Joanne_Stockport
Well-Known Member
I don't often write on this forum but I am a regular reader !
I wanted to post an update on our progress maybe to give an idea for other novice/first owners on how things can go in the first year !
To give you some background information :
I started riding 2 years ago at the age of 44 !
I have bought my gelding after one year of weekly riding lessons from the riding school where I was going at the time.
The first few months he went for schooling and then I moved him to a yard closer to me on full livery. He is 6 years old (almost 7 now)..not 9 as I first thought !
He is 14.3 hands, gypsy vanner type.
So on the positive side I managed to teach him a few things (ground manners) such as :
- Not having to "drag" him when leading, he now follows nicely next to me and starts trotting when I start to run, etc..
- Not stopping for grass when I get him from the field, he used to do that every time we stopped.
- When he gets in his stable he waits that I take his headcollar off before going for his hay.
- Lunging : very good at lunging on voice commands (there was a time I had to stop lunging him as he kept turning towards me).
So on the ground he is very good..thinking of doing in hand showing next summer !
The riding side is still in working in progress !
Hacking on his own is getting better (even though sometimes he still tries different method to avoid it, for a while it was reversing back, he tried to turn a few times cantering back home, etc). The last few weeks were quite good even though he is still napping by walking/trotting very slowly away from home but he had not tried to turn, that doesn't work anymore !
In the arena it is more difficult as he tries to avoid work as much as possible and he needs more schooling.
I know he can go well with an experienced rider so I just need to get to a level where he does the same for me ! I do have weekly lesson to help me get to that level.
His good points : quite "safe", not spooking to much, good on the ground, easy keeper,etc..
His more challenging points : nappy, need a confident rider, lazy when he can get away from it (ie: novice riders !), stubborn !
My goal is for next summer to be able to go on pleasure rides with him, show in hand, basic schooling (walk, trot , canter and small jumps)..we are slowly getting there !!
I wanted to post an update on our progress maybe to give an idea for other novice/first owners on how things can go in the first year !
To give you some background information :
I started riding 2 years ago at the age of 44 !
I have bought my gelding after one year of weekly riding lessons from the riding school where I was going at the time.
The first few months he went for schooling and then I moved him to a yard closer to me on full livery. He is 6 years old (almost 7 now)..not 9 as I first thought !
He is 14.3 hands, gypsy vanner type.
So on the positive side I managed to teach him a few things (ground manners) such as :
- Not having to "drag" him when leading, he now follows nicely next to me and starts trotting when I start to run, etc..
- Not stopping for grass when I get him from the field, he used to do that every time we stopped.
- When he gets in his stable he waits that I take his headcollar off before going for his hay.
- Lunging : very good at lunging on voice commands (there was a time I had to stop lunging him as he kept turning towards me).
So on the ground he is very good..thinking of doing in hand showing next summer !
The riding side is still in working in progress !
Hacking on his own is getting better (even though sometimes he still tries different method to avoid it, for a while it was reversing back, he tried to turn a few times cantering back home, etc). The last few weeks were quite good even though he is still napping by walking/trotting very slowly away from home but he had not tried to turn, that doesn't work anymore !
In the arena it is more difficult as he tries to avoid work as much as possible and he needs more schooling.
I know he can go well with an experienced rider so I just need to get to a level where he does the same for me ! I do have weekly lesson to help me get to that level.
His good points : quite "safe", not spooking to much, good on the ground, easy keeper,etc..
His more challenging points : nappy, need a confident rider, lazy when he can get away from it (ie: novice riders !), stubborn !
My goal is for next summer to be able to go on pleasure rides with him, show in hand, basic schooling (walk, trot , canter and small jumps)..we are slowly getting there !!
