My PRE learning medium canter

[dany]

Hi, this is a bit self indulgent but Im so pleased with Coliseo, ive never bonded with a horse so quickly before and I'm rather proud!

Its my first time posting video (or rather 2nd as posted in VV also), so I thought id share how my new boy is coming along. He is rising 5 (5 in August) and is learning so very quickly. This is the first time he has been asked for medium canter and the second time for counter canter. We are hoping to get him ready for the 5 year olds in April. Its my trainer riding and I so lucky to have found someone so talented and local. People keep telling me there is a bit of predudice against baroque types in dressage, but im hoping good training will overcome and they will just judge him for who he is.

Enjoy..

[youtube]_1Y4mpewQAk[/youtube]

Enjoy..

 

[hellspells]

I can't watch the video's at work. Good luck with him. We will be expecting the same thing with the Lipizanner when we eventually take him out. The iberian types are very much the marmite of the horse world!

 

[TheMule]

I'm a big Iberian fan and he's stunning, however, I personally don't like how much in the hand and over-bent he is for a young horse at this stage of his training. I would slow it down and straighten it up before asking anything more of him

 

[celia]

He's a beautiful horse! I'm sure he'll do well in dressage once he's ready. Would agree though that he looks a little rushed and 'on the hand'. I'd want him more balanced in general before I started asking him for anything more advanced. Good luck with him.

 

[trendybraincell]

I don't really like Iberians, but I rather like your chap looks like he enjoyed the medium canter too! I don't think he looks overbent, inconsistent in the contact sometimes but he's young.

 

[j1ffy]

Beautiful horse, though as a PRE owner I may be biased They are such wonderful horses to own!

I have to agree with TheMule though, it looks like he would benefit from some more back-to-basics training. He looks tense, loses rhythm and balance and the tempo tends to be too fast. My boy was trained in Spain and they do tend to work in a faster tempo there (due to the Doma Vaquera influence) although very light in the hand. We've done a lot of work with my instructor on getting him working straight, loose and with a good rhythm. They do tend to constantly anticipate and find lateral work a lot easier (and more exciting!) than working straight with correct bend. There are some good videos on HorseHero of a dressage rider working with her PRE (I've forgotten the rider's name but if you search for "Iberian" or "PRE" you should find it) that are worth a look.

 

[dany]

The contact has been a huge problem and I know he still has a way to go. He did (and still does a bit) become very over bent and drags the contact down. I my trainer prefers a stronger contact for now, because he would suck behind to give a feel on nothing in the hand, so its all and means to an end.

For some reason he always looks faster and rushed in the video, but doesnt in real life?

J1ffy: how is your boy going at the moment? I try to keep an extra look out for iberian posts but havent spotted an update? (oh and going to look on horse hero now)

 

[dressagecrazy]

Im also a PRE lover seeing as ive just bought one lol, he's a lovely horse, out of interest how big is he?

I do have to agree with TheMule & Jiffy though i personally would be taking him back a few stages until he was happier & more balanced.

Im currently working with my boy on Straightness, stretching & rythm, as with Iberians they do tend to get tense in the back & very short in the neck then they rush. Im hoping to get mine out to some 4yo classes this year.

 

[dany]

Hi dressage crazy, he is currently 16.1 and im hoping he will finish on a little more, although he has matured quite early. Did you import? or is yours home grown? id love to see some pics x

 

[j1ffy]

The contact has been a huge problem and I know he still has a way to go. He did (and still does a bit) become very over bent and drags the contact down. I my trainer prefers a stronger contact for now, because he would suck behind to give a feel on nothing in the hand, so its all and means to an end.

For some reason he always looks faster and rushed in the video, but doesnt in real life?

J1ffy: how is your boy going at the moment? I try to keep an extra look out for iberian posts but havent spotted an update? (oh and going to look on horse hero now)

He's just had a winter off as I'm working abroad so I'll let you know once he's up and going again. He was working in a far better rhythm and stretching through the back more. He's a bit fussy with his mouth still and also drops behind the contact but he's improved hugely. Once he understands what you want he tends to respond quickly, and generally you can pick up a schooling session where you left the last one. They're such willing and intelligent horses, I love them!

 

[dany]

I really dont think id have anything else now x

 

[dressagecrazy]

Hi dressage crazy, he is currently 16.1 and im hoping he will finish on a little more, although he has matured quite early. Did you import? or is yours home grown? id love to see some pics x

He looks a lot bigger on the Vid he is really lovely
Mines home grown lol, posted a thread introducing him the other day here's a link if you fancy a look.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=434482

 

[Weezy]

Big, dapple and Andy, just my type Do you hack him out at all? Does he stretch down and chill or is he on his nerves all the time? I would also like to see him less tense, and opening his throatlash (am struggling to think of the English word - where the jaw meets the neck?!) so that he makes it easier on himself to breath I had a very tense Andy who was just the same and I used to hack him a lot to get him to fill out the front of his frame more. He is still the same in the school tho, all huff and puff!

Keep posting updates, he is adorable

 

[Tempi]

He looks like a nice type

Ive not read the other comments but to me hes unbalanced and rushing/fighting against the hand. I wouldnt be pushing medium canter yet when his trot isnt properly established. I know he is a PRE and they work slightly differently, but it dosent mean he shouldnt be soft over his back - hes too tight in the neck and not over the back at all. He needs to drop down on to a much softer more relaxed frame and work in to a proper contact. He is being held tightly and fighting against the hand all the time.

If he is strong (which it looks like he is) then go back to basics - lots and lots of walk/trot/walk/trot transitions all around the arena, changes of rein making sure he changes the bend through the body, serpentines to get him more supple through his body and listening to the aids and leg yielding in and out of a circle in walk and trot (if he has done any leg yeilding yet as i know hes only 5).

Once his trot is balance and relaxed then start work in canter but at the moment i would be sorting out the trot work first.

He does look like a lovely horse though, good luck with him

 

[dany]

Unfort im in london and the yard goes straight out on to a main road. Plus ive only had him for 3 months / he is my first stallion and hot blood, so I have hacked out yet at all. He does do some in hand work, NH games in preperation though!

My hope is to do some Le Trec with him to balance out the dressage and he should start going off yard next week, so hacking will follow shortly.

 

[Weezy]

You may well find that he is absolutely awesome to hack. Quite a few PREs that I have dealt with have been real hot heads in the school but have the knack of being able to switch off out hacking, just let loose, so I hope he proves to be one of those for you

I am truly smitten with him tho...

 

[PrettyPiaffe]

Like others have said, still got a bit of work to do but he is gorgeous, i'd have him in a heart beat!

 

[Andalusianlover]

Unfort im in london and the yard goes straight out on to a main road. Plus ive only had him for 3 months / he is my first stallion and hot blood, so I have hacked out yet at all. He does do some in hand work, NH games in preperation though!

My hope is to do some Le Trec with him to balance out the dressage and he should start going off yard next week, so hacking will follow shortly.

Isnt he bored to death going round in circles. Do lots and lots of hacking with him, it will benefit him greatly. Hack him out on a long rein and let him relax. I used to canter mine down steep hills (great fun - he's now the best balanced horse you'll come across) My PRE is like "Muffin the Mule" in the school but morphs into a different horse out hacking. Point him towards some 3 ft x country fences and he changes again. PRE's love doing different disciplines in fact they thrive on it. They mature later than a lot of breeds so dont rush him at his early age or you'll spoil him.

Lastly, unless you intend him to be a breeding stallion, get his nuts off then he can have buddies to go out in a paddock with instead of him leading a solitary stallion life.

Oh I forgot. Mine used to be fussy in his mouth so I put a drop noseband (with a happy mouth snaffle) on him. Worked wonders.

Good luck with him.

Best breed I've ever come across.

 

[nikkimariet]

He is beautiful, you're very lucky. I'm not an expert on PRE's by any means, but I do dressage and having had a quick flick through the comments, I find myself agreeing with some of the critical comments.

Firstly, his trot looks a little wobbly; almost like he is not as connected and round over the back as he could be. Working on your bending, and your walk/trot transitions would be a good idea. Your trot/canter transition is a little messy, he appears to be rushing into the transition and throwing his head up a little because he is not as prepared and waiting on you as he should be. Try keeping the canter short and bouncy, which would make the most of his action, leg yielding in and out of circles and practicing your transitions would help improve his balance. To me, personally, it looks like he loses his rhythm a little when you push forward- I think maybe, you are pushing too much. You need to work on keeping his sitting on his bum so he can push off and extend his stride, rather than shooting out the corner. xoxo

 

[OneInAMillion]

He is so cute

 

[Booboos]

Gorgeous horse! As others have said he could do with being more relaxed over the back, but you've only had him 3 months and I am sure that will come with time.

@nikkimariet: I recognise that matchy-matchy!!! I feel like I know you already through PS - how funny!

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

lol!

we are like the same person!

agree with what has been said, needs to slow down and learn to truly stretch to the hand, so the rhythm becomes slower with activity, rather than frantic.

would not be doing mediums or counter canter with him yet.

 

[nikkimariet]

Haha!! Yes Booboos, I am the younger PS!! xoxo

 

[coreteam1]

Looks a beautiful horse - I've not seen many of the Pre's to be honest.

 

[vikkiandmonica]

I'm not an expert, but it looks like he really needs to slow down in the trot and get balanced, same in canter, and the rider seems to be balancing with her hands? And generally not seeming to go with the horse's movements. Seems to be a little heavy handed too. I would focus on the basics, getting him working longer and lower, and generally becoming straighter and more balanced.

I like him though, if you got a more sympathetic rider and slowed everything down more, do the basics more, he could be really nice when he's older!

 

[j1ffy]

Isnt he bored to death going round in circles. Do lots and lots of hacking with him, it will benefit him greatly. Hack him out on a long rein and let him relax. I used to canter mine down steep hills (great fun - he's now the best balanced horse you'll come across) My PRE is like "Muffin the Mule" in the school but morphs into a different horse out hacking. Point him towards some 3 ft x country fences and he changes again. PRE's love doing different disciplines in fact they thrive on it. They mature later than a lot of breeds so dont rush him at his early age or you'll spoil him.

Lastly, unless you intend him to be a breeding stallion, get his nuts off then he can have buddies to go out in a paddock with instead of him leading a solitary stallion life.

Oh I forgot. Mine used to be fussy in his mouth so I put a drop noseband (with a happy mouth snaffle) on him. Worked wonders.

Good luck with him.

Best breed I've ever come across.

I agree on the hacking front, they do tend to be fab. I've hacked out stallions in Spain with other stallions, mares and geldings, they are simply expected to get on with it out there. Also agree that you should held him if you won't be breeding, it's a happier life for him and easier for you to find yards!

I'll try the drop on P. He's in a happy mouth and that's improved him, as does making sure he's not getting bored! I briefly tried a flash but it simply gave him something to fight against.

 

[Pasha]

I'm not going to comment on the video other than to say he is gorgeous as I don't know PREs very well at all and am more used to Arab or WB movement.

I did not know that PREs were "hot blooded" though? I thought only Arabs, Akal-Teke's, Barbs (and TBs, although I think of them as WB) were hot bloods...

 

[Tinks81]

I never realised how funny reading this thread could be and how putting a video up could show a completely different horse than seeing him at home !!

Dany (and Louise) have done a fantastic job with this horse - the yard he is at is individual turnout anyway so he will never have friends and it is also not great for hacking unfortunately - i know Dany is planning to box him to near my yard and try him out on some calmer roads before attepting to take him out where she is (going nearly straight onto an A road - i know i wouldnt do that to my 4/5yo)

 

[amandaco2]

lovely horse he has a lovely canter.

he is young- i would like to see things alot softer and slower (although i think iberians tend to have higher carriage and faster tempo?)

i agree with Tempi.......

also personally i like to keep the mediums short to begin with so loss of balance and rushing doesnt occur. same with any counter canter- i feel a half 20m circle/ end of the school is too much to ask of a horse on the 2nd attempt.................once shes ready to do the counter canter, id establish it and build it up to a good balance and rhythm on a long side first...

 

[dany]

On reflection we have already pulled back on the counter canter and come back to trot after the first corner. Likewise with the mediums, now we know he is willing to be forward, we now rein it back and only ask for a small amount. This was supposed to be a video to show how much fun he is having. He is a very willing, happy horse and I dont want to abuse that.

This was his first time, I cant believe people wouldn't push boundaries to see whats needed to be done. I also cant believe people on here aren't experienced enough to realize this is a 2 min video snippet of a whole training system that will take months!

Tinks he doesnt look that rushed at home because he isnt, Ive already stated for some reason he looks faster on tape, i think its something to do with my comp uploading it.

Its a shame Ive already looked for a delete thread button, but cant find one.