I'm so proud of my wonderful horse! We had a 3.5 hour hack yesterday with a friend and her horse, and Betty didn't put a hoof out of place - we had to go past Shetland ponies, goats, roadworks, a JCB(!!), cows, through enclosed spaces, next to a road with massive lorries (and idiot drivers) and when did she spook..?
...When a pigeon flapped out of a bush.
I am so so so proud of her though - it's the furthest we've been, the bravest we've been, and she even had to lead the older, more experienced and bombproof horse past the JCB. I think she's beginning to trust me at last - there were several moments when she hesitated, I nudged her on and she just went for it.
She powered round as well, ears pricked and keen to go, but came back every time I asked, and unbelievably there was not a drop of sweat on her when we got home. We walked a lot of the way, and I knew she was fairly fit, but expected her to warm up a bit!
I on the other hand, clearly need to improve my level of endurance... Despite new and fabulous saddle, my legs appeared to be locked in the astride position for quite some time after dismounting...
A well earned easy day in the field today for Madame I think. I'm riding a friend's horse for her this evening, so might get hubby to ride Bets out with us for a short gentle hack, but she definitely deserves an easy day!
Did I mention how proud I am of my superstar?
Friday, 18 March 2011
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Bending and Revelations
Two enlightening days :)
Had a lesson on Tuesday focusing on balance and bending using an exercise with 10m circles. I've avoided small circles with her so far, thinking I didn't want to push her too much in the bending department as she can be a bit plank-like and I don't like to unbalance her by asking too much. Well, with encouragement from most excellent instructor, we both managed the exercise with no problem whatsoever -
10m circle on left rein at H, change rein H to R
10m circle on right rein at B, change rein B to V
10m circle on left rein at K
Was super, really got her bending, steady, rhythmic - we did it in walk and trot, then had a lovely, bouncy, steady canter on a 20m circle. My plan is to be able to do the 10m circle exercise in canter, just trotting to change the rein - a goal for the next few weeks I think.
The other revelation involved lunging, the one thing we really have had no success with whatsoever! Well, turns out the answer was just to add another lunge line - I tried her with two lines, more like long-reining, and she was a different horse - listening to me, relaxing into an outline and working beautifully. Was dead pleased with her, I think we will attempt a few minutes lunging with the two lines once or twice a week as it's so helpful to be able to see from the ground what she's actually capable of.
Had a lesson on Tuesday focusing on balance and bending using an exercise with 10m circles. I've avoided small circles with her so far, thinking I didn't want to push her too much in the bending department as she can be a bit plank-like and I don't like to unbalance her by asking too much. Well, with encouragement from most excellent instructor, we both managed the exercise with no problem whatsoever -
10m circle on left rein at H, change rein H to R
10m circle on right rein at B, change rein B to V
10m circle on left rein at K
Was super, really got her bending, steady, rhythmic - we did it in walk and trot, then had a lovely, bouncy, steady canter on a 20m circle. My plan is to be able to do the 10m circle exercise in canter, just trotting to change the rein - a goal for the next few weeks I think.
The other revelation involved lunging, the one thing we really have had no success with whatsoever! Well, turns out the answer was just to add another lunge line - I tried her with two lines, more like long-reining, and she was a different horse - listening to me, relaxing into an outline and working beautifully. Was dead pleased with her, I think we will attempt a few minutes lunging with the two lines once or twice a week as it's so helpful to be able to see from the ground what she's actually capable of.
Monday, 21 February 2011
Spring...
...appears to be in the air!
Went to fetch the little darling in this afternoon to hack out with a couple of friends - it was highly entertaining.
If there is one thing my girl is not, it is hard to catch - I've never had to follow her even a couple of steps to get hold of her. Not so today!
Betty's guide to winding up Mum:
Step one: Stand in middle of mud-bath with head in giraffe-pose
Step two: Spot mum with headcollar and trot towards her
Step three: Decide small elderly pony standing near the gate is Far Too Scary to go past and bugger off in opposite direction.
Step four: Have stand-off with dominant mare, then gallop at Mum shouting at her to Save Me From the Vicious Standardbred. (At this point I flung the lead rope at the two mares charging towards me and retreated several paces)
Step five: Pretend to give up and resume giraffe-stance in middle of mud-bath.
Repeat several times until bored of game.
Eventually got hold of the flippin mare (she stood like butter wouldn't melt as soon as I actually got close enough to get the headcollar on), and she dragged me through the gate, charged up the lane and proceeded to stomp all over the yard, knocking over hoof oil and snapping a mane comb until I relented and gave her a hay net, at which point she suddenly became sweetness and light.
So got her semi-clean and tacked up with aid of Magic Haynet, and set off on hack. In fairness, she was really good considering her general demeanor, but we had some silly spooks at stuff she passed yesterday without blinking, and lots of jogging sideways on the way home! I dread to think what would have happened if we'd gone on our own...
Arrived home rather wet but intact, whereupon Madame decides that waiting for her tea is not acceptable, unties herself (the only time I forget to thread the lead rope back on itself!) and scoffs my friend's horse's bucketful before anyone's spotted her wanderings. Thankfully it was only the same as she'd have had anyway, and I couldn't stop myself from laughing at her cheek. She's normally so well mannered, but I think she'd had a brain transplant tonight.
Anyway, she won me round in the end by coming to say goodbye and nuzzling into my chest, then she stood for ages submitting to kisses and general fuss, and really did look a bit upset when I had to leave her. Love her, even when she is being a twit!
Went to fetch the little darling in this afternoon to hack out with a couple of friends - it was highly entertaining.
If there is one thing my girl is not, it is hard to catch - I've never had to follow her even a couple of steps to get hold of her. Not so today!
Betty's guide to winding up Mum:
Step one: Stand in middle of mud-bath with head in giraffe-pose
Step two: Spot mum with headcollar and trot towards her
Step three: Decide small elderly pony standing near the gate is Far Too Scary to go past and bugger off in opposite direction.
Step four: Have stand-off with dominant mare, then gallop at Mum shouting at her to Save Me From the Vicious Standardbred. (At this point I flung the lead rope at the two mares charging towards me and retreated several paces)
Step five: Pretend to give up and resume giraffe-stance in middle of mud-bath.
Repeat several times until bored of game.
Eventually got hold of the flippin mare (she stood like butter wouldn't melt as soon as I actually got close enough to get the headcollar on), and she dragged me through the gate, charged up the lane and proceeded to stomp all over the yard, knocking over hoof oil and snapping a mane comb until I relented and gave her a hay net, at which point she suddenly became sweetness and light.
So got her semi-clean and tacked up with aid of Magic Haynet, and set off on hack. In fairness, she was really good considering her general demeanor, but we had some silly spooks at stuff she passed yesterday without blinking, and lots of jogging sideways on the way home! I dread to think what would have happened if we'd gone on our own...
Arrived home rather wet but intact, whereupon Madame decides that waiting for her tea is not acceptable, unties herself (the only time I forget to thread the lead rope back on itself!) and scoffs my friend's horse's bucketful before anyone's spotted her wanderings. Thankfully it was only the same as she'd have had anyway, and I couldn't stop myself from laughing at her cheek. She's normally so well mannered, but I think she'd had a brain transplant tonight.
Anyway, she won me round in the end by coming to say goodbye and nuzzling into my chest, then she stood for ages submitting to kisses and general fuss, and really did look a bit upset when I had to leave her. Love her, even when she is being a twit!
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Progress!
Ah, I have such a fab little horse!
Lesson on Tuesday night was amazing - we're working on balance and steadiness in canter especially at the moment, and my instructor had us doing a brilliant polework exercise - simple but effective :)
Four poles laid out in a cross shape, one at E, at right-angles to the track, and one opposite at B, then two along the centre line, leaving a gap in the middle that you could squeeze a small circle into. The exercise (started in trot) was to ride round the outside of the poles in approximately a 20m circle, then bring the circle smaller into the middle of the poles, and then come into the centre and ride a tiny circle within the four poles.
Well Bets absolutely loved it - dragged me over to the poles and really picked her hooves up over them, all flicky toes and pointed ears! It really helped when we did it in canter as well, as she started to think about where her feet were going, and steadied up really well. I was able to sit up and not get dragged forward and it really did feel like we clicked.
She even offered to drop onto the bit a couple of times in canter - we have a pretty consistent outline in walk and trot now, but she normally gets very flat and hollow as she speeds up. This time we had a few strides of her working nicely and rounding, and when I hopped on for a few minutes yesterday she did the same without the poles too - finally feel like we're starting to crack it!
Lunge session is the plan for today, the one thing she really is terrible at! We're persevering though :p
Lesson on Tuesday night was amazing - we're working on balance and steadiness in canter especially at the moment, and my instructor had us doing a brilliant polework exercise - simple but effective :)
Four poles laid out in a cross shape, one at E, at right-angles to the track, and one opposite at B, then two along the centre line, leaving a gap in the middle that you could squeeze a small circle into. The exercise (started in trot) was to ride round the outside of the poles in approximately a 20m circle, then bring the circle smaller into the middle of the poles, and then come into the centre and ride a tiny circle within the four poles.
Well Bets absolutely loved it - dragged me over to the poles and really picked her hooves up over them, all flicky toes and pointed ears! It really helped when we did it in canter as well, as she started to think about where her feet were going, and steadied up really well. I was able to sit up and not get dragged forward and it really did feel like we clicked.
She even offered to drop onto the bit a couple of times in canter - we have a pretty consistent outline in walk and trot now, but she normally gets very flat and hollow as she speeds up. This time we had a few strides of her working nicely and rounding, and when I hopped on for a few minutes yesterday she did the same without the poles too - finally feel like we're starting to crack it!
Lunge session is the plan for today, the one thing she really is terrible at! We're persevering though :p
Monday, 14 February 2011
Introducing Madam...
Meet Betty :)
We've been together six months, and she's come on in such strides that I thought it would be good to steal some bright people's ideas and start a progress diary.
As some background, Betty came to me as a not-quite-six year old, rather green but totally willing horse, and we've been working hard on building a trusting relationship, and getting her schooling going in earnest. She tries so hard, but we've still quite a long way to go with balance/confidence etc.
She now works consistently in an outline in walk and trot, and has just mastered the art of cantering on the right leg on both reins(!)
We're veeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrryyyyyyy slowly learning to jump, but being not the most confident of jumpers (either of us!) it's a case of slow and steady on this in particular.
Goals for the next few months...
- Get her cantering STEADILY and in a rounder shape, rather than hollow in llama pose at 100 mph
- Add a little height and a significant amount of style to our jumps...
- Learn to cope with hacking alone for short distances - currently she's very nervy and will spin and rear and charge for home at the slightest provocation - an angel in company though!
- Sort out my position and aim for quiet consistency, especially in the leg - it's getting better but I am very easily unbalanced
- Score some reasonable marks in prelim dressage tests
- Continue to build trust and confidence in one another
Today was a bit of a fun easy day, as we just went for a short hack (with a fabulous gallop!) with a friend and her horse, so I guess a bit of work towards the trust goal and not much else!
Lesson tomorrow, so hoping for some specifics to work on for the next few days at least.
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