Before & After, any improvement? loads of pics!

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pixiebee

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New horse who ive had for 3 weeks, came to me with a stiff back, hadnt done much schooling the past year, mostly hacking. Struggled to trot a 40 metre circle, motorbiked bends and struggled to canter round an arena, 3 weeks later he can now trot a 30 metre circle and is keeping a steady rhythm and bending, not perfect but def improvement, he can now canter round an arena on both reins, with a few strides of stedy balanced canter. I posted pics a few wks ago and many of you said he appeared quite tense and held tight (as he ws so strong) So ive worked hard to get him steady/balanced/flexing and to used my seat to maintain speed/rhythm, im still looking down though,grrrrrr! Pics before (2 wks ago and today) any improvement??
BEFORE
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and TODAY
j14.png

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thank you and yes I am, I have a habit of fixing my hands unless someone keeps reminding me not too, so basuically I was tensing and he was tensing, so have borrowed some flexi reins just to help with that, I know long term I need to correct my habit but i do think he is accepting the contact much better now!
 
He certainly doesnt look like a horse thats just been hacked and never schooled! Credit to you. Lovely horse.
 
He is lush! Why do flexi reins come from. I'm a terrible hand fixer. I tend to jam down my inside hand and drop my outside contact :o perhaps reins with 'lastic in would make BH's life more bearable!
 
pixiebee said:
ebay 10 quid!! They are elastic inserts, there is a company called bell busk saddlery that make them too which are much cheaper than the carl hester version!
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Ta chook. Will go have a ganders :D I do feel for the poor lamb. Whilst I'm just starting I'm fine. It's when I get tired. It's a really horrible habit of mine :(
 
Difficult to do a comparison with a change of bit and the use of flexi reins.
You'd have to have him in the exact same combo as previously for people to give honest opinions from pictures.

If you think he feels better, then it's a step in the right direction.
 
Looks less tense although doesn't seem to be using is hindquaters property in the trot as he isn't tracking up. Stunning boy though!
 
thank you for all your kind words, gives me more confidence that there is an improvement! I changed his bit from a french link eggbut snaffle to a neue schule universal without curb strap, I didnt want to change but i was really struggling and ending up hauling on his mouth, but he doesnt have much bit room, so the neue schule lozenge is a nice size in his mouth and he seems much more relaxed, the flexi reins i dont think make a huige amount of difference, more for my mind than him to be honest! Also, ive only had him 3 weeks and considering he couldnt even trot 40 metres, he has come a long way and i certainly don t expect him to be tracking up propely just yet! His saddle was causing him some discomfort so have had his saddle changed and back seen to etc so im so proud of how we are doing!!
 
Stunning looking horse. He does look more relaxed, but the amount of pressure on his mouth still looks considerable and he's rather behind the vertical. As others have commented, he's not using his hind end properly. Obviously you can't expect everything immediately, but traditionally relaxation, looseness and working over his back would come before asking him to work in a "frame", like this.

Jumping pics are nice though.
 
He looks like he needs to relax more over his top line as he is very tense in his head position. He seems to work ok over his back so would be lovely looking if he could relax his head position.

Lovely boy though :)
 
He's stunning.
He does appear more relaxed (hard to tell from piccies) but he still doesn't look entirely comfy in his mouth. Is he being very strong?
Loving the jumping piccies - he looks like hes loving it!
 
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