An update on my post about giving up with a horse...

[_jetset_]

Well, this weekend we do not have any competitions planned. I thought after last weekend's 'issues' we should go back to scratch and have a serious look at what is going on in Hannah's head when she is reacting to things as she does.

Her back has been checked, teeth done, saddle fitted properly so it is not 'pain' related at all, which has been confirmed by chiropractor etc etc.

So, on Monday I had a lesson at home (she is worse at home regarding the stressing out issues) with David Lannon who is a BD trainer and judge. He watched me warm her up and then got on and really worked her hard. Whereas others (me included) back off when she starts having a stress, David really worked her through it by making her go forwards no matter what she was doing. When she gets worked up she starts cantering on the spot, even if you are just asking her to walk on, but when David got off her, she had really stopped this.

I am sure David will not mind me saying that he found her challenging, which made me feel ever so slightly better about my riding

Basically, you get her off one rein and she leans on the other and vice versa. So she is not at all straight forwards and you are always having to correct something.

I got on her after he had finished and I immediately could feel a difference. She was forwards from my leg and really pushing through from behind. David recognised what I have always felt, she is worried about the whip when it is used, but a gentle tap makes her step under whereas using it properly just makes her hollow and run away from it. So we worked hard on getting her to keep stepping through with me on board. She felt really good

Although she was not physically tired, she was mentally tired!

Tuesday morning we went for a lovely hack, but as soon as I got on her, there was no argument about the contact, no stressing about going forwards, just an 'easy' horse

On Wednesday morning I had a lesson booked with Spencer... so off Hannah I went to Arkenfield for that

She has never accepted travel boots, she constantly kicks out in them, but I took a lot of time putting them on that morning and walking her around. Hey presto, she accepted them and loaded perfectly. She even travelled in her stable rug whereas this time last year she would have been wet through even with a thin cooler on

In the lesson with Spencer we did more work on getting her forwards from my leg, and I worked really hard on getting her pushing through from behind, even when she tried backing off. Spencer also had me doing a few strides of rein back then straight into trot... this really confused her at first, but instead of a massive argument, she just tried to get it right

This evening, I tacked her up and put in a thinner bit, the NS Verbibend because we felt the KK was a bit thick. I also put a flash on with a coverter as she is always opening her mouth as an evasion, but recently she has not been able to tolerate her mouth shut. However, I did feel that although she had not argued this week, just a small amount of pressure on her mouth could help, especially with the thinner bit in.

I got on her tonight and she was instantly forwards off my leg and soft in my hand... I schooled her for around 45 minutes and it is the first time she has not argued when I have been training her at home

I really feel as though we have made a big breakthrough with her at last

So I just wanted to say a big thank you to all those who posted and PM'd me regarding her when I was feeling so fed up last week... I know we have a lot more arguments to come, but just this small breakthrough has made me remember a) why I bred a foal from her and b) why I started being interested in dressage in the first place!

Well done for getting this far... a big glass of red wine for all who have survived!

 

[Nickymac]

That's really good to hear after all your angst recently. Sometimes they just need to be told to get on with it. I think someone else doing it is better if you're struggling as they can be very detached about it, whereas we all take things our horses do very personally - if that makes sense......as if it's all our fault in our training, handling, way they're kept, how they're fed etc etc.

Keep it up!

 

[lizzieb]

That's fantastic news. I'm so happy you seem to have turned a corner with her. I know exactly how you feel as I felt like giving up with my gelding in October/November but I stuck with him and last night he did the best work he's ever done

 

[_jetset_]

Thanks Nickym... I think sometimes I am far too emotional with Hannah, much more so than I am with Grace when training them. The problem is Han and I are very much alike

 

[_jetset_]

[ QUOTE ]
That's fantastic news. I'm so happy you seem to have turned a corner with her. I know exactly how you feel as I felt like giving up with my gelding in October/November but I stuck with him and last night he did the best work he's ever done

[/ QUOTE ]

It's moments like that which make this all worth while... today was the first time I got off Han smiling and not thinking what else could I try

She has really tested my metal these past two months, to the point whether I was wondering if she simply didn't want to work for me. But after a chat with Spencer who assured me she is capable and will teach me a lot in the process because she is so difficult, I am starting to realise I just need to persevere with her.

Ok, in my opinion she is never going to get above medium, but you never know

She finds the lateral work easy peasy, so we should have a good chance of getting to that level if we have moments like we did tonight.

 

[lizzieb]

You deserve to be chuffed. She sounds like a wonderful horse and you obviously have a great bond with her. They say the most talented ones are the most quirky! I feel this with mine. I can tell people think I'm bonkers when I tell them that if everything comes together he's going to be one fantastic horse! But I can feel flashes of it now and then and I'm so excited. I'm keeping my fingers crossed he stays sound to event this season after missing two summers with a tendon injury.

 

[MrsMagoo]

Fantastic hun...glad your feeling posistive about it all now...great stuff x

 

[viola]

What a great post

I think the beauty of difficult horses is the sweet taste of those breakthroughs

I hope it will carry on for you!

 

[_jetset_]

Thank you... I am sure today she will a complete dragon, but I am going to remember that feeling she gave me last night and just think positive about her. Today I will do some lateral work which she finds easy peasy, and see whether I can still work her through after it as this is when I meet some problems coming out of it.

 

[AandK]

that is great news, its always such a great feeling when you get a break through like this, well done..!!!
like you say, she will have her days (she is female after all.!!) but you will find they get less and less as she gets stronger and more confident, all the best

 

[_jetset_]

I rode her again this morning, and I cannot believe I am saying this, but she was pretty easy

We did some work on getting her fowards at first, which is coming so easily to her this week, and then did some lateral work which was great because with a little kick she went forwards in her lateral movements. Just some shoulder in, leg yielding and travers all in trot, but whereas last week she was constantly arguing about everything, she just seems to be accepting it now!

Then at the end, I put her into left canter which is her weaker one, and asked for a little bit of collection. She used to collect easily but recently she has been really backing off and not stepping under. I rode her really positively into it, and wey hey... we had real jump!!!

 

[FREESTYLER]

Sometimes, it is like we have to have a "fight" with our horses and if you are anything like me, I hate this... hate confrontation... but once you have resolved this issue it makes it plain sailing....I always use to think that you had to be softly softly, but sometimes, you have to be a little harder, not meaning beat the poop out of a horse but stand your ground... if that makes sense and reiterate that this is what we want...... in the long run, each of us know where we are at and what is and is not acceptable in training... Good luck and I am glad you have found a solution to your prob!!!

 

[Baggybreeches]

Hi Becki, I know exactly how you feel, even though with Sov, our problems where mostly jumping related, it has taken me nearly 3 years of solid graft and sweat to make him what he is. The most gratifying thing is when you take him out now, you know he will try his best for me. We went through the hell and high water (and at times I felt like giving up, most of my family told me to, they even offered to buy me another!) but now he is an absolute star. That said he can still throw a paddy when learning something new, but only because we have moved up a gear with the dressage training now!
Well done.

 

[_jetset_]

[ QUOTE ]
Sometimes, it is like we have to have a "fight" with our horses and if you are anything like me, I hate this... hate confrontation... but once you have resolved this issue it makes it plain sailing....I always use to think that you had to be softly softly, but sometimes, you have to be a little harder, not meaning beat the poop out of a horse but stand your ground... if that makes sense and reiterate that this is what we want...... in the long run, each of us know where we are at and what is and is not acceptable in training... Good luck and I am glad you have found a solution to your prob!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I completely agree... I have been really down about Han recently because I have felt as though we were really going backwards and not making an progress. We were coming out of each training session with nothing more than a vague compromise, and she just would not let me ride her

With the lessons and me being firmer about how forwards I want her, she has stopped stressing and backing off... I know we will have more of this, but I feel as though I can now push her through this without the arguments we have been having.

 

[_jetset_]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi Becki, I know exactly how you feel, even though with Sov, our problems where mostly jumping related, it has taken me nearly 3 years of solid graft and sweat to make him what he is. The most gratifying thing is when you take him out now, you know he will try his best for me. We went through the hell and high water (and at times I felt like giving up, most of my family told me to, they even offered to buy me another!) but now he is an absolute star. That said he can still throw a paddy when learning something new, but only because we have moved up a gear with the dressage training now!
Well done.

[/ QUOTE ]

I had people telling me that she simply wasn't 'made' for dressage and that perhaps she was trying to tell me something

OK, I know she is my mini carthorse, but I also know how capable she is because there have been moments in her life where she has gone brilliantly. When she was in foal with Troy she was competing unaffil elementary. I know this is judged differently to affiliated, but never the less, she was getting very good marks at this level.

I'm really glad to hear your horse has come right for you too!