black_horse
Well-Known Member
First of all, i would like to start this thread by saying that for the last few weeks, i have had the real pleasure of meeting some fabulous people off this forum. They are some of the kindest, most knowledgable and generous people i have ever met. I want to thank all of you for your help with Delicia and myself.
Today we had a breakthrough. I know longer felt like i was riding delicia in her snaffle, but that i was riding delicia, she just happened to be in a snaffle, she could have a hedgehog in her mouth for all it mattered, for i was riding my horse, and i was no longer afraid.
We hired out the lovely outdoor arena at Angley Stud, dee was very spooky at our last outing and i cannot let her get away with it. Delicia has to work with me, not against me.
The day didnt start very well. Uncharactistically delicia kicked my mother on the leg. I have to say i smacked dee very hard because she then laid her ears back and threatened to kick me. She got a growl and i chased her across the wash bay. Delicia used to be a dirty lil cow kicker, but i *thought* she had grown out of this. Dee has become a little food aggressive, something we are working on. What she did was for no reason. My mother was brushing delicias tail, dee snorted and kicked out. Luckily, mum was ok. Mum broke her knee about 20 years ago when a drunk driver hit her and the horse she was riding, killing the horse and breaking mum's knee. It plays up sometimes and its playing up at the moment. She needs a knee replacement but wont have one
. Dee managed to catch her bad leg but just above the knee. Mum walked it off like a typical horsey person .
After that, dee was fine to handle, untill she loaded. There was a haynet already in the lorry and she loaded fine, but proceeded to kick ten shades of ***** out of the lorry. I growled at her to pack it in, and she must have udnerstood me because she then stood like a lamb with her whol *innocent* face on.
We arrived at the venue in good time and dee was delightful to tack up. Clearlight arrived and we have a chat about what we both wanted to gain out of the session. It was funny, we have known each other for years but never met! Sow as lovely to put a face to the name.
Dee was a sod to get on. She is funny at this venue as there are a lot of foals around. Dee wants to steal them all for herself, silly mare. But once i was on dee was a star as always.
We couldnt have asked for nicer weather. After the dullness of yesterday, the bright sunshine was a welcome relief.
What can i say about the lesson. We went right back to basics. I learnt how to truely ride off my outside rein. I thought i knew before, but i clearly didnt. I was taught a little tip, "The outside rein is for you, the inside for the horse. I learnt what it was to really give the inside rein and delicia rewarded me with softening over her back and engaging more then she ever has. I have to work on my tempo, but that will come, and towards the end of the session, it was fab.
I had dee working in a lovely, soft outline. Giving my inside rein as a reward for when dee softened but not throwing it at her unless she earnt it first. We working on circles, getting her to go correctly around them and changing the direction when dee became complacent. We worked on the quality of delicias medium work, she has all the buttons but less is more. I asked for two strides then brought her back to me and asked again. This way i managed to keep the softness of the work and transitions whilst engaging the hind quarters and not allowing her to run onto the forehand.
We even did some canter work!!! :O *insert shocked face her* Delicia improved so much as the session went on. Her canter transitions became soft and clear, and she didnt run back into the trot but re-entered into the same trot that she went into canter from. We kept the canter strides small in number, again, focusing on quality rather then quantity.
So in the space of an hour (it didnt seem like an hour!), we achived delicia becoming increasingly more rideable in the snaffle, softness through the rein, a stronger contact, good canter transitions, and she has stopped jogging in the walk. For once i was able to sit on her and ride her walk without feeling like i am a passenger on her.
I am over the moon with delicia. Clearlight really showed me a 'Clear light' to what me and delicia need and want
So, we have a new trainer so excited
Today we had a breakthrough. I know longer felt like i was riding delicia in her snaffle, but that i was riding delicia, she just happened to be in a snaffle, she could have a hedgehog in her mouth for all it mattered, for i was riding my horse, and i was no longer afraid.
We hired out the lovely outdoor arena at Angley Stud, dee was very spooky at our last outing and i cannot let her get away with it. Delicia has to work with me, not against me.
The day didnt start very well. Uncharactistically delicia kicked my mother on the leg. I have to say i smacked dee very hard because she then laid her ears back and threatened to kick me. She got a growl and i chased her across the wash bay. Delicia used to be a dirty lil cow kicker, but i *thought* she had grown out of this. Dee has become a little food aggressive, something we are working on. What she did was for no reason. My mother was brushing delicias tail, dee snorted and kicked out. Luckily, mum was ok. Mum broke her knee about 20 years ago when a drunk driver hit her and the horse she was riding, killing the horse and breaking mum's knee. It plays up sometimes and its playing up at the moment. She needs a knee replacement but wont have one
. Dee managed to catch her bad leg but just above the knee. Mum walked it off like a typical horsey person .After that, dee was fine to handle, untill she loaded. There was a haynet already in the lorry and she loaded fine, but proceeded to kick ten shades of ***** out of the lorry
. I growled at her to pack it in, and she must have udnerstood me because she then stood like a lamb with her whol *innocent* face on. We arrived at the venue in good time and dee was delightful to tack up. Clearlight arrived and we have a chat about what we both wanted to gain out of the session. It was funny, we have known each other for years but never met! Sow as lovely to put a face to the name.
Dee was a sod to get on. She is funny at this venue as there are a lot of foals around. Dee wants to steal them all for herself, silly mare. But once i was on dee was a star as always.
We couldnt have asked for nicer weather. After the dullness of yesterday, the bright sunshine was a welcome relief.
What can i say about the lesson. We went right back to basics. I learnt how to truely ride off my outside rein. I thought i knew before, but i clearly didnt
. I was taught a little tip, "The outside rein is for you, the inside for the horse. I learnt what it was to really give the inside rein and delicia rewarded me with softening over her back and engaging more then she ever has. I have to work on my tempo, but that will come, and towards the end of the session, it was fab.I had dee working in a lovely, soft outline. Giving my inside rein as a reward for when dee softened but not throwing it at her unless she earnt it first. We working on circles, getting her to go correctly around them and changing the direction when dee became complacent. We worked on the quality of delicias medium work, she has all the buttons but less is more. I asked for two strides then brought her back to me and asked again. This way i managed to keep the softness of the work and transitions whilst engaging the hind quarters and not allowing her to run onto the forehand.
We even did some canter work!!! :O *insert shocked face her* Delicia improved so much as the session went on. Her canter transitions became soft and clear, and she didnt run back into the trot but re-entered into the same trot that she went into canter from. We kept the canter strides small in number, again, focusing on quality rather then quantity.
So in the space of an hour (it didnt seem like an hour!), we achived delicia becoming increasingly more rideable in the snaffle, softness through the rein, a stronger contact, good canter transitions, and she has stopped jogging in the walk. For once i was able to sit on her and ride her walk without feeling like i am a passenger on her.
I am over the moon with delicia. Clearlight really showed me a 'Clear light' to what me and delicia need and want
So, we have a new trainer
so excited