HHO Virtual group clinic week 3

Agreed. I often find myself questioning, if I push through and insist, am I going to get the answer I wanted, or will I have set us back x amount of steps. It's hard to know for the best. Just a case of suck it and see I guess
 
Very much enjoying the videos, although each new one gives me greater arena envy compared to my patch of grass in the field ? sprat, I’m pretty inexperienced compared to others on the thread but I thought that although you felt you lacked a little oomph, the rhythm and flexion were good so still plenty of positives?

Am looking forward to trying again later this week. My instructor is doing feedback on videos and she’s suggested I do some transitions within the pace to get the hind leg more activated, so I’m looking forward to combining that with the circles to keep him thinking and from getting too onward bound. Today we switched it up with some poles and got the zoomies - classic pony mentality there!
 
Are people changing the rein on the circle at X? I watched the videos and it seems you do two circles on the right at the corner marker (K I think), then two circles left at X, then two circles right at M, H etc. But I thought it was all on the right rein, so at X circle right as well. I've only had one go at this...did I do it wrong?
 
DressageCob said:
Are people changing the rein on the circle at X? I watched the videos and it seems you do two circles on the right at the corner marker (K I think), then two circles left at X, then two circles right at M, H etc. But I thought it was all on the right rein, so at X circle right as well. I've only had one go at this...did I do it wrong?
Click to expand...

I changed the rein at X, so right circle at K, left circle at X, right circles H and M, left circle at X and right circle at F. I then changed rein and did it the other way round. Not sure if I was wrong, but I’ve been working on changes of bend with my boy so it helped to have the change at X to work on!
 
Sprat said:
Those of you that have tightness in the contact when the impulsion isn't there from behind, do you have any go to exercises that tend to help this?
Click to expand...

I have a horse that can be stuffy in the trot then he overbends, I find if I really push the trot on on the long side then collect on the short sides and do this for quite a few circuits, then all if a sudden the stuffy trot just disappears and he feels better in the contact, he doesn't always go into stuffy mode but as soon as he does this is what I do, I can't stand continually going round feeling like the hand brake is on, my instructor always got me doing this when it happened and it is my go to now for that problem!
 
Roxylola said:
Transitions possibly would help. I think it's very easy with this sort to end up chucking your contact away just to try and encourage some forwards but that's counter productive a lot of the time. So keep some contact and ignore the tightness a bit - you can improve that when shes more forward.
Does she do turn on the forehand? Or rein back? Maybe one of those and straight off up in to trot. And when you go, really just go go go - give it all you've got
Click to expand...

The turn on the forehand then trot is one I use on my other horse it does really get the hind legs working!
 
Pinkvboots said:
I have a horse that can be stuffy in the trot then he overbends, I find if I really push the trot on on the long side then collect on the short sides and do this for quite a few circuits, then all if a sudden the stuffy trot just disappears and he feels better in the contact, he doesn't always go into stuffy mode but as soon as he does this is what I do, I can't stand continually going round feeling like the hand brake is on, my instructor always got me doing this when it happened and it is my go to now for that problem!
Click to expand...

I embraced the contact feeling a bit grim tonight by lots of forward and back in the trot, and pretty much ignoring if the contact went stuffy and horrible but making sure I kept it there regardless. I was much more black and white, if I asked forward, we were getting forward even if it looked ugly for a bit. Lots of transitions, interspersed with very forward laterals and some mediums thrown in. The contact was better, it was more in my hand but it was taking me somewhere, and she was lit up like a rocket so I’m pleased with the result. She felt a lot more uphill, and the downwards aids were coming more from my seat than my hand which was a bonus. Typically I didn’t video tonight. I figure I’m going to carry on like this over the next few weeks and see what happens, she’ll either become easier or royally tell me to bog off
 
Black and white is always a winner in my book. The clearer you are about what is and is not acceptable and what response you want the more likely you are to get that response.
That sounds really positive sprat, and you seem much more upbeat about it
 
Sprat said:
I embraced the contact feeling a bit grim tonight by lots of forward and back in the trot, and pretty much ignoring if the contact went stuffy and horrible but making sure I kept it there regardless. I was much more black and white, if I asked forward, we were getting forward even if it looked ugly for a bit. Lots of transitions, interspersed with very forward laterals and some mediums thrown in. The contact was better, it was more in my hand but it was taking me somewhere, and she was lit up like a rocket so I’m pleased with the result. She felt a lot more uphill, and the downwards aids were coming more from my seat than my hand which was a bonus. Typically I didn’t video tonight. I figure I’m going to carry on like this over the next few weeks and see what happens, she’ll either become easier or royally tell me to bog off
Click to expand...

I think sometimes something has to give and I would much rather have a few circuits of ugly head in the air than shuffling around for half an hour, my horse doesn't always appreciate it he often shows his annoyance by it but it's a few seconds and he will then knuckle down and work really well, it's just something I think you just have to do with some horses, I never have to do it with my other horse!

It sounds like you had a good result so maybe just keep going and see if it has a positive effect long term.
 
Here’s mine whilst warming up.

And at the end of the session:


Something good for him to work on for sure- we do very few 10m circles so doing so many is tough for him. The start rein the rhythm was better but that is him- he anticipates things once he’s worked in so actually gets trickier during a session...! We didn’t do mediums on the straights as this is part of what he anticipates. We didn’t do it in canter as that’s too fragile at the moment but we did it without changing the rein for 3 circles at a time and that was still useful for bends and straights just not changing the bend! I’ve got a walk video too I’ll see if any of it is worth sharing for demo purposes... it’s 6min long...!
As always CC welcome if it’s kind! We’re pretty new back to this riding thing still...!
 
Last edited:
Pinkvboots said:
I think sometimes something has to give and I would much rather have a few circuits of ugly head in the air than shuffling around for half an hour, my horse doesn't always appreciate it he often shows his annoyance by it but it's a few seconds and he will then knuckle down and work really well, it's just something I think you just have to do with some horses, I never have to do it with my other horse!

It sounds like you had a good result so maybe just keep going and see if it has a positive effect long term.
Click to expand...

That's the same result I was getting, ugly giraffing while telling me to get off, but once she realised it wasn't happening it was quite pleasant really.

Looking good RaRa
 
So this did suit Skylla much better, I made it hard for her by schooling in the field which is uneven and also normally where we gallop but the arena has too many poles out so thought she would have to man up for some schooling on grass!

Super boring vid's for you, but I think there is progression in each one. Not sure how I got the camera so wonky but you can see most of what we do.

Walk is such a fragile pace for her, so I was please it got her relaxing into more forward bigger steps.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=578999192821611

Trot.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=260626275124203

Canter, this was so hard for her but she tried very hard for me, still missing some softness that I'm after but she listened well and slowed down more.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2612075619051627

I have no idea if we did the 'correct' sequence of circles lol, nor were most of them the same size...
 
rara007 said:
Here’s mine whilst warming up.

And at the end of the session:


Something good for him to work on for sure- we do very few 10m circles so doing so many is tough for him. The start rein the rhythm was better but that is him- he anticipates things once he’s worked in so actually gets trickier during a session...! We didn’t do mediums on the straights as this is part of what he anticipates. We didn’t do it in canter as that’s too fragile at the moment but we did it without changing the rein for 3 circles at a time and that was still useful for bends and straights just not changing the bend! I’ve got a walk video too I’ll see if any of it is worth sharing for demo purposes... it’s 6min long...!
As always CC welcome if it’s kind! We’re pretty new back to this riding thing still...!
Click to expand...
he's got a lovely rhythm rara and you did a much better job on your circle size than I did... probably something about the precision of driving there... ;)
For me I would want him to be a bit more secure/accepting and through in the contact to really see him letting the suppleness come through his whole body. He looks really rideable in terms of staying straight on his lines and not falling in or out but it just looks like he is holding himself a bit. What do you think would happen if you added in some of the half halt work from week 2 into an exercise like this, as that seemed to help him start to let go a bit?
 
HufflyPuffly said:
I have no idea if we did the 'correct' sequence of circles lol, nor were most of them the same size...
Click to expand...
hehe, I did wonder where you were going, a few times, but it also took me a while to figure out which way your arena was pointing, I think the camera was at A or C? without the boards on the left it was a bit of an illusion.
Bless Skylla, she's a duracell bunny isn't she! Loved the birds cheeping away, looks like a very peaceful spot.
 
I think everyone has had slightly different floor patterns with this, but essentially it's all been circles and straight lines with changes of bend so basically getting the benefits one way or another. I found it helped with softness and relaxation but it's a real knife edge for me between soft and relaxed to my hand without being over bent
 
milliepops said:
hehe, I did wonder where you were going, a few times, but it also took me a while to figure out which way your arena was pointing, I think the camera was at A or C? without the boards on the left it was a bit of an illusion.
Bless Skylla, she's a duracell bunny isn't she! Loved the birds cheeping away, looks like a very peaceful spot.
Click to expand...

Lol it was suppose to be at C but I managed to get it on the wonk. She never ever gets physically tired (mentally tired, and does get muscle fatigue), she will carry on bouncing all day! We did go for a gallop up the hill after we were finished and she was still pulling to go again...
 
sooooooo.... thinking ahead. Who has suggestions for week 4? I have some linked exercises that Hayley Watson-Greaves has posted that might be a good series from flexion to starting shoulder-in to developing shoulder-in, that should work for all levels, but keen to see what everyone else has up their sleeve.
 
Yes I agree, the connection is often close but not quite ‘there’. I’m so keen to keep his back moving I’m being careful to develop the flexion ‘organically’. Driven he works into a good of a little firm usually elastic contact. Our elastic hasn’t developed enough ridden yet and it’s more like aged plaiting band elastic..! Will give adding the 1/2 halt exercise a go later in the week, today we’re doing big open forwards shapes. Possible follow up video to follow in a few days...!
 
so finishing up week 3 for us. I tried bringing her back on the straight lines but that really highlighted the straightness issues we still have from time to time, she was inclined to wiggle rather than sit but it was still useful to make sure I made the trot circles stay uphill rather than let her go for an easy flopping along trot.


I'm going to do the collected on circles and medium on straights version again - you can clearly see how she takes the forward instruction when coming out of the corner but backs off coming towards the second corner, this is a problem I have in tests but I can use this to really focus on that part without having to ride whole diagonals of extensions. so I might do a collected circle, back on a straight, collected circle, ON on the straight, collected circle.... a bit of a brain bender but will target all the weak areas!

 
Yes, the On on the straight is really positive whereas the back looks like shes anticipating something else coming up. Glad it's been useful
 
We also tried MP’s suggestion of forward in the circles and collect on the straight. Still can’t seem to place my circles well, not sure if the arena being a bit wiggly or that’s it’s a 20 x 60 that’s throwing me off ?? or I’m just useless ??‍♀️.

https://www.facebook.com/250544601798074/posts/1293934844125706

She was a ‘touch’ excitable in the field ? but I think it was a good exercise to get her brian engaged ?.
 
This was an interesting exercise to try. I started in-hand (walk and trot) then tried ridden. Walk fine, but trot we needed bigger circles first time. But tonight we managed a set with 10m circles in trot. Pleased with him.
Looking forward to trying week 4...
 
Curly_Feather said:
Can I also just say, that when I watch other people riding 10m circles they seem comfortably big, but whenever I ride them myself they feel TINY :D
Click to expand...
hehe, they are comfortably big on my advanced horse but they feel minuscule on the ex racer. I would say practice makes perfect, but perfect-practice makes perfect really, I think this exercise would work just as well if you did slightly bigger circles to match the horse's suppleness/balance/ability, but it's important to make them the same size and be accurate with whatever target you set yourself ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top