Jazz did me lovely session this evening after I got out of work unexpectedly early - not enough people arrested over the weekend - too hot to get into trouble???
He tried very hard to do 10m circle right to simple change and was much improved from last time. We then worked on half pass left in trot. I do a side of shoulder in, a side of travers and then try and put the two together for half pass, but he struggles. I have finally got somewhere by keeping his bum level with his shoulders and not allowing that to change, and just accepting however much sideways movement we can get and not trying too hard to push him over. He is improving with that technique, easily measured by how far across the arena you get to before you reach the end.
Perhaps, I hope, it is needless to say that I cannot feel any stiffness and certainly no lameness at all since he has been on the MSM. I have cancelled the steroid injections into the hocks which were booked for next week.
I went to take Ace and Radar their evening supplement dose and they were standing one on each side of me as they ate it. It was very clear that Ace is now visibly taller than Radar, and Radar is nearly 17 hands. That puts Ace over, and I think he is still growing and may end up over 17.1 I'm really pleased, I particularly wanted a big one! He is also turning into the most loving, cuddly pony you ever met, always snuggling up to me and wanting a stroke :-)
C.
Thoughts for half pass...you can start by doing leg yields (bend in the opposite direction to the way you are going) and gradually make the bend straighter until you can bend in the same direction. Other option my trainer suggested was to start crossing the diagonal at the trot and them just add your outside leg.
ReplyDeleteToo, sometimes doing a half pass at the walk, step by step gets your horse to understand what you want and then you can try a little trot.
Noted your comment about Buttie and the muzzle. He must be working hard to get at the grass through it. Poor little fat boy. *lol*
I'm really pleased you've postphoned/cancelled the steroid injections, great news.
ReplyDeleteJean should he lead with the shoulders in half pass? I have been trying to get him parallel with the side, but I watched other people today and they are all leading with the shoulders. Am I just making it too difficult for the poor boy??
ReplyDeleteTracey there's no point spending the money or taking the risk, he is positively BOUNCING!
C
I usualy start half pass from shoulder in then ask the quarters to come over.....
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