...it's winter.
I've been keeping myself pretty busy despite this cold snap...then falling asleep before I can blog...haven't been feeling the best lately, but a bunch of the kids seem to be getting sick so I'm surprised I haven't really caught anything until now.
I've spent most of the week just riding, only had a few lessons to teach.
I rode Doc only twice, but with so many ponies to work, that's the best I can give him right now. I put him through his very first grid (three fences, one stride distances) and he did very well. He's a willing jumper, it's just a matter of keeping him straight and presenting the jumps to him in a good way. The first few times through he did get very quick on landing and took a minute to regain good control...I couldn't tell if he was excited or confused or nervous from jumping the line, but after a few more times through he calmed down and was near perfect.
When I rode him yesterday, he was very good and finally is starting to work with me rather than fight me for the first part of the ride, but now that he has brought his head out of the clouds and stopped pulling against me, he is hiding behind the bit. I'm starting to find that he's a passively nervous horse and does have some typical track related anxieties, he just hides them well. But I think now that he's thinking more during our rides he will become confident and quiet.
Greyson is still working on his canter. I started working on walk to canter transitions. He goes nicely at the trot but as soon as you ask for the canter, his head goes up and he tenses and scrambles his feet. I figured if I ask from the walk and not allow him to trot any steps in between, he would be forced to engage his hind end and reach over his back to get up to the canter. It actually works really well and sets up a nicer canter. I only let him canter forward about half a circle, then come back to walk before he loses his nice canter. The only issue with this approach is that I have to make sure he learns the difference between the canter and trot aids so he doesn't just rocket off my leg expecting a canter.
I only got to ride Bear yesterday, and have found that he doesn't do as well for me when he's not in consistent work...he's a lot more unfocused and fresh if he's not ridden several days a week. I just did a long review with him to get him attentive and focused. Hopefully I can ride him today too.
The new four have each had a roundpen session.
Cricket was first because she was hard to catch in her field one morning. We spent a good long while in the roundpen. First I just worked on getting her forward, and having her change pace or direction with my body language. It took a while to her her to give me her attention and keep an eye on me, but eventually she learned that turning away from me made me put a lot of pressure on her, but paying attention and giving me an eye kept pressure away. Then we tried playing catch and release. It took a while longer to get her to stand still and let me approach her. After a while she let me approach, put on her lead, and lead her around and pet her. Then I let her go as sent her out to work a bit again and tried to catch again. We did this 3 times and she got better each time. Then I just worked on petting her all over her neck and face. After that I got her used to the whip waving all around her and then touching her all over so she wouldn't be scared of it and trust me. She did surprisingly well. Next I taught her to give to the halter pressure. A horse that understands that they should give to pressure is safer, better to lead, respectful to crossties,an starts to learn what I will expect with the bit when that time comes. She did really well with this exercise too, so we worked on leading. She's a little sticky with her feet but she learns pretty fast so she was leading very well after a few minutes.
Cricket definitely moves like an Arab! She seems pretty smart and willing to learn so hopefully she'll come around fast.
Trick got to go in the round pen next. He's a lovely mover! Took me by surprise. Very willing to learn, and seems to enjoy being with people. His biggest issue was he wanted to come in to my space to say hi all the time without an invitation, but he figured it out. I put some tack on him and while he didn't fuss when I put it all on, it's definitely been a while since he's worn any and I suspect by his reaction that he hasn't had that much undersaddle time at all. He wasn't sure if he could move with the saddle and wasn't thrilled with the bit, but he figure it out and didn't get upset or dramatic about it all. I also worked with him with the whip and jumped around the mounting block. I'd like to start lunging him soon and taking him to the big ring (I may need an assistant!)
Buster was next. He was a little drama king at first, squealing do Trick and tried to leave the round pen. I wasn't too surprised, but he's a very clever little pony and seems bold, so he settled in to work very fast. The rest of our session was very uneventful. He even let me put the saddle on him and couldn't have cared less. He also seems to like it when I throw the saddle pad up on his face! He's going to be one of this bombproof, do anything but very naughty ponies, I can tell. He's an adorable mover too...looks like a kids pony. His gaits don't go anywhere too fast.
Buster likes to invade space and his shoulders are sticky so we worked on leading a having him stay at a respectable distance. He has trouble turning away from me do we worked on I sticking the shoulders until he willing yielded them when I'd turn toward him.
Now miss Nellie went last, and surprisingly she was the biggest challenge. She was the most dramatic about being alone and tried to leave the roundpen several times. Just when I'd think I had her attention, and we'd work on something else, she'd start getting upset and I'd have to send her back out to work until I got her focus back. She also really hated the whip touching her and waving around her, especially her legs. All the others, Cricket included, actually stood very still and got used to the whip quickly...Nellie took a good 20-30 minutes o calm down and stand still. Once she did stand still she finally had a lightbulb moment and calmed down for me but she seems like a little drama queen. Should have guessed...she's three...part welsh...a mare...a pony...chestnut...and you can see the white of her eyes. That's a recipe for a pony with a princess complex!
Buster got his second run in the round pen yesterday. He was very good from the start this time. After a quick review, I tried to put on the surcingle, but it was too big. So I just put a bridle on and let him get used to it and practiced lunging with a short line. He got confused a few times and acted out but then he figured it all out ad walked, trotted, and halted straight on the line without pulling on me.
Moose had a few days off early this week...I just didn't feel well enough for the extra ride at the end of the day. I was considering canceling my lesson on Wednesday in favor of a much needed nap, but I made myself go. Moose was very good and we had a fairly good ride, though I felt sloppy...my muscles just feel tired this week. Michael helped us with our stretching trot again since I've been having trouble with it at home. We also worked on the leg yield for the first time. I've done some yielding with her before but never on a straight line and not for several months. What a clever mare I have. She did so very well. If I ask right, she does it. Good mare!!!
I rode her a little last night too just to review and she did very well.
I have to admit, I'm starting to forget why I even call myself an eventer...I'm really having so much fun with dressage lately!
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