I got on Ace's case again this evening and we are getting the message. At one point he picked his front feet just off the floor and I cracked him with the whip on his bum. His reaction was immediate. He put his feet down and I could feel him mentally connect the sting of the whip with the tantrum he was about to throw, and realise that he was out of order. He was much better behaved than he has been lately. It is possible that I have simply not been giving him enough direction. That's changing from now on. We finished on some walk to canter and he is going to be very good at it very soon. He also seems to be quite a natural at canter/walk. I am not asking for it but occasionally I get it instead of a transition to trot.
Jazz was a good boy and we practised the bit from his test on Wedensday - shoulder in left to 10m half circle to half pass left to 10m circle right. The the mirror image on the other rein. It is very difficult, but he gets it quite well. At the moment he is hopping on the change of bend to the circle but he improved each time we tried.
I forgot to shut the gate this morning and the boys left themselves in the barn. I don't think they mind being kept in during the day much, do you??
C
Good work with Ace. It seems he needs regular reminders that he has a job to do when you are in the saddle.
ReplyDeleteTricky move for Jazz. It is a true test of suppleness. You might try it at the walk a few times just to get the idea into his head and see where the various parts of his body go "off course." Then you will know what kind of aids you will need to fix things.
I think I was so afraid of spoiling Ace that I nearly spoiled Ace by not being strict enough with him Jean. I was also a bit scared of him, but that has passed and now I feel able to reprimand him without expecting to hit the dirt.
ReplyDeleteC
You must be good at teaching horses walk to canter - Tetley impresses everyone (including me) with his walk to canter. He does it with such ease.
ReplyDeleteHow would you know with a new highly bred horse how firm you have to be with him? No harm done though - now you both know what he needs.
I had to think a minute before I understood Jazz's test movements. Once he really gets it I bet it will feel really athletic, almost dance like.
As far as I remember Tetley was a complete natural at walk to canter and canter to walk. Certainly canter to walk was a piece of cake, he just stopped when I stopped my seat from going with him. I used to love riding both movements on him. Some horses find both movements much more difficult than others. Tia and Zippy were a nightmare for walk to canter, but Jazz was another natural. Tetley, on the other hand was dreadful at trot/canter to the right, he would only strike off on the left lead. I think that's why I taught him walk to canter early, because it's easier to get the correct lead from shoulder-in walk than from trot.
ReplyDeleteI had no time to ride today, I was being a Monkey. Do you guys have "Go Ape" in the US???
C