Not only did I wake up for the first time in two weeks without a headache, but the rain had stopped for the first time in living memory (OK, a slight exaggeration :-), and the sun came out AND I felt like riding. Hoo-flippin'-ray.
First Ace, because I was nervous of riding him after three weeks with only one ride and the last two weeks with nothing. I put him on the lunge. Pointless. He dawdled around half asleep. I put my air jacket on. Pointless, he was as quiet and lovely as he has ever been. Walk, trot, canter, trot shoulder-in, trot canter transitions. He does tend to set in trot after about 20 minutes, go a bit dead in the mouth and stop bending on the corners, but I worked him out of that with some sitting trot, which made it so much harder for him to set behind me . So it was a really good session, never mind one after a gap of 3 weeks since we last schooled on a young and sharp horse.
Jazz was lovely. He tried to be spooky but I just told him it wouldn't do, and reminded him that he is ten this year! So then we did a few flying changes, all spot on the aid, by circling a half 10m at the 20m point, heading straight back towards the boards at right angles, and taking the change just before reaching the boards. Then we did my other favourite party piece, medium trot. He began by lengthening well but going too heavy on the forehand so I worked at sitting him up first, then lenghening without releasing the contact unless it was up and forward, not downwards. That worked a treat and we probably got somewhere close to an extended trot to finish on. What fun!
And Radar. A long hack to prepare for, hopefully, hunting on Saturday. I didn't go last week because of the mud and my cold and a forecast of rain. I read a book in bed on my new Christmas Kindle instead. I love it!
It's very clear that my relaxing hack for the summer is likely to be Radar, of all people :-) He is getting easier and easier to keep in front of my leg and keep his back swinging, and in consequence our hacks are getting more and more of a pleasure and less and less like work. I think that goes for both of us, he certainly seems much calmer in himself lately, in spite of having missed two hunts in a row.
It was SO good to be back in the saddle and really enjoying it instead of feeling that it was a lot of effort and a chore.
C
So glad to hear you are feeling better and even better that you are back in the saddle.
ReplyDeleteAce is definitely "ace" and Jazz is showing a new maturity. As for Radar, the news just gets better and better. He is finally coming into his own as far as real training goes.
Radar, of all people! Aww, he is now a person. Tetley is now a puppy :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic day!!! I love having energy and, conversely, hate feeling tired (though I do love reading in bed). It's funny how sleepy Ace was. I am carefully reading how you got him off his forehand for the medium trot. Tetley and I trot very well, though it's a bit slow (like in the movie). When I send him more forward he tends to fall on his forehand.
I'm having trouble remembering the last time Jazz gave me any real difficulties Jean. Isn't that nice?
ReplyDeleteAnd I have reached a whole year without once getting cross or having a fight with Ace. I am very pleased with myself on that one!
ML the secret with Jazz when you want the trot to be longer and therefore faster, is, counter-intuitively, to slow it down. Then I use the feel in my seat to make sure his shoulders are out in front of me and slightly uphill, which means inevitably that his back end is tucked under. Then I take a firm hold of the reins and ask for a longer trot. He will attempt to drop his head down, but I keep hold of the reins very firmly until his front feet start to punch upwards and outwards and as I ask for that punch to go further out and higher up, I allow his head to go forwards, but not down. The moment he starts to go down I halt and start it all over again, and after two or three sides like that he understands and lightens all by himself and gives me a trot that I can then ask for even longer strides without him collapsing onto his forehand. With Jazz the key is to settle for only one or two strides of stretch to start with, and to halt him when he tips forward and never allow him to carry on that way. I can't remember how I taught Tetley now, it's getting a looooooong time now since he's been with you and not me, isn't it???
Oh, I should add that I would normally begin with a 10m or even smaller collected trot circle in the corner, and sometimes come out of that into shoulder in before asking for lengthening. Turning early for the long side and leg yielding across before asking for it also works well with many horses.
C
Thanks for this Caroline! I have just been able to feel when Tetley lifts his front end, not because he's just learned it but because I have learned it.
ReplyDeleteIt's been since autumn 2006, 5+ years, since I first met him. Almost 5 years since you rescued him. I still have written that story but it's in our collective heads.
And in one more year, you will have cared for him for as long as I did, and the year after that I will feel that he no longer "belongs" in any way to me. I'll still miss him!
ReplyDeleteC
Still "haven't" that is.
ReplyDeleteIn a way, Tetley "belongs" to those who care about him - therefore I think you will always be in the belonging club.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to stay in that club. Thankyou :-)
DeleteC