May I have some constructive CC/advice please?

Jackson

Jackson

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Hello there,
I have just started bringing Jack back in to work after box rest, and a hock injury. As we're literally only walking for 20mins per day I have seen it as a perfect opportunity to start to get him working in to more of a contact and improve his walk a bit, but I'm struggling to keep him foreward and 'on the bit' both at once, if that makes any sense?

I know that I have a tendancy to throw my hands foreward and drop my reins as I ask him to speed up a bit, which really doesn't help the problem, however I find that if I don't, he curls up or does a giraffe impression.. (I appreciate that his gag isn't helping this at the moment, but he's a little.. ahem, fresh and he's less inclined to misbehae with it in, and do himself further injury. I'll get my other reins out tomorrow.)

I'm doing lots of w/h transitions, giving and retaking the reins, we're allowed to 20m circle, and we can have a small trot at the end, so a bit limited really :p but my awful riding doesn't help :rolleyes:

Anyway, pictures. I warn you, they are awful.

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Any tips?

Thank you for looking!
 
Stop worrying about his head, if he's working forwards and properly over his back he will drop down into the contact. Its hard to see what's happening from photos, a video would be better. Just focus on keeping a light, elastic contact, you need to lift your hands up.

I would be doing lots of bending and flexing with him, can you move his head and neck without his body following? Can you do a bit of lateral work with him? You want to get him as flexible as possible and working from behind and the proper outline will come.
 
Definitely put your stirrups down - you have an 'armchair' seat at the moment and so will not be so effective in asking him to go forward (your knees should be more in line with you hips). Also it looks like you are resting your arms on your legs, lift those up a bit and bend at the elbow a bit more. Lovely chap you've got and a great partnership I'm sure :)
 
Thank you three :)

LouS, I don't have a video, I can probably borrow a recorder or use a phone or something? Unfortunatley we can do no lateral stuff at the moment, which is a shame. He is a bit wobbly if you just leave him to get on with it himself, but can actually manage a reasonable leg yield, and you can move his shoulders and hind end about quite a bit. He will drop in to a contact then, but as soon as we go back to normal, he looses it (possibly due to me giving my hands away?)
I forgot to say about my stirrups, until I saw the photos, I didn't realise how they had crept up. This length is my safety lengh, lol! :o
 
Def get those stirrups down - take ur feet out of the stirrups, and put ur legs up and over the flaps. Wriggle yourself forwards then allow your legs to drop down slowly, this will open your hip flexors and get you off the back of your bum.

Your elbows should stay by your ribs, you give the reins just by relaxing your fingers so that when you need to take them again you can do so by tightening them not reeling in 5 miles of reins.

Your feet are pointing outwards and flapping off her sides when you give a leg aid. Keep your feet straight and use your leg inwards, rattle your stick on your boot if you need more than that.

Hope this helps a bit :)
 
Agree with above about length of your stirrups so whilst you are still walking why don't ride without your stirrups for 10 minutes at the start of each session. Its so good for your balance and you will naturally find that once you put your feet back in how short they feel ;)
 
swampdonkey said:
love it when people say this, if only it was that simple :)
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It is true though, with the proviso that the contact is consistent.

No CC, as all the photos are in walk so quite hard to see much. But he's looking well and you look happy on him :D
 
Haha, found the quote button! Thank you :o

Hedgewitch13 said:
Definitely put your stirrups down - you have an 'armchair' seat at the moment and so will not be so effective in asking him to go forward (your knees should be more in line with you hips). Also it looks like you are resting your arms on your legs, lift those up a bit and bend at the elbow a bit more. Lovely chap you've got and a great partnership I'm sure :)
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Wow, knees in line with my hips! Okay, I will definitely drop my stirrups tomorrow then :o
He hates having his mouth fiddled with, and gets a bit gobby so I tend to keep my hands low like that as that's how I can keep them still. I promise they're not actually resting on my legs :o I'm guessing that if I was to put my shoulders back, that would correct my hands a bit?

Faracat said:
I agree with this. First you need to work on getting him moving forwards nicely. :)
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I will try :D

Ceris Comet said:
What a lovely little tank!
Lucky girl !
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Tank! he gets called that often, thank you :)

swampdonkey said:
love it when people say this, if only it was that simple :)
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Is anything ever simple? :p:D
 
Trying to do basic schooling & keeping a forward active walk going for 20 mins isn't the easiest way to improve, so how about focusing more on you for now. That way you'll be prepared when you can do more. I'd say ride bareback, or at least no stirrups to help your position until you can vary the work a bit more.
 
Wow, knees in line with my hips!
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Ankles in line with hips - surely? So you have a straight line down through your head, hips and ankles.

Could you take him on a short hack? You might have more luck with a forwards walk then. :)
 
Lolo said:
It is true though, with the proviso that the contact is consistent.


I am no expert and am still learning but I have been taught that the release of the inside contact is as important as the consistent outside contact.

I don't mean to sound grouchy about this but it makes me mad when people say just work forwards into a contact and the horse will miraculously drop down, like its easy.

I am not a talented rider at all and it doesn't come easily or naturally for me but I am working really hard with my instructor and have been for a year on making my boy nicely rounded and working into a contact. It is difficult to develop the right feel of when to give and when to hold the contact.

Apologise for hijacking original thread, just get so frustrated at reading that.

I'll get back in my little box now, apologies.
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I have lots to try out tomorrow, thanks :D

TigerTail said:
Def get those stirrups down - take ur feet out of the stirrups, and put ur legs up and over the flaps. Wriggle yourself forwards then allow your legs to drop down slowly, this will open your hip flexors and get you off the back of your bum.

Your elbows should stay by your ribs, you give the reins just by relaxing your fingers so that when you need to take them again you can do so by tightening them not reeling in 5 miles of reins.

Your feet are pointing outwards and flapping off her sides when you give a leg aid. Keep your feet straight and use your leg inwards, rattle your stick on your boot if you need more than that.

Hope this helps a bit :)
Click to expand...

Thanks, yes my flappy feet! they disappear if you put me on a skinnier horse, it is honestly just impossible to get my leg flat against his side (my bad conformation, you see ;) )

Ravenwood said:
Agree with above about length of your stirrups so whilst you are still walking why don't ride without your stirrups for 10 minutes at the start of each session. Its so good for your balance and you will naturally find that once you put your feet back in how short they feel ;)
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Thank you :) I would have to have a death wish to be riding without stirrups at the moment though :o

Lolo said:
It is true though, with the proviso that the contact is consistent.

No CC, as all the photos are in walk so quite hard to see much. But he's looking well and you look happy on him :D
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Thanks :D I think that that is where I'm going wrong, keeping it even and consistent...

littlelegs said:
Trying to do basic schooling & keeping a forward active walk going for 20 mins isn't the easiest way to improve, so how about focusing more on you for now. That way you'll be prepared when you can do more. I'd say ride bareback, or at least no stirrups to help your position until you can vary the work a bit more.
Click to expand...

Okay :) I'm not going to take my stirrups away at the moment, as said above, I don't have a death wish :D but I will do some bareback, we did do a lot before and there is definitely enough of him to hold on to :o
Thanks :D
 
Faracat said:
Ankles in line with hips - surely? So you have a straight line down through your head, hips and ankles.

Could you take him on a short hack? You might have more luck with a forwards walk then. :)
Click to expand...
Ankles! I don't think my knees would go in line with my hips :o
Also forgot to say we are hacking out :)
It's not getting the forewards that's the problem, more keeping it and having a contact too?
 
I am no expert and am still learning but I have been taught that the release of the inside contact is as important as the consistent outside contact.

I don't mean to sound grouchy about this but it makes me mad when people say just work forwards into a contact and the horse will miraculously drop down, like its easy.
Click to expand...

I agree with you re the release, my instructor used to make me do that too.

Getting a contact isn't easy, but without the free-flowing forwards movement, there will be no chance of a proper contact. I'd much rather see a horse above the bit but going forwards properly to one with it's head pulled in with stifled movement.
 
hes gorgeous i believe that 'on the bit' or any outline comes from working forward: the horse should walk forward and up (carry themselves) into 'the bit', its not a head shape but a self carriage so keep working on pushing him forwards an maybe allow him to stretch as you do this, picking up the contact slowly and later to allow him to develop this? If you carry hands higher and push you heels down (trust me you are nearly there) you will also allow him to work more naturally through his back (your position/weight distribution will transform him movement). Good luck ad keep up what your doing x
 
Your saddle is too far forwards, so your knees are right over his shoulders. Position your saddle a bit further back and lengthen your stirrups.
 
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