We had the dentist this morning. They were both a bit wriggly, but Bob is quiet and patient and he just carried on with the job. Ace had not been done since just before I bought him, so technically was "overdue" but there was nothing serious to take off. Radar was done last year and he finally had some growth on the bottom ones, following a vet who absolutely scalped his bottom teeth while he was sedated for the removal of his wolf teeth THREE YEARS ago! I made a resolution at the time never to use a dentist who uses power tools as routine again. It's far too easy to do too much with a Dremel in your hands :-(
This afternoon I rode. I put Radar slightly overbent on the right length of rein, kept my hands still and flicked him up into the contact every time he tried to raise his head. If he tried to speed up, he hit the end of the rein, I just sat there. He got the idea and did some very nice slow walk on each rein. I had a trot, same idea, slightly overbent. A few times I also had to flex him laterally to stop him setting on the bit, but we had a nice slow trot circuit on each rein. Then I went back to establish the walk again, same rules as before. Having trotted, he was a lot more ornery about the walk this time and tried a few serious evasions napping to the stables, but he submitted after a while and we got the same nice, relaxed, slow, walk. I daresay it won't work tomorrow :-)
I have added him to the physio visit on Monday week. It will be interesting to see what she says , because when I got him he was the most one-sided horse I had ever sat on. I have got him straighter and straighter over the 3 years he's been ridden, and I'll be interested in her comments.
I have reached a milestone with Ace. I'm no longer afraid of him, I've finally banished the spectre of Smartie. He's spooky and sharp and can buck and spin, but I don't care any more. He tried it again today because of a spot of rain but I just ignore it. If he's really naughty he gets a slap, but otherwise it's not worth the effort :-)
He wasn't putting his back into his work today, so I have had to send him on into the bridle and I also did lots and lots of transitions to free him up. His walk to canter is really very nice, and all the others are improving the more we do of them. I have entered fot P7 and N24 on Wednesday, his first novice test. I am looking forward to it.
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Those teeth are so important. Glad you got them done.
ReplyDeleteGood work with Radar, as ever. I hope you will look back on these posts with a smile a few months from now when you go out and get a good ride right from the start. *G*
As for Ace--a milestone. He does sound like a basically good boy with an adjustable attitude. I too am looking forward to the results of your next tests. He should do quite well if he just "does his thing."
That's another milestone I have achieved this year Jean, the ability to just sit and let a horse "do his thing" in the competition arena. Of course it helps enormously when the horse that you are on has a "his thing" that is so exactly what the judge wants to see :-)
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