Saturday: My coach was at a show all weekend (great results, all 1st and 2nd) so we didn't get a lesson :'( Too bad, but we had a much better ride! Only minor pissy mare stuff. I desided to essentially ignore the post-canter trot work. We'll focus more on the trot once the canter is all there. Her right canter was quite good. Relatively balanced, on the contact for parts of it, and bending a bit. No rushiness either. Her left was a bit better. Gnawing and gnashing of teeth if any attempt to keep her on the contact was made, but she was more balanced and not quite as rushy as the previous ride. We went straight to walk from the canter.... other way around. Straight from Canter to walk, which is what we were doign before. Then she backs off after the canter and she can be pushed foreward into a nice trot. This takes time though, and it sort of sucks to re-do since she was fine with it. Baby steps, baby steps. Under 1/2h.
From March, I believe
Sunday: Started off with a hack w some other horses for the first time. Went intothe forest past the evil wood pile (not on te first attempt, but we made it) and walked calmly past some other evil wood piles. We then went into the arena for some w/t/c. Actually, we went into the round pen and spiraled in and out on a circle at the trot, then moved to the arena. Much better ride! Sat was good, but Sun was great. Some frame and balance (and a lot less rush) for the left lead canter! Yay!!!
Monday: off
Tuesday: Great ride today! Controlled canter with (inconsistent) frame/on the contact. Bending both directions, and no real rushing down the long sides. Nice and soft and light in her trot work, something that had been amiss for the previous rides. Alright trot post-canter, not truly on the contact/working over her back. Good freewalk, and OK trot stretch. Too rushy, and not enough stretch IMO. Went for a hack past the scary wood pile (s) which she HATED. Eventually got her past it. Got off and walked her up to the biggest one. She wasnervous, but followed me willingly without hesitation. We went into the indoor and worked on some tests. Pissy after the canter, so we did some canter transitions. Really good up ones, and pretty good down. I was happy, so we called it quits. The test itself sucked, but the work after was good.
Sounds like she is coming along absoloutly lovely. My big TB has that same knashing the bit and chomping problem that you mentioned she has ;) Just curious? Does it annoy you? Lol
ReplyDeleteShe doesn't do it very often. It's a tension/submission issue, and once she relaxes it's done. I prefer this to bucking/rearing/bolting/grinding and I'm pretty confident that she'll grow out of it once she builds up some more muscle and finds the canter work a bit easier (and a little less exciting!). It can be a little annoying, but no it doesn't really bother me much. That said, if it keeps going on long term that opinion might change ;)
ReplyDelete"the evil wood pile" LOL The smartest thing you did was let her smell it. She will be ignoring them soon enough, I'm sure.
ReplyDelete