I got up early and rode Ace before it got too hot. I reckon it is probably four years since I have written a sentence like that in my blog.
He was naughty and bucked soon after I had got on but I stopped him OK and put him to work. He was as spooky as yesterday at the blue barrels but he did respond more easily to the discipline. I did the walk trot exercise, exactly to the markers I had chosen, and it is beginning to focus his mind away from spooking. I was not happy with him though, he's far too feisty still for me to feel safe on him and I am back to riding in an air jacket.
On the other hand, this time last year I recollect being unable to manage him at all unless I had him in draw reins, so I suppose we must count that as an improvement!
Then I went on to figures of eight in trot, making him stay front of me and on the bit in the change of direction. He reisisted at first and then did it well. We finished on some canter circles which were very nicely balanced and rhythmic.
He did frighten me to start with today, and I need that situation to change. It is not fun to get on each day wondering if you are going to complete the session without hitting the floor.
We'll try for a bit more discipline again tomorrow, I think he is beginning to get the message that he cannot just choose what he is and is not going to go past without losing his cool.
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First half 3/10
Second half 5/10
Would some lungeing at first help at all? How about some other ground work to focus him?
ReplyDeleteI am totally sympathetic as I've been there more than once with Tucker. It's just no fun riding a horse that scares you.
The best thing I did was send Tucker off for a month with Kenny Harlow. It was a good "boot camp" for a problem horse. While it was not a 100% cure--I still had not dealt with the ulcers--he was SO much better when he came back. I'm thinking that rather than a dressage trainer, you might find a trainer who deals with problem horses, working to fix that rather than do the dressage work.
I'm not sure who might be available in your area, but it might be worth a search. We also have a guy around here who trains police horses and runs "despooking" clinics. Someone like that?
Ace is such a nice horse physically. It would be, I think, worth it to get a good evaluation of his temperament from someone used to dealing with problem horses to see what needs to be done.
Sending hugs for a better score next time out.
I always used to be that person who sorted problem horses Jean. I don't seem to have the knack with this one :-)
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at least he can't have been complaining about his back needing warming up!
ReplyDeleteYou're not wrong there!
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Here I am preparing for tomorrow's tutoring so don't have time to really respond but I was going to say what Claire did, that today's misbehavior was not caused by a cold back.
ReplyDeleteHot here too! Thankfully it's not humid so I can ride and exercise in the mornings.
No, he was too hot if anything 'M
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Friend having exactly the same thing atm. Trying to decide if the Devil you know is better than the unknown!
ReplyDeleteOh for a nice, straightforward horse that you can drag out of the field and go for a ride/school/competition - but they aren't the brilliant performers who seem to need that something extra, or extra quirk!
It is definitely nice to be riding early in the present weather. A nice smug feeling as well!
There's a lot to be said for the devil you know in horse ownership, isn't there Judith?
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