Keeping an outline..?

[HayleyUK]

I've been working my 14.2 giraffe like pony for a week or so in an attempt to get her working correctly.

We've worked on bringing her more underneath herself without shooting forward and rushing, worked on asking her to lower her head and come round and into my hands with some successes which I'm really pleased about. All without gadgets.

We went through a stage of when asked to come into my hand and round, she'd bunch up and stop going forward, so we spent a bit of time working on coming round but still forward and working from behind. Thank god for quick learners!

I'm really pleased with her, but, i find whilst I can get her round and soft in both walk and trot on both reins (one is better than the other) i have to continually ask for the roundedness. I ask by 'holding' with my outside hand and opening slightly and 'giving' almost with the inside whilst keeping my inside leg on to push her into the bridle (if that makes sense).
When I stop 'asking', she stops giving but if I ask again, she tends to give pretty much straight away.

Is it a case of just keep reminding her, and eventually she'll click onto the fact I want her to stay where I put her (ie; in the outline) or am I doing something wrong...?

Shes 14, and never really worked correctly so its all a bit new to her bless her!

Thanks in advance!

 

[kerilli]

keep doing what works, softening very slightly to reward her when she gives to the pressure. just repeat repeat repeat until she gets the idea of staying there, really, i think. or try the ask with the inside leg not the hand, and see if that helps... gently pushing her up to the soft allowing elastic contact, again and again. good luck, and you should be very proud that you haven't resorted to gadgets, which a hell of a lot of riders who should know better turn to! well done you.

 

[HayleyUK]

aww, thanks!!

at the most, she wears a martingale/breastplate combo, but I don't use that for flat schooling. Its harder to get the outline with it.

Will try what you suggest and keep at her, eventually she should get it

someone on the yard suggested draw reins.. :/.. no thank you.