same time. I think that it had more of an effect on him because his speed was easier to control. We also worked on flexing while walking, something I've never done with any of the horses before, but I know that it's a good stretch for them while they're warming up. He got the general idea flexing to the outside wall, but more often than not he thought I wanted to reverse when I wanted to flex to the inside.
After getting him collected and right where I wanted him where he was being responsive and performing, about an hour into our ride, I tied up the barbada rein and just worked off of the bit. He was a little jumpy at the transition at first, but settled right into it, with the last 20 minutes of work being fantastic. I could not have been more proud of us! We both ended in happy moods and accomplished what I wanted, which was to longe better and be more collected in gait. I still have to work on finding the exact speed of largo that he likes without pacing or breaking.
When Harry and I were all done, I got on Brie. My ankles were hurting, so I rode her without stirrups. At first I was just going to walk around with her because I wasn't using the stirrups, but I got up the courage to go through a full session with her, working her corto and largo and everything! She got upset a couple of times when Nick came up behind her with his horse, but she always does this. This is why we can't show, she hates horses being too close to her. I need to figure out a way to fix this, so if you have any suggestions, please tell me!
Eventually, I got enough bravery to canter her without stirrups. It was fantastic! I felt like I was flying and was perfectly able to balance myself. I was literally grinning the entire time. Too bad I never have a camera! Argh, I swear, I need like a personal photographer following me around.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Day 130
We celebrated Harry's birthday today, since it's actually on Tuesday. Next Tuesday is Brie's birthday too! I go on break next week, maybe I'll be able to go out some during the two weeks I'm off.
So for Harry's birthday he got somewhat of a break. Firstly, I wish I had my camera today. He has some scabby things goin on around his back ankles. We put some salve on them and are gonna watch to see if they spread. I really have no idea what they are and hopefully it's not a problem =\
He lunged really nicely today. Harry is a good horse to teach patience. I can't even count how many times I had to stop myself and just take a deep breath because I started anticipating some of his bad habits, so of course he started getting jumpy until I calmed myself.
After much convincing, I got him to go over the scary white poles on the leadline and he does the cutest little pops over it when I'm on his back. We have to fix that, but it's a start! He's so clumsy too, he almost always knocks the poles with his feet when he goes over.
Today I implemented all of Colin's advice, and I'm sure if I had about an hour more to ride it would've worked really nicely--I only got about a half hour once we stopped speculating about his ankles and the ground polework. I had very light contact and I actually felt him go from very up in the back all over the place with his gait to settling down and relaxing into his gait. It was pretty amazing, I'd never felt that before! Keeping this up will hopefully work. We shall see.
Jane was there today too! I now have an excuse to mess around with even more horses. She asked me to lunge Taco when I come out if I can, that way he doesn't go for huge periods without really using his brain, since she and Annie have been busy lately. She asked me to ride him way back when, but as I got more involved with Harry, I didn't have any time. Hopefully this quarter at school is slow and I can stay longer on weekends to work.
So for Harry's birthday he got somewhat of a break. Firstly, I wish I had my camera today. He has some scabby things goin on around his back ankles. We put some salve on them and are gonna watch to see if they spread. I really have no idea what they are and hopefully it's not a problem =\
He lunged really nicely today. Harry is a good horse to teach patience. I can't even count how many times I had to stop myself and just take a deep breath because I started anticipating some of his bad habits, so of course he started getting jumpy until I calmed myself.
After much convincing, I got him to go over the scary white poles on the leadline and he does the cutest little pops over it when I'm on his back. We have to fix that, but it's a start! He's so clumsy too, he almost always knocks the poles with his feet when he goes over.
Today I implemented all of Colin's advice, and I'm sure if I had about an hour more to ride it would've worked really nicely--I only got about a half hour once we stopped speculating about his ankles and the ground polework. I had very light contact and I actually felt him go from very up in the back all over the place with his gait to settling down and relaxing into his gait. It was pretty amazing, I'd never felt that before! Keeping this up will hopefully work. We shall see.
Jane was there today too! I now have an excuse to mess around with even more horses. She asked me to lunge Taco when I come out if I can, that way he doesn't go for huge periods without really using his brain, since she and Annie have been busy lately. She asked me to ride him way back when, but as I got more involved with Harry, I didn't have any time. Hopefully this quarter at school is slow and I can stay longer on weekends to work.
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