Dressage report with video

madhector

madhector

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www.darlingdressage.co.uk
Took Jerry to Wix today for his second dressage outing. I had a lesson on him yesterday and he was very argumentative so I was a bit concerned. Didn't leave as long as last time and got there and he was very chilled, went into the warm up and he instantly felt lovely, warmed up for 25minutes without incident, no strops at all!
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I felt it was a little too good to be true, but in we went anyway. He was lovely till the first canter then he threw a complete wobbly, nearly got me on the nose on several occasions
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He did that whole canter having a strop, there was nothing I could do but keep on at him, the downward transition was as bad, but got him back together and carried on, he was now back to being lovely and light, jogged a bit in the walk as still over reacts to the leg, but the second canter was lovely (for Jerry!) he didn't argue and just got on with it, and this is his bad rein! (strange horse
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) anyway, he then jogged again in the free walk as I again used too much leg
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But did a lovely halt for me at the end. Over all he felt tons better than last time, but we got a 3 and two 4s for the first canter so ended up with 55% again! He did get much better collective marks this time, especially for Submission, so was quite pleased. I think the judge was a little tougher this time, or maybe she was a bit nice last time
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I would really appreciate your thoughts on the video, I think his trot looks a lot better (although he is still a bit inconsistent in his outline) He tends to go hollow so I would rather he was too round then not at the moment)

So annoyed he didn't have that strop in the warm up though as I knew it was coming, he always has to have one, shame we didn't get it out of the way before hand
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Anyway, here is the vid, CC welcome
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOmhPNrQpU
 
that looked really good, and not a massive strop, he'll get there perhaps just needs to get a bit more balanced with you. Lovely for the rest of it! Really rhythmic and forward!
 
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that looked really good, and not a massive strop, he'll get there perhaps just needs to get a bit more balanced with you. Lovely for the rest of it! Really rhythmic and forward!

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His strops are funny, they usually entail completely over reacting to hand and leg and running around like a giraffe
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He has fortuneatly stopped the really naughtiness and hasn't once felt like rearing again since he went over so hopefully we are making progress, slowly
 
He's looking good MH, some nice trot work, see what you mean about the temper tantrum, but it wasn't too bad he'll get better the more he does. At least yours doesn't stick his tongue out at the judge like mine does!!
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He's looking good MH, some nice trot work, see what you mean about the temper tantrum, but it wasn't too bad he'll get better the more he does. At least yours doesn't stick his tongue out at the judge like mine does!!
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LOL! Nope he was too busy trying to knock me on the nose
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I don't know your history with him and reading between the lines I am assuming that he is not easy!
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He is active and forward thinking, however to me he looks really unhappy in the contact. He is either ducking behind the contact or running through it.
I expect that you've had teeth, back and saddle checked?
Have you discussed bitting issues with your trainer? Does he ever ride him and does he do the same?

It may be his charachter but not knowing the horse I would certainly look at the bit and/or noseband and his acceptance of them.

He is a lovely horse and looks to have so much more to give, so well worth persevering with the dressage.
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He has always been like that, he does settle and work into a lovely contact, but it is still a work in progress, everything has been checked (in fact he had his back xrayed when he was poorly just to eliminate anything) He is just argumentative and very untrusting of the contact, sometimes you can take a contact and he is fine, other times (like in that canter he runs off and wont let you touch his mouth) My trainer has ridden him a lot (when he broke my leg) and agrees it is just him being a b****r. He is improving though, I just have to get used to how much I can actually touch his mouth depending on his mood
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He is just ridden in a loose ring lozange snaffle and plain cavesson nose band, he is much worse with a drop/flash on, so we have just left him with the loose cavasson as he seems happiest in it
 
Does sound like you've tried everything and it's just going to be patience and time.
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Just an idea but have you tried a mullen mouth Happy Mouth, or maybe an eggbut sided one? Sometimes the loose ring and lozenge can give a 'fussy' mouthed horse too much to play with, whereas with a horse that doesn't play, that is exactly what's needed.
I totally agree about the noseband, with some horses it can make them very argumentative if you force the mouth shut.
 
I would agree with Bananaman... he does not seemed settled in his mouth, and reminds me a lot of Hannah in the way he is evading the contact. I have been working her in a KK and having real arguments with the contact. I have just put her back into a Myler Comfort Snaffle (mullen mouth piece) and the difference is outstanding. She has suddenly just settled into the contact and is working without any arguments.

Some of the bit banks do a fortnight trial (Derby House used to aswell, not sure whether theys till do), but I would say it is definitely worth a try for him as he looks to have an awful lot of potential!
 
Yep, we tried that, and he just took hold and tanked off
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tbh we have tried so many different bits to see if he is any different and it doesnt seem to make a difference to the contact. He is so much better though so hopefully he will grow up and settle with time
 
He is very forward going and looks like he could come good in time..
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and you are doing a good job on a horse which looks difficult to keep relaxed!!....just out of interest have you ever used a harbridge? I found this very good for a horse similar to yours, albeit there was a few issues at first, but he accepted the contact more and more and there is no interference from the rider regarding contact etc...not to say you are interfering!!!! Just maybe a suggestion to get him to relax in his frame??????
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He's a super, super horse- he's going to be great.

For my eye he drops too poll low and then struggles a bit with his balance, especially in the canter. He looks nicely on your seat, I'd be tempted to pursue this route more- work on spiral circles in sitting with regular trot-walk-trot transitions off the seat to reduce his reliance on the hand and subsequent arguments against the hand.

There are more than one road to Rome though and you know your horse far, far better than we do!!
 
I think you have done really well with him, epsecially having read your other posts! He is soooooo like my last horse in attitude and presence its unbelieveable! I have some videos of his performances at BD and they are like mirror images (if you want to see them give me a hotmail address and I may be able to MSN then over to you) but he will come with time. Shadow eventually got up to elementary. I too had bit issues with him, but he learnt how to settle with a contact- I have to admit though that I had to learn how to hold my hands again especailly for him as he was funny in his mouth.... keep going- you have a star in the making!
 
To my (hardly expert) eye he doesn't look truly over the back in the trot work - he's fussing with the contact and not truly lifting and rounding the back - and this is why he he is overreacting when he can do in the canter work. Probably echo Becki's suggestion of trying to work him long and low - get him really reaching and stretching his frame. E

Easy for us to say sitting here comfortably and not having to ride the thing!
 
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