I was so excited yesterday but I didn't want to overshadow the picture of Willow by posting twice in one day.
JAZZ HAS TEMPIS!!!
He did several runs of three changes in 40 metres, either on 3 strides or 4, depending when he felt ready. We did the 3's because he was desperate to do them for me and was going to change whether I asked him to or not, and right at the moment, it's more important to me that he does them when he is having fun than that we get the accuracy of waiting for 4 strides.
It took a little while to set him up for them, with some canter walk transitions, but then he suddenly understood and was keen as mustard. Like the extended trot, he can't get his head around doing them on the diagonal, but we are 10 metres away from the side boards, so he is balancing himself and it will only be a matter of time before he understands the diagonal and can do four or five in the longer distance.
What a clever boy!
I schooled Ace too and apart from one mad moment when he spooked and then set off bucking, he was very good and his transitions are improving.
This afternoon I forced myself to school Radar after a day at work and he was really very good (for him :-) His trot and canter work was the best he has ever done, in terms of rythm and self-balance, and although he did still try to run away and fling himself around a bit, he has definitely improved!
I am telling myself that I cannot necessarily expect Jazz to produce tempis again next time we try, but we are on our way now :-)
C.
Wow, very clever. Have you done all this on your own? I lost track of whether you got another suitable trainer on board.
ReplyDeleteI've been getting my horses used to working in the new dressage saddle, and I'm having to learn how to sit on bigger moving horses!!! Eeeek. They love it, I'm getting there :D Forward and light they both are though, and that's a delight.
Tracey B
I couldn't find another trainer who would make the allowances for Jazz that need to be made Tracey. They wanted a perfect 20 metre circle before he would be allowed to do anything else and you can wait until the cows come home for that from Jazz in a strange arena. He is better by far mentally when challenged physically by his work.
ReplyDeleteSo yes, I did it on my own. And what's more, he's the first horse that I have ever ridden a flying change on at all, never mind a tempi! But we understand each other and he is a very big moving horse, on whom you can feel each leg underneath you, so I found it relatively easy to take it a step at a time. It's taken, what, 2 years or a bit more, but it's been a great experience.
I'm pretty certain now that in another year or so he will have one-times, and my lifetime ambition will be fulfilled!
I am going to find a trainer for Ace this spring, but Jazz will probably never go to a trainer again unless Sonia, who understands him, moves back home to her parents. Far be it from me to wish for her new marriage to break down, though!
C.
He'll have them tomorrow and the day after!! It's just a matter now of trying to get him to wait for you to cue him so you get the right number of strides. He might be excited about discovering the new adventure and start offering them all over the place, so just be patient and know that he's trying.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy for you! You've worked hard for this and waited so long. But now that you've done it with Jazz, Ace will be a lot easier when the time comes.
Dressage can actually be fun! I'm glad you have discovered the magic beneath the surface. I think, perhaps, that was Jazz's ultimate mission in life. What a great boy he has turned out to be.
And, I totally understand the horse that needs a challenge. Toby was that way, and so it Tucker. Repeating the same exercises over and over until they're perfect breeds boredom in the clever, keen horse. You are right to challenge Jazz to the "new stuff." Just enjoy, and don't be afraid to experiment.
Jazz is very odd Jean. I can repeat an exercise forever, but it has to be one that he is physically stretched by, otherwise he just won't play nice :-)
DeleteC
Wow! You must be in seventh heaven tonight. Although I have only done a few and mostly by mistake I am imagining the rhythm as I sit here typing.
ReplyDeleteI'm still up there two days later ML :-)
DeleteC