MissDeMeena
Well-Known Member
As some of you'll know, i was lucky enough to be picked to take part in one of these 6 demos going on around the country.. this one at The Grange.
I've never been to any of these leacture/demo sort of things before, so wasn't sure what to expect.. we had to arrive a few hrs earlier, in order for Chris to have a quick watch, and deciede what he was going to do with us..
There were 4 people, two with 6yr olds, and two with 5yr olds (Squeak being one of them).. first he did a bit of ground work with one of his Adv. horses, then watched a girl ride her horse, then he did some ground work with that, then he got on it.. he did the same with the next persons horse, before getting back onto his Adv. horse... i only got to see a bit of this, as i had to go out and get Squeak ready, and get my hat wired up for a mic.
Was a little nervous before i went in, thinking more about the mic. in my hat, as i hate the sound of my own voice
Saw Lec just before i went in
First off i worked around the bottom end of the school (the audience end) with the other girl on her horse in there too.. Squeak had a few 'moments' but nothing as bad as i thought, i really think he's starting to grow up a bit...
Being in the middle of the arena, with the sound system pointing to the outside i found it quite hard to hear everything he said, so i can't tell you too much about that (Lec, you probably heard more than me?????)
But i think he was mostly getting at for me, was to keep a hold of the outside rein more, and that i'm getting far too much kneck bend!!!
He also did some ground work with Squeak, which really made me laugh.. he was tapping the other horses on the tummy to make them move away from him, some of them a little slow.. but Squeak really made me laugh, first time he really had to start walloping him (not hard, but my whip makes a loud noise) as Squeak was just stood there saying "why are you hitting me?? and what are all those people looking at??" hahaha.. he soon got the hang of all, so then he got on him and did a little trot/canter work.... (Chris Bartle has ridden my horse
)
It was really interesting to watch, as i've Never seen anyone else ride Squeak!!
For various reasons, other 'top' riders have sat on my horses, or i've been riding theirs, and in all honesty, i've never felt the difference they've made, i think they just get on a horse, and make it go well for that moment, but they don't change the way it goes for the future... in the 10 or so mins that Chris sat on Squeak, i can honestly say, he made weeks/months of a difference, after those 10 mins, i got back on, and could straight away notice the difference!!
I've come away with new ideas about ground work, which will be put into practice with Socks too, and more of an idea about where i should be heading with Squeak..
All in all it was a great night.. i didn't get home till 1:00 in the morning tho
Lec.. if i've missed out any other bit of advice he gave me??
I've never been to any of these leacture/demo sort of things before, so wasn't sure what to expect.. we had to arrive a few hrs earlier, in order for Chris to have a quick watch, and deciede what he was going to do with us..
There were 4 people, two with 6yr olds, and two with 5yr olds (Squeak being one of them).. first he did a bit of ground work with one of his Adv. horses, then watched a girl ride her horse, then he did some ground work with that, then he got on it.. he did the same with the next persons horse, before getting back onto his Adv. horse... i only got to see a bit of this, as i had to go out and get Squeak ready, and get my hat wired up for a mic.
Was a little nervous before i went in, thinking more about the mic. in my hat, as i hate the sound of my own voice
First off i worked around the bottom end of the school (the audience end) with the other girl on her horse in there too.. Squeak had a few 'moments' but nothing as bad as i thought, i really think he's starting to grow up a bit...
Being in the middle of the arena, with the sound system pointing to the outside i found it quite hard to hear everything he said, so i can't tell you too much about that (Lec, you probably heard more than me?????)
But i think he was mostly getting at for me, was to keep a hold of the outside rein more, and that i'm getting far too much kneck bend!!!
He also did some ground work with Squeak, which really made me laugh.. he was tapping the other horses on the tummy to make them move away from him, some of them a little slow.. but Squeak really made me laugh, first time he really had to start walloping him (not hard, but my whip makes a loud noise) as Squeak was just stood there saying "why are you hitting me?? and what are all those people looking at??" hahaha.. he soon got the hang of all, so then he got on him and did a little trot/canter work.... (Chris Bartle has ridden my horse
It was really interesting to watch, as i've Never seen anyone else ride Squeak!!
For various reasons, other 'top' riders have sat on my horses, or i've been riding theirs, and in all honesty, i've never felt the difference they've made, i think they just get on a horse, and make it go well for that moment, but they don't change the way it goes for the future... in the 10 or so mins that Chris sat on Squeak, i can honestly say, he made weeks/months of a difference, after those 10 mins, i got back on, and could straight away notice the difference!!
I've come away with new ideas about ground work, which will be put into practice with Socks too, and more of an idea about where i should be heading with Squeak..
All in all it was a great night.. i didn't get home till 1:00 in the morning tho
Lec.. if i've missed out any other bit of advice he gave me??
