Birker2020
Well-Known Member
Previously posted on here about my day at Solihull when my horse was used for the loading demo.
Well I managed to get hold of a dually halter which Kelly kindly gave me a lovely second hand one and I have been using it a few times. I have lunged Bailey in it, which I found was useful. He clearly didn't want to lunge on the day I'd chosen as it was cold, very windy and slight snow showers and after a while he came into me on the circle and he squared up to me. Everytime I went to go round to his side he stepped to the side standing facing me. In the end I was able to throw the rest of the lunge line at his quarters to send him forward, the cheeky boy! He was fine after that! I don't lunge often with him due to his arthritis, so probably do once every month as a maximum as I find lunging can put huge stresses on a horses legs and I find it sometimes can hurt him so I try to make my circles really big. So I am not sure if the squaring up to me was because it hurt him to lunge, or whether he was just being naughty, but its something to bear in mind. He always does it on the same rein too.
He is great to lead with the dually on now, he doesn't try to go for the hay tubs outside peoples stables, or snatch at grass like he used to. If I catch him looking at stuff I just give him a little reminder with the halter by checking him and he knows what I mean! Bless him. Someone at the yard who uses dually's on her horses showed me what to do and we had a 'training session' which was fab, it was lovely to get some help of someone who knows what they are doing, as I could do with Kelly or a Kelly twin all the time!
I have done join up with Bailey since the demo. The horse is just too easy by far! He starts licking and chewing after about two minutes. He came over to me - I copied what Monty had shown the chap at the demo who joined up with Bailey, and he started following me. But then he stopped to sniff some poo on the floor so I sent him away again with the lunge line as it was naughty of him! He soon apologised and came back to me and stuck to me like glue.
But by far the best thing was that he loaded to come back from the riding club the other day for the first time in about 18-20 months without food, just by using the dually. Amazing, I was buzzing and ringing around every one I could think of to tell them the news!!!
Last night I rode in the dually. I did walk, got a bit braver and had a little trot, then thought well I might as well canter, so did that. Then I did flying changes on both 'reins', rein back (friend told me this is very important) and lots of leg yielding and bending and stretching exercises - all without a bit, bridle or reins (used lead ropes tied together). Wow, the horse is more obedient and lighter in the dually than in a snaffle. I am gobsmacked. He brings his head down and goes in an outline when I ask him with a slight squeeze on the lead ropes, and would have got 7's or 8's had it of been a dressage test! Next I am going to jump him in it, and then when the weather is a bit nicer maybe do a little bare back riding as this would be good for my balance and confidence. shame you can;t do dressage in it. My 'reins' were so light, and he was so soft.
I feel like I have had a whole new world opened up to me, and I can only thank Kelly and Monty for this. Whilst I may not have felt the demo was the best thing for Bailey or I at the time, I certainly think what I have learned since, with the help of the dually is amazing.
Well I managed to get hold of a dually halter which Kelly kindly gave me a lovely second hand one and I have been using it a few times. I have lunged Bailey in it, which I found was useful. He clearly didn't want to lunge on the day I'd chosen as it was cold, very windy and slight snow showers and after a while he came into me on the circle and he squared up to me. Everytime I went to go round to his side he stepped to the side standing facing me. In the end I was able to throw the rest of the lunge line at his quarters to send him forward, the cheeky boy! He was fine after that! I don't lunge often with him due to his arthritis, so probably do once every month as a maximum as I find lunging can put huge stresses on a horses legs and I find it sometimes can hurt him so I try to make my circles really big. So I am not sure if the squaring up to me was because it hurt him to lunge, or whether he was just being naughty, but its something to bear in mind. He always does it on the same rein too.
He is great to lead with the dually on now, he doesn't try to go for the hay tubs outside peoples stables, or snatch at grass like he used to. If I catch him looking at stuff I just give him a little reminder with the halter by checking him and he knows what I mean! Bless him. Someone at the yard who uses dually's on her horses showed me what to do and we had a 'training session' which was fab, it was lovely to get some help of someone who knows what they are doing, as I could do with Kelly or a Kelly twin all the time!
I have done join up with Bailey since the demo. The horse is just too easy by far! He starts licking and chewing after about two minutes. He came over to me - I copied what Monty had shown the chap at the demo who joined up with Bailey, and he started following me. But then he stopped to sniff some poo on the floor so I sent him away again with the lunge line as it was naughty of him! He soon apologised and came back to me and stuck to me like glue.
But by far the best thing was that he loaded to come back from the riding club the other day for the first time in about 18-20 months without food, just by using the dually. Amazing, I was buzzing and ringing around every one I could think of to tell them the news!!!
Last night I rode in the dually. I did walk, got a bit braver and had a little trot, then thought well I might as well canter, so did that. Then I did flying changes on both 'reins', rein back (friend told me this is very important) and lots of leg yielding and bending and stretching exercises - all without a bit, bridle or reins (used lead ropes tied together). Wow, the horse is more obedient and lighter in the dually than in a snaffle. I am gobsmacked. He brings his head down and goes in an outline when I ask him with a slight squeeze on the lead ropes, and would have got 7's or 8's had it of been a dressage test! Next I am going to jump him in it, and then when the weather is a bit nicer maybe do a little bare back riding as this would be good for my balance and confidence. shame you can;t do dressage in it. My 'reins' were so light, and he was so soft.
I feel like I have had a whole new world opened up to me, and I can only thank Kelly and Monty for this. Whilst I may not have felt the demo was the best thing for Bailey or I at the time, I certainly think what I have learned since, with the help of the dually is amazing.
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