From being a total sweetheart on Monday, yesterday Ace was very tense and just would not walk quietly or trot properly. I have found over the years that I have learnt one good thing from every trainer who I have been to, even the ones I hated. I used to go to a girl who just repeated the same lesson every week. I didn't go to her for long, but one thing she said stayed with me. She said "if your horse is so tense one day that he will only stay rounded in a jog, then do the lesson in jog. So I did. Leg yield, shoulder in, circles, all nicely supple in jog. Finally he gave an eeeenormous sigh and said "actually, do you mind if I walk, I think it will be less effort". So we did. And he did a lovely walk and then some absolutely superb trot.
He was better than that today, but I still had to put him into an overbent frame to stop him setting on me and flicking up his head. He's just testing me at the moment to see how serious I am about wanting him to go forwards straight and stay soft. He finished on some lovely work.
Jazz went for a hack yesterday! He was even quite relaxed about it, for him. To my relief, his feet sounded like firecrackers hitting the road, they certainly don't seem to have lost any of their hardness with not doing road work over the winter.
Today we worked on flying changes again. He was so excited he was flinging them in here there and everywhere when I didn't want them. You did warn me Jean! "Straight" was a big issue. I gave up on trying to get them on the diagonal, and instead I insisted on him cantering the diagonals on the same leg, dead straight with his hocks under him. Then I turned him on the 15m line, parallel with the long side and straight away he gave me three 3-times in far less than the length of the arena. So he is getting balanced to do the first one quicker, and keeping collected in between. I had room for a fourth but I wasn't pushing my luck, the 3 he did were beeeeeyoutifull.
Jazz's trot is also changing. I can feel an enormous amount more suspension in each stride in just a working trot. He's ten this year and he has developed real strength. I love riding this level of work, it's a joy.
Radar did a strong hack this morning too. It was very atmospheric as the early morning fog burnt off in the rising sun, leaving a brilliant blue sky. Tonight while I was riding Jazz, twenty red deer came out into the early evening mist and that was lovely too.
C
Just laugh and enjoy the changes. Once his enthusiasm eases off a bit you'll be able to get them just when you ask. For now, you are going to have to be very steady with your seat and balance when you want him to keep the lead. But don't fuss if he flies the change anyhow. Just bring him back quietly and put him on the lead you want. He'll settle down soon.
ReplyDeleteBoth my PJ and Toby were/are so quick to the changes all I had to do was just shift my weight a little. Other riders who got and and could not stay quiet enough or balanced enough with their seats to "commit" to a lead would get all kinds of changes in all kinds of places trying to ride a simple canter.
Good strategy with Ace. He just needs to get rid of some extra energy sometimes, it seems.
What beautiful scenes to ride through. Some days just seem perfect that way.
I do love the deer Jean. Them, and the birds of prey - kestrels and buzzards mainly but we are getting red kite now too.
ReplyDeleteC