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.
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