WackyWelsh
Active Member
Hello..again!
My gelding has been improving leaps and bounds the past few months, losing flab and developing some muscle and he had really started to soften and round while schooling.
However, the last few schooling sessions (ironically they went downhill just after what was probably the best ride Id had with him) have become worse and worse. Its not that he wont go forwards or listen, its just that it takes him so long to focus now and its almost like hes bored so just cant be bothered and would rather look at literally ANYTHING else around!
Ive tried everything - poles, transitions, changes of rein, lots of 10m and 20m circles in walk and trot, leg yielding - but its taking him longer and longer to soften and when he does hell hold it for a few strides then either the head will come up or hell duck btv. Ive also noticed that hes listening less to my leg, almost like hes instinctively relying on me for support now.
I hack him at least once or twice a week but due to some slight control issues were sticking to walk for a bit.
I think hes just too smart for his own good, even asking him to flex each way and stay straight is becoming very hard work now, I know he can do it but he seems to be falling back into his old ways (falling out through shoulder, head to the outside, wouldnt bend to the inside) unless I support him with my leg and hands all the time! This would be fine apart from the fact that I know he can support himself 90% of the time now.
Any advice greatly appreciated! I was thinking about lunging in equiami or something similar instead of schooling once or twice a week so that he realises that he cant always rely on me to hold him?
My gelding has been improving leaps and bounds the past few months, losing flab and developing some muscle and he had really started to soften and round while schooling.
However, the last few schooling sessions (ironically they went downhill just after what was probably the best ride Id had with him) have become worse and worse. Its not that he wont go forwards or listen, its just that it takes him so long to focus now and its almost like hes bored so just cant be bothered and would rather look at literally ANYTHING else around!
Ive tried everything - poles, transitions, changes of rein, lots of 10m and 20m circles in walk and trot, leg yielding - but its taking him longer and longer to soften and when he does hell hold it for a few strides then either the head will come up or hell duck btv. Ive also noticed that hes listening less to my leg, almost like hes instinctively relying on me for support now.
I hack him at least once or twice a week but due to some slight control issues were sticking to walk for a bit.
I think hes just too smart for his own good, even asking him to flex each way and stay straight is becoming very hard work now, I know he can do it but he seems to be falling back into his old ways (falling out through shoulder, head to the outside, wouldnt bend to the inside) unless I support him with my leg and hands all the time! This would be fine apart from the fact that I know he can support himself 90% of the time now.
Any advice greatly appreciated! I was thinking about lunging in equiami or something similar instead of schooling once or twice a week so that he realises that he cant always rely on me to hold him?
