Thursday, 10 February 2011
Ahem...we are still alive!
Oh dear
I really was bad at keeping the blog up at the end of last year...good intentions and all that!!
For anyone that's interested in an update the following photo's and video are from Bally's last ride in 2010. She' started her last baby holiday in November but a sunny Saturday and chance of a freebie lesson with a photographer and handy videoer in attendance meant she was dragged out of the field for one last ride.
Very pleased with where we got to, lots to work on this year, but I have to say that working with her has been hugely rewarding!
Sad news that as I was looking to bring her back into work this year she has picked up an injury to her left hind leg - not sure what as yet due to a lot of swelling and Bally being a big baby and being ouchy to touch from hock to hoof. We're keeping fingers crossed it's just a knock and with hot / cold therapy, pressure bandaging and restricted movement she'll be right as rain in no time
- I wanna ride her again!!
Monday, 20 September 2010
Pilgrim's Progress 19.07.10
Had a good session yesterday, did what will be our regular Sunday hike up the road to the school, the mile and a half (currently in hand) is a great way to warm her up, prepare for the fact that we have a schooling session and keeps me fitter!
Loads and loads of cars out as the gardens at the big house were open so good traffic training on the way ...all ignored completely!
Got to the school and discovered all of the C end under water with the sprinkers on full whack...cue much eye popping and snorting, but I lead her down and we walked around for a few minutes just out of reach so she could see and hear the sprinkler but wasn't going to get an impromptu soaking! I find that If I remain completely workmanlike and ignore stuff she's generally picking up and that and taking confidence from it :-)
She was much better about the mounting block this time, but she's still not happy about it - odd when she's so good every where else :-$
Anyway hopped on and B was very forwards so popped her straight up into trot and worked on big shapes - changing the rein, serpentines and big circles. Have to watch her escaping out of her right shoulder!
Only had a few minor steering failures and some wibbly long sides...but discovered that she responds far better to a leg aid on the girth to straighten, than taking my leg back to move her quarters...it was quite a dramatic difference! I could also use the same aid to ask for a couple of steps of leg yield back to the track. To change the aid for a turn around the inside leg I deepen and lengthen my leg with a defininite rock forwards of my inner seatbone
Again I have to be very mindful of using my legs evenly in transitions - a couple of times B reacted to my stronger right leg and skewed off to the left. But we didn't have any pawing, when I asked for halt that was what I got!
I'm have a major wibble about contact though. I'm very conscious of keeping my arms connected to my body and keeping elbows and wrists loose and moving with her to let her take it forwards, but she doesn't - at the minute we're getting some nice moments, but there's a lot of fussing / head moving and it's very hard to reward the good moments as they are followed by a curl or her head going up. I know it's a balance issue on her part....but I wonder if by always following her movement I'm not being constant and offering enough of a steady contact to reach into, so it's a vicious circle of wobbliness...does that make sense?
Don't get me wrong I'm not asking for any kind of outline, just for her to stay between my hand and leg as quietly as she can at this stage and to take a stretch down to release her back when asked
Becky E is coming down to give us a couple of short lessons, so hopefully she can give me some pointers.
Thought we'd finish off by just asking for a hop up into canter from trot on each rein to see what we got and although she ran into it a little (note to self...do not drop the contact forwards!!!) she gave me a lovely steady few strides with a correct strike off both times and nicely back down :-D Until she's stronger that's pretty much all I'll be asking of her in the school. The majority of any ridden canter work will be out hacking.
Walked her off and stood her over by the mounting block whilst I had a drink and she stood like a lamb bless her!
The we hacked back down the road and she was good...another wibble at the same gateway as last week, but she let me pop her quarters back in and walked past without much of a fuss.
All in all really pleased with her progress, but really looking forward to a lesson so I can check we're on the right track!!
Loads and loads of cars out as the gardens at the big house were open so good traffic training on the way ...all ignored completely!
Got to the school and discovered all of the C end under water with the sprinkers on full whack...cue much eye popping and snorting, but I lead her down and we walked around for a few minutes just out of reach so she could see and hear the sprinkler but wasn't going to get an impromptu soaking! I find that If I remain completely workmanlike and ignore stuff she's generally picking up and that and taking confidence from it :-)
She was much better about the mounting block this time, but she's still not happy about it - odd when she's so good every where else :-$
Anyway hopped on and B was very forwards so popped her straight up into trot and worked on big shapes - changing the rein, serpentines and big circles. Have to watch her escaping out of her right shoulder!
Only had a few minor steering failures and some wibbly long sides...but discovered that she responds far better to a leg aid on the girth to straighten, than taking my leg back to move her quarters...it was quite a dramatic difference! I could also use the same aid to ask for a couple of steps of leg yield back to the track. To change the aid for a turn around the inside leg I deepen and lengthen my leg with a defininite rock forwards of my inner seatbone
Again I have to be very mindful of using my legs evenly in transitions - a couple of times B reacted to my stronger right leg and skewed off to the left. But we didn't have any pawing, when I asked for halt that was what I got!
I'm have a major wibble about contact though. I'm very conscious of keeping my arms connected to my body and keeping elbows and wrists loose and moving with her to let her take it forwards, but she doesn't - at the minute we're getting some nice moments, but there's a lot of fussing / head moving and it's very hard to reward the good moments as they are followed by a curl or her head going up. I know it's a balance issue on her part....but I wonder if by always following her movement I'm not being constant and offering enough of a steady contact to reach into, so it's a vicious circle of wobbliness...does that make sense?
Don't get me wrong I'm not asking for any kind of outline, just for her to stay between my hand and leg as quietly as she can at this stage and to take a stretch down to release her back when asked
Becky E is coming down to give us a couple of short lessons, so hopefully she can give me some pointers.
Thought we'd finish off by just asking for a hop up into canter from trot on each rein to see what we got and although she ran into it a little (note to self...do not drop the contact forwards!!!) she gave me a lovely steady few strides with a correct strike off both times and nicely back down :-D Until she's stronger that's pretty much all I'll be asking of her in the school. The majority of any ridden canter work will be out hacking.
Walked her off and stood her over by the mounting block whilst I had a drink and she stood like a lamb bless her!
The we hacked back down the road and she was good...another wibble at the same gateway as last week, but she let me pop her quarters back in and walked past without much of a fuss.
All in all really pleased with her progress, but really looking forward to a lesson so I can check we're on the right track!!
Hacked Off 16.07.10
Well we went out hacking completely solo yesterday (in a howling gale again lol!!)
I did the first 15 minutes just hand walking with her, up the lane, past the scary fishing lakes and then got on her from a random fence as we turned onto the cricketfield bridleway (have treeless will mount from anything I can stand on...or get horse to stand in!)
Bally was nicely forwards and although a little looky at things she wasn't overly spooky which was great considering we hadn't been down that particular bridleway before
Had a lovely trot and she came back nicely without any bother, then we got slightly lost and ended up in a lightly harrowed bit that used to be a pathway...and had a lovely lovely canter along the edge where the ground was softest.
Ended up in a bit of a dead end and had to turn back and sadly when we got back onto the bridleway and headed for home Bally blotted her copybook a bit!
She tried to jog off so I halted her with my seat, asked for walk on...jog...halt...sideways evasion.... HALT with neck rope and seat...walk on..jog. HALT..foot throwing, re-applied halt aids and ooops up she went :-o
Cracked her once on the backside to get her forward as I simply will not tolerate that antsy tantrum behaviour then asked her to halt again. This went on for about ten minutes and it was extremely hard not to to be tempted in to take a pull on the reins and just keep my halt from body into a steady hand, although we did have a one rein circle at one stage as she was flinging her head at me and bouncing up again :-$
It was a bit of a battle of wills and I'm actually quite chuffed that I stuck to my guns, remained calm and just repeated my halt, walk on, halts everytime she did anything other than what I was asking for and didn't let her get to me...her frustration was understandable but not acceptable and I just wasn't going to get into an escalating fight about it
It worked thank goodness and she gracefully walked on, accepted a couple more walk, halt, walk transitions (with much less aiding applied) calmly and so on we pootled.
Stayed on her and rode onto the lane and presented her with the challenge of walking up the lane between the scary lakes, past a car disgorging a couple of excited children feeding the ducks.
She stopped and baulked a little and I let her have a breather and take it in then asked her to walk on, then trot past and she did, nicely straight no spooking what a good girl!!! YAY
Back onto our little lane and I let her take the rein a little longer, then hopped off half way down so we in hand walked the last five minutes to let her have a wind down.
So a good ride despite the shenanigans, nice to know that we can deal with them and move on as I'm sure there'll be plenty more!
I did the first 15 minutes just hand walking with her, up the lane, past the scary fishing lakes and then got on her from a random fence as we turned onto the cricketfield bridleway (have treeless will mount from anything I can stand on...or get horse to stand in!)
Bally was nicely forwards and although a little looky at things she wasn't overly spooky which was great considering we hadn't been down that particular bridleway before
Had a lovely trot and she came back nicely without any bother, then we got slightly lost and ended up in a lightly harrowed bit that used to be a pathway...and had a lovely lovely canter along the edge where the ground was softest.
Ended up in a bit of a dead end and had to turn back and sadly when we got back onto the bridleway and headed for home Bally blotted her copybook a bit!
She tried to jog off so I halted her with my seat, asked for walk on...jog...halt...sideways evasion.... HALT with neck rope and seat...walk on..jog. HALT..foot throwing, re-applied halt aids and ooops up she went :-o
Cracked her once on the backside to get her forward as I simply will not tolerate that antsy tantrum behaviour then asked her to halt again. This went on for about ten minutes and it was extremely hard not to to be tempted in to take a pull on the reins and just keep my halt from body into a steady hand, although we did have a one rein circle at one stage as she was flinging her head at me and bouncing up again :-$
It was a bit of a battle of wills and I'm actually quite chuffed that I stuck to my guns, remained calm and just repeated my halt, walk on, halts everytime she did anything other than what I was asking for and didn't let her get to me...her frustration was understandable but not acceptable and I just wasn't going to get into an escalating fight about it
It worked thank goodness and she gracefully walked on, accepted a couple more walk, halt, walk transitions (with much less aiding applied) calmly and so on we pootled.
Stayed on her and rode onto the lane and presented her with the challenge of walking up the lane between the scary lakes, past a car disgorging a couple of excited children feeding the ducks.
She stopped and baulked a little and I let her have a breather and take it in then asked her to walk on, then trot past and she did, nicely straight no spooking what a good girl!!! YAY
Back onto our little lane and I let her take the rein a little longer, then hopped off half way down so we in hand walked the last five minutes to let her have a wind down.
So a good ride despite the shenanigans, nice to know that we can deal with them and move on as I'm sure there'll be plenty more!
Little schooling session 14.07.10
Really nice short ridden session last night. Just in the corral but with saddle and bridle (and hat if hubby is reading!) I used the drop noseband (no headcollar) and B was happy in her mouth, nicely mouthing and steady.
Started with a bit of flexion work ....or boot nibbling if we get a good side stretch lol then on just to work in walk at me getting my positioning, seat and aiding clear so B can respond easily and correctly - aiming for softness.
I think we worked really well. B is now starting to reach for the bit and take it forwards so long I'm asking from my leg and keeping a strong flexible core. It's blatantly obvious when that strong core becomes a tense leg or seat though as Bally just grinds to a halt underneath me (oops!)
Much better turns and circles last night with the occasional flash of harmony as I got the aiding spot on and we glided around on just a seat aid!
We worked on getting good square halts without any sideways wibbling and she got it best if I concentrate on remaining central, straight and even when I put my legs on....then I lighten my seat and bingo up she steps beautifully square :-D
So what did we learn...well I cannot get away with any sloppy riding for a start lol!! and if I'm clear in my body and mind what we want...we generally get...hey she's bright that girl
Started with a bit of flexion work ....or boot nibbling if we get a good side stretch lol then on just to work in walk at me getting my positioning, seat and aiding clear so B can respond easily and correctly - aiming for softness.
I think we worked really well. B is now starting to reach for the bit and take it forwards so long I'm asking from my leg and keeping a strong flexible core. It's blatantly obvious when that strong core becomes a tense leg or seat though as Bally just grinds to a halt underneath me (oops!)
Much better turns and circles last night with the occasional flash of harmony as I got the aiding spot on and we glided around on just a seat aid!
We worked on getting good square halts without any sideways wibbling and she got it best if I concentrate on remaining central, straight and even when I put my legs on....then I lighten my seat and bingo up she steps beautifully square :-D
So what did we learn...well I cannot get away with any sloppy riding for a start lol!! and if I'm clear in my body and mind what we want...we generally get...hey she's bright that girl
Proper schooling 12.7.10
It's been far too hot to subject the pair of us to a three mile round walk, plus schooling time but it was much nicer and breezier yesterday afternoon so we trundled off up the road for a session.
B was in a lovely mood and nicely marched out with me as we made our way up the lane (on foot at this stage) I'd gone back bridle and headcollar with reins attached to both for stability and B was happy with this arrangement.
Met Gi on his bicycle and B was happy to walk along with the bike at her side which bodes well for bigger hacks out.
Got to the school and she had a bit of a hissy at the mounting block. Odd as she stands pefectly happily next to fences and gates for me to plonk myself on from. She was a bit rude at one point and kicked out at the whip as I asked her move her quarters over from the ground as she'd swung away from the block as I stepped on it, so she got growled at!
After a bit of groundwork I got her where she should be and she stood nicely so I could get on :-D
Interesting session, I rode for about 20 minutes in all doing nice big shapes to change direction and bend and getting transitions on markers. We still had some banana issues, but had more success asking for a little flexion, then straight and repeating.
There was little issue at the top end of the school with birds flapping in the hedge and initially B was a bit tense and spooky up there, but I worked on ignoring it completely and B was able to take a lead from that
Bally was super in her mouth, no signs of irritability or discomfort at all so I do think it's a support issue and that a drop is going to the best place to start, then try a different bit if that doesn't suit.
She was also very nicely off my leg with good crisp transitions. One halt was a bit of a disaster and was down to me not being straight...I sat up and closed my legs on and suddenly found myself leg yielding across the school :-o
I wasn't 100% happy with her trot work, we seemed to veer between a rushed choppy trot and a slug impression as Bally struggled to find her balance within the pace. So I worked on getting her forward, then introducing the idea of using my seat to slow and lengthen and gave her a longer rein to reach forward to. Had a couple of nice circles with a much better rythmn.
Stopped there as pleased with how well Bally had worked and hacked her back all the way down to the field with Gi following on the bike to keep an eye on us
Had one moment of uh-oh as she took a bit of an exception to a driveway and crabbed sideways bum out into the lane. I turned her around and walked her back to it where she had a bit of a dither and I just sat until she relaxed then asked her to walk on and she did YAY!!
I felt her tense right up as we approached the big house as they were having a rather noisy game of tennis behind the hedge, but again just gave B a scratch and vocal reassurance and she walked past no bother, clever girly!!
Best bit of all, we had a little trot on the big raised verge on the little lane, I gave her an extra nudge and we had our first canter :-D
It was as lovely as I thought it would be, only a few strides, but she came back immediately when asked and she was beautifully light and balanced which bodes well for the future!!
B was in a lovely mood and nicely marched out with me as we made our way up the lane (on foot at this stage) I'd gone back bridle and headcollar with reins attached to both for stability and B was happy with this arrangement.
Met Gi on his bicycle and B was happy to walk along with the bike at her side which bodes well for bigger hacks out.
Got to the school and she had a bit of a hissy at the mounting block. Odd as she stands pefectly happily next to fences and gates for me to plonk myself on from. She was a bit rude at one point and kicked out at the whip as I asked her move her quarters over from the ground as she'd swung away from the block as I stepped on it, so she got growled at!
After a bit of groundwork I got her where she should be and she stood nicely so I could get on :-D
Interesting session, I rode for about 20 minutes in all doing nice big shapes to change direction and bend and getting transitions on markers. We still had some banana issues, but had more success asking for a little flexion, then straight and repeating.
There was little issue at the top end of the school with birds flapping in the hedge and initially B was a bit tense and spooky up there, but I worked on ignoring it completely and B was able to take a lead from that
Bally was super in her mouth, no signs of irritability or discomfort at all so I do think it's a support issue and that a drop is going to the best place to start, then try a different bit if that doesn't suit.
She was also very nicely off my leg with good crisp transitions. One halt was a bit of a disaster and was down to me not being straight...I sat up and closed my legs on and suddenly found myself leg yielding across the school :-o
I wasn't 100% happy with her trot work, we seemed to veer between a rushed choppy trot and a slug impression as Bally struggled to find her balance within the pace. So I worked on getting her forward, then introducing the idea of using my seat to slow and lengthen and gave her a longer rein to reach forward to. Had a couple of nice circles with a much better rythmn.
Stopped there as pleased with how well Bally had worked and hacked her back all the way down to the field with Gi following on the bike to keep an eye on us
Had one moment of uh-oh as she took a bit of an exception to a driveway and crabbed sideways bum out into the lane. I turned her around and walked her back to it where she had a bit of a dither and I just sat until she relaxed then asked her to walk on and she did YAY!!
I felt her tense right up as we approached the big house as they were having a rather noisy game of tennis behind the hedge, but again just gave B a scratch and vocal reassurance and she walked past no bother, clever girly!!
Best bit of all, we had a little trot on the big raised verge on the little lane, I gave her an extra nudge and we had our first canter :-D
It was as lovely as I thought it would be, only a few strides, but she came back immediately when asked and she was beautifully light and balanced which bodes well for the future!!
In-Handy Stuff 07.07.10 pt 2
Repeated similar work last night but altered the height of the bit in her mouth first..actually put it UP and popped my drop noseband on her, loose in case she is sore and so that she can still mouth (able to get three fingers under easily, but adjusted so that it could give a small amount of support to the bit.
Came to the conclusion that Bally really objects to me working her inhand directly from the bit but is much happier if I put myself further back and hold the reins as if I'm riding...and is even happier on longlines. If I was being really hamfisted I'd have thought it would be the other way round??
Anyway she was steadier in her mouth, not great, but nothing like as irritated as she was before, so a small step in the right direction.
Walked her up to the corral and popped on her again. Did a little work on reinback from a legs back / lighten seat aid accompanied by the verbal clunk I use on the ground and lot's of praise when she moved her weight back
She got it straight away :-D
Then we just did five minutes of working on walking straight with halt transtions added, trying to keep her channelled straight throughout.B was much better with her mouth and head ridden, I just tried to keep a soft elastic even contact and she took it forwards and was settled by it. I'm obviously doing something seriously wrong inhand!
We ground to a halt a couple of times as I got grippy with my thighs, entirely my fault and good in a way because at least I know my holding aid to step up into halt works.
I'll walk her up to the school tomorrow night to see how we get on on a nice surface rather than rutty potholed grass....I'm hoping I'll be even more pleasantly surprised by her.
She's such a lovely willing calm girl who really seems to be enjoying her work, but I worry she's not thinking forwards enough which is imperative at this stage, so lot's more hacking out on the cards
Came to the conclusion that Bally really objects to me working her inhand directly from the bit but is much happier if I put myself further back and hold the reins as if I'm riding...and is even happier on longlines. If I was being really hamfisted I'd have thought it would be the other way round??
Anyway she was steadier in her mouth, not great, but nothing like as irritated as she was before, so a small step in the right direction.
Walked her up to the corral and popped on her again. Did a little work on reinback from a legs back / lighten seat aid accompanied by the verbal clunk I use on the ground and lot's of praise when she moved her weight back
She got it straight away :-D
Then we just did five minutes of working on walking straight with halt transtions added, trying to keep her channelled straight throughout.B was much better with her mouth and head ridden, I just tried to keep a soft elastic even contact and she took it forwards and was settled by it. I'm obviously doing something seriously wrong inhand!
We ground to a halt a couple of times as I got grippy with my thighs, entirely my fault and good in a way because at least I know my holding aid to step up into halt works.
I'll walk her up to the school tomorrow night to see how we get on on a nice surface rather than rutty potholed grass....I'm hoping I'll be even more pleasantly surprised by her.
She's such a lovely willing calm girl who really seems to be enjoying her work, but I worry she's not thinking forwards enough which is imperative at this stage, so lot's more hacking out on the cards
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