Er... weekend plans...?

j1ffy said:
Love this - great work MP! It's so nice seeing a non-typical horse at that level too, sometimes it's hard to visualise 'non-warmblood' movement and it's helpful to see what correct work at that level looks like on a different type of horse. I'm not sure if I'm making sense there, hopefully you know what I mean ;)
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yes I know what you mean. I would add a caveat that this was a bit of a rough and ready ride round so not her *best* work ;) but as I know her I find it easy to see when she's in appropriate balance, when the suppleness is good etc. TBF to the judges, they are all list 1 at this level of show and (with the very rare exceptions) they can see through the fluff and hair and score the work ;) She's a 65% kind of horse, we often get 7s for her changes, good sideways will score a 7, the piris are pulling up towards 7s (bit big on Saturday) she is inclined to be tight in the walk in a test but I think the curving line in the collected will help with that. From experience of previous scoresheets I'd say that video is more towards the 6s than 7s reflecting the lack of warm up time, possibly more generous in the trotwork (but we'd have had a knock in the submission for the errant change in the extended!)
 
Wow MP she seems to be going really well again. It seems 5 minutes ago that she was only just coming back into work. I feel like I've been in a bit of a time warp since not having Amber though. Kira looks amazing and love the music choices!

I'm feeling quite frustrated. Katie had her normal lesson and was asked to do some rein back. Well I've taught rein back the western way with no leg. (Or the Mark Rashid way anyway - I assume its Western?) So when Katie put her leg on in halt Dolly had no idea what to do and kept moving forward and the RI more or less lost her temper with her. Not angry/shouting and certainly not hitting (she'd have been out of there!!) but impatient and putting what I considered unfair pressure on Dolly. Dolly got stressed and afterwards Katie said she hated what was happening but did not know what to do. No-one else there batted an eye-lid. This was not pony abuse! But I just don't ride like that or train like that and I was not sure what to do either. I did say to the RI that Dolly did not understand and she said she knew she didn't thats why she was showing her! And to be fair, by the end of the lesson she had understood. But since then Dolly has been ridden twice and she has been tense, spooky and rushing with her head in the air. So not sure now about future lessons really. But this is the first blip in a year of lessons so perhaps I am over reacting. And maybe sometimes the early states of learning something new aren't pretty?
 
That's really frustrating, AE. I don't like creating stress in horses if there's an alternative method, and there are lots of low stress ways to teach rein back, and if they didn't try a few different methods before pushing it, I'd be pissed off too.

Personally I think leg aids for rein back, if you're going to use them, have to be totally distinct from forward aids. It should be intuitive for the horse to move back from how you're asking.
 
Awkward, AE
I think aids for rein back are a bit individual. Old fashioned RIs used to say to me that your leg aid told the horse to move and then it would meet the rein and so go backwards instead of forward. I found instead that either they got ready for forward, found that was denied and so went skyward.. or just got confused. Mine do go from leg aid but cued from the seat that it's backwards not forwards, that is the intention, and I use my leg further back than normal. with Kira I sort of pulse the rein until she is going backwards as I have asked at which point the rein does nothing much more than straightness.

Could you have a word prior to next lesson and say as Dolly is young and became stressy can you leave that exercise and work on building her confidence in other areas. See if that lets things settle a bit. It may end up being a one off.
 
As an adult, I think I'd just say well this is how I ride rein back and start from there, if it is vital for some reason that Dolly learn a new way then I'd start with asking for that then bring the leg in once she is moving. Or as you have a functional rein back leave it at that
Edit to add - I mean that's how I would deal with it as an adult having a lesson - It's harder for a child though I know. I reread and thought it sounds a bit sniffy which was not how I intended it
 
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JFTDWS said:
That's really frustrating, AE. I don't like creating stress in horses if there's an alternative method, and there are lots of low stress ways to teach rein back, and if they didn't try a few different methods before pushing it, I'd be pissed off too.
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That's the thing that wound me up - why the hurry? Why go straight for increasing the pressure rather than just applying a cue and patiently waiting till the pony offers something approaching the right answer then release. Thank-you. And repeat. Or as you say, ask another way. I only ever escalate when I know the horse knows what I am asking for. And even then I sometimes get that wrong and assume they know something they don't properly understand
 
milliepops said:
Could you have a word prior to next lesson and say as Dolly is young and became stressy can you leave that exercise and work on building her confidence in other areas. See if that lets things settle a bit. It may end up being a one off.
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She was wanting Dolly to step under herself more so she wanted rein back then trot forward with more hind leg power. So it wasn't even broken down as a learning experience. She called out 'rein back a few steps then forward' and the first time of asking Dolly actually did rein back with a leg cue I think because Katie's intention was clear and they were in harmony. But she obviously wasn't secure in her understanding and so when she was told to go forward again immediately then halt/back/forward again she stopped knowing whether she had done the right thing in the first place so started offering random behaviours which were responded to with more pressure till the wheels came off. The only good thing about that is I doubt she will use rein back as a schooling exercise to solve another problem again! She will approach it as something new I hope.
 
Roxylola said:
As an adult, I think I'd just say well this is how I ride rein back and start from there, if it is vital for some reason that Dolly learn a new way then I'd start with asking for that then bring the leg in once she is moving. Or as you have a functional rein back leave it at that
Edit to add - I mean that's how I would deal with it as an adult having a lesson - It's harder for a child though I know. I re-read and thought it sounds a bit sniffy which was not how I intended it
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She is a PC instructor and PC parents are firmly told not to interfere. So even though she is teaching Katie privately, not as part of a PC rally or camp, it is hard to break the 'shut up and stay out of the way' conditioning!! But when I ride I do question things more and instructors generally listen to adults more than kids. I think they do tend to just tell kids what to do and expect obedience. Questions are just about ok but not challenge. It's tricky!
 
That's frustrating AE...there's nothing that leaves a bit of a bad taste like when you feel that something hasn't been handled well, because you worry about the same process appearing again when the next niggle pops up.

I do use a leg aid for rein back, but it is more leg position (both legs a reasonable way back) than actually touching them. It's partly the way I was taught, partly because it is an easy aid to give while holding onto a gate at a jaunty angle and partly because it is so distinct from a forward (or halt) leg aid that you stand less chance of getting stuck in reverse on a green horse!
 
DabDab said:
I do use a leg aid for rein back, but it is more leg position (both legs a reasonable way back) than actually touching them. It's partly the way I was taught, partly because it is an easy aid to give while holding onto a gate at a jaunty angle and partly because it is so distinct from a forward (or halt) leg aid that you stand less chance of getting stuck in reverse on a green horse!
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Same really, it's a very different leg aid. Mine all fly back off it, but would have a right argument if asked to move back from a normal leg into a strong hand. I don't think that's unreasonable either.
 
DabDab said:
I do use a leg aid for rein back, but it is more leg position (both legs a reasonable way back) than actually touching them. It's partly the way I was taught, partly because it is an easy aid to give while holding onto a gate at a jaunty angle and partly because it is so distinct from a forward (or halt) leg aid that you stand less chance of getting stuck in reverse on a green horse!
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That's my aid too, and I've taught a few horses and I'd say it's almost hard wired for them to back up if you swing your legs right back and slightly lift your bum.

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I had a lovely ride today. Kira was silly and strong but she's such a cheeky moo I can't help but smile at her attitude. She is sassy with bells on ?
Waiting in grim anticipation of the next Boris announcement. I so want to keep her going with lessons because I feel like we're on the cusp of something with the passagey work but obv it may not be possible ? don't have anyone who could video for the remote training some people are offering. It's going to pale into insignificance I know ? but until then it's the thing that stops me freaking out!
 
milliepops said:
Liking in sympathy, Pippity!

Well, we got out to our arena hire meeting the whole social distancing requirements ;) Hacked round the floorplan I had dreamed up and amazingly the timing fits better into the music than the PSG version did. So pretty happy with the concept and just need to tidy it up a bit now. Rough and ready no warm up proof of concept version below. As WPs are a bit thin on the ground I thought I would share!

This music has served me well, it's done 3 levels now and really I'd have it tweaked to have the emphasis bits sorted but I don't think funds will allow and I'm not clever enough to do that bit myself.
If people can suggest similar tunes for a big tour music then I'd love to have a little daydream about getting there... Kira likes channeling her inner gangsta so no disney tunes thanks :p

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Wow , have never seen a pony do dressage like that! That was fab. Loved the music :D
 
Ambers Echo said:
Wow MP she seems to be going really well again. It seems 5 minutes ago that she was only just coming back into work. I feel like I've been in a bit of a time warp since not having Amber though. Kira looks amazing and love the music choices!

I'm feeling quite frustrated. Katie had her normal lesson and was asked to do some rein back. Well I've taught rein back the western way with no leg. (Or the Mark Rashid way anyway - I assume its Western?) So when Katie put her leg on in halt Dolly had no idea what to do and kept moving forward and the RI more or less lost her temper with her. Not angry/shouting and certainly not hitting (she'd have been out of there!!) but impatient and putting what I considered unfair pressure on Dolly. Dolly got stressed and afterwards Katie said she hated what was happening but did not know what to do. No-one else there batted an eye-lid. This was not pony abuse! But I just don't ride like that or train like that and I was not sure what to do either. I did say to the RI that Dolly did not understand and she said she knew she didn't thats why she was showing her! And to be fair, by the end of the lesson she had understood. But since then Dolly has been ridden twice and she has been tense, spooky and rushing with her head in the air. So not sure now about future lessons really. But this is the first blip in a year of lessons so perhaps I am over reacting. And maybe sometimes the early states of learning something new aren't pretty?
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I sound like his number 1 fangirl but with all this time at home and sky cancelling this week I'm binge watching all my recordings...

Anyway Warwick Schiller had an episode on H&C TV about teaching the rein back (series 3 episode 12/12- memorized because I know of the shire horse in the episode).

TBH its pretty boring because he goes so slowly and waits for the horse(s) to get what he's asking but that's the point.

He doesnt escalate things and patiently waits...sometimes action is necessary but the majority of times patience is what is required
 
Lovely to see people's pics and vids! Hopefully we'll be back to normal in a few week's time!!

Well... On Saturday we hacked out as it was a lovely morning. On Sunday we had a lesson and Chill worked hard for me, bless her. I just love her so much!


I think she looks fairly smart there. Finally I am learning how to ride the madam haha.
 
ycbm said:
That's my aid too, and I've taught a few horses and I'd say it's almost hard wired for them to back up if you swing your legs right back and slightly lift your bum.

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That is my experience too - somehow it seems easy for horses to understand.
 
I am not really sure how to proceed with my young horse's training at this point. I 'think' quiet hacking out as she has been doing may be ok but I want to be more confident that it is something that is safe and acceptable within the local community and within the current restrictions. I am not sure how I feel about riding out even if I don't encounter many other people; it just feels a bit as if I can enjoy myself when everyone else is just really struggling. I can either turn the horses away or do stuff at home so outriding is not at this point 'essential'. Also, there are more determined and desperate local equestrians than me who I think will test what the 'acceptable' boundaries are. Yes, I am uncertain and lily-livered in that particular respect!! So for now we are just at home. No arena, no lights, no proper jumps BUT I do have a very willing son who loves levelling our winter turnout patch (which is the only flat place on the property). It is not massive and a funny shape too. However, my little mare is going to be able to keep her brain busy somehow!! She needs to learn to load which may or may not take a while. I can drive her round the fields quietly once she is happy to go in and stand on etc. Today I introduced some very basic and gentle (well that was the plan...) in hand work which turned into a bit of a 'yeehaa' for her. Once we had established that this exercise wasn't actually designed to be wildly exciting I changed tack and we did poles on the ground (in hand), poles with alternate raised ends (ditto) and even a tiddly jump. My poles are old rails, my raised ends and any jumps made with old tyres. She was really quite engaged with all that (whilst our 2 older geldings sniggered and sneered at her for concentrating so nicely bless her/curse them!!)

I can also do lots of fun in hand stuff which really, actually my mare could benefit from. It will be a bit of a mental effort for me so I hope I step up now!! I have time and and no money so will be inventive and I can play with music too. :) :) If my girl switches off and I don't feel able to hack out then she will be turned away. So be it. My older chap is already thoroughly enjoying his holibobs and would probably be ghastly if I ask him to work at home in his playpen!!

So from a training point of view I feel we are at a potentially interesting point - given good weather and no massive cock ups who knows?!! :)
 
What are we? 5 days into spring? And I have 4 plump equines! Bare paddocks and hard standing it is!

Palo1 I think there are plenty fun things we can do whether riding or not. I love in hand classical work but haven't done any in a while so will do that if I decide not to ride and on the days I have time I might well do in-hand and then ride.

We were schooling the lateral work tonight, canter half passes coming along well although need more sideways in the left half pass so we will improve that with travers. We also started work on one of the medium lines - shoulder in to 10m circle to travers and did that in all 3 paces. Right shoulder in is difficult to get him to come onto a circle as hes not fully into my outside rein so that's something we will be working on.
 
Well any inspiration, advice, images, venn diagrams etc that will help with in-hand/at home work I am sure will be welcomed!! Wheels, I have little confidence in teaching a baby horse lateral work (I need a decent instructor for that :) but I can do lots of other things. It might be interesting for us to develop this and it can be very absorbing - plenty of reading and videos to watch then out to play with the 'real' thing (poor guinea pig horse here!!) :) :)
 
Teaching lateral work in hand is easier than from the saddle but you still need the basics in hand first - there are loads of different methods but i like to just use a normal snaffle bridle with reins in their usual place. I hold the outside rein (opposite side to where I am) below the wither about half way down the shoulder at first and then I hold on to the bit ring or the rein close to the bit ring on the inside rein. Face forward and walk. I like to envisage that we are two horses working together to pull a cart so keep my hips in line with his shoulders then you can go forward, turn, circle, whatever and the horse should come. To slow down go very slightly in front and turn to face the side of the horses shoulder.

Have a play with it and see what happens :)
 
Fabulous - thank you for that. :) We will give it a go :) She is very responsive, light and so sweetly willing so I think we can have fun.
 
TPO said:
Wow!

Do you have a step by step guide on how you made it? Thank you ?
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OH brings any wood home from work that would otherwise be burnt/thrown in a skip. So we always have all sorts of wood piled up at the field.
The roof is left over from the shelter he built in January.
Its made from 4x2 lengths of wood for the frame work. Then the shiplap bit along the bottom (I helped with that). It measures 6ft5in square (that's how long the shortest peice of wood is) and 7 ft high.
The door is about 5ft high in order that they don't lean over it and bend it.

Sorry I really don't know much more. I just showed OH a photo on Pinterest and then went off poo picking ?
 
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dorsetladette said:
OH brings any wood home from work that would otherwise be burnt/thrown in a skip. So we always have all sorts of wood piled up at the field.
The roof is left over from the shelter he built in January.
Its made from 4x2 lengths of wood for the frame work. Then the shiplap bit along the bottom (I helped with that). It measures 6ft5in square (that's how long the shortest peice of wood is) and 7 ft high.
The door is about 5ft high in order that they don't lean over it and bend it.

Sorry I really don't know much more. I just showed OH a photo on Pinterest and then went off poo picking ?
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Thank you!!
 
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