Jazz has done his first tempi change - a three time. That's canter, change legs, canter canter canter, change legs. The first one we tried got all tangled up and disunited. The second he got, but with a mahoosive buck in the second change. The third, he realised what I was about to ask and did it perfectly - a three time tempi change!!
This is a lifetime goal for me, I can hardly believe it. Give us another six months to a year and we will be stringing them together. Lots of horses can't do one-time changes (no stride between the changes - looks like skipping!), but I'm getting the impression that Jazz will be able to. I hope so, I've always wanted to do them, never mind actually teaching a horse to do them. What a buzz :-)
I schooled Ace as well, shoulder in in trot. He is a natural at extension and collection, but he is certainly not a natural at lateral work. He tried hard though, and when he understood he got half a dozen nice steps on each rein.
Radar isn't getting a lot of work because there is no hunt for us to go to until November 26th. Until then, they are all too far away, and not good enough meets to make it worth the journey. We are missing it, but it will be fun to start again. I have checked out the other hunt that I used to go with, but their line preparation is appalling lately and the last set of photos I looked at had them jumping a rusty broken sheep hurdle tangled in barbed wire with a broken stake/fence post through the middle. It's just not safe, and even if it was I'm not paying a £40 cap to jump such rubbish!
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Congratulations!!! Tempis are a blast. I have a feeling Jazz will do "ones" no problem. You will need to look at the tests to see what sequences you need. Here in the US, 4's come first before the 3's. The only reason I say this is that often a horse will get confused and be able to do one numerical sequence and not another. So you kind of need to master one pattern and then go on to the next. So, check out the tests you will do and teach them in order.
ReplyDeleteIs Ace fairly close coupled? If he is, the lateral work might be a little more physically difficult for him. Toby goes laterally like a snake and Tucker finds it a little more challenging.
You don't want to be jumping junk or dangerous stuff with Radar. There is no point in taking a chance on getting hurt. Hope you find some good hunting you can enjoy close by!
He got a three time the third time. Amazing! Flying changes - even one is one of my goals. What a thrill. I bet Jazz will love it once he really gets the hang of it - it looks like fun for the horse as well.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are passing up those seemingly unsafe hunts. There are risky enough without badly constructed jumps.
ML I never did manage to teach Tetley a flying change, he just didn't seem to get it. I'm hoping that you will show me up sometime!
ReplyDeleteJean, Ace was not close coupled when I bought him, or he did not look it! But he put on height an not length this year, and his shoulders and his backside have packed on so much muscle that it is now clear that he IS close coupled after all.
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Just give Ace a bit more time on the lateral work, then. It will not be as easy for him to fles sideways. On the other hand, all the collected work will be a cinch. And we already know he gets lots of "elevation" when he needs it...or wants it. *G*
ReplyDeleteMy trainer said that Tucker's conformation encouraged bucking as his main evasion. I guess it's just easy for him. Like Ace, he can get some air time.
Ace's favourite evasion is also a buck, of course, as was Zippy's and he was close coupled too.
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