ThePony
Well-Known Member
Hi all,
Will be a long post, so grab a cup of tea and settle down!
My lovely new grey lady has now been home for a week and is settling in like she has always been here, so now I want to start getting on with some decent work with her.
She has been used to very light work (short hacks on the buckle end), but is in good health so I want to improve her fitness. No probs but saddler, back lady, farrier and dentist out this week to ensure all is as it should be! She is very poor in her schooling though is so far seeming to be picking up things reasnobly well, but an enormous amount to go! She has barely any topline (due to her minimal work, poor schooling and also as she is just a spot long in the back).
At the moment I am concentrating on getting her being more responsive off the leg. We are making good improvements in walk and trot, when we have got this sorted and she is being good and forward at these paces and then we will move onto canter. I want to work steadily rather than rush on, hence the slow approach. Corners are also a big prob, so lots of walking circles and figure 8s - trotting these with any bending whatso ever is beyond her at present as she doesn't listen to leg at all - will get her listening in walk before asking her to bend in trot. She loves poles so am trying to incorporate trotting and walking poles to stop it being dull for her. She is also starting to work sometimes in an outline, after we lost the single jointed snaffle and grackle. We are making progress but there is so much to be done!
What excercises/amount of work/how to build this up would you be recommending? Due to her level of fitness and lack of topline I am reluctant to lunge quite yet as I think it will be too harsh on her back particularly. She currently is going better in a loose ring french link, no noseband or martingale. She does stick her head up and go if she gets stressed, but this bit seems to be working for her better at least.
Massive biccies for getting this far, looking forward to your replies and advice!
Will be a long post, so grab a cup of tea and settle down!
My lovely new grey lady has now been home for a week and is settling in like she has always been here, so now I want to start getting on with some decent work with her.
She has been used to very light work (short hacks on the buckle end), but is in good health so I want to improve her fitness. No probs but saddler, back lady, farrier and dentist out this week to ensure all is as it should be! She is very poor in her schooling though is so far seeming to be picking up things reasnobly well, but an enormous amount to go! She has barely any topline (due to her minimal work, poor schooling and also as she is just a spot long in the back).
At the moment I am concentrating on getting her being more responsive off the leg. We are making good improvements in walk and trot, when we have got this sorted and she is being good and forward at these paces and then we will move onto canter. I want to work steadily rather than rush on, hence the slow approach. Corners are also a big prob, so lots of walking circles and figure 8s - trotting these with any bending whatso ever is beyond her at present as she doesn't listen to leg at all - will get her listening in walk before asking her to bend in trot. She loves poles so am trying to incorporate trotting and walking poles to stop it being dull for her. She is also starting to work sometimes in an outline, after we lost the single jointed snaffle and grackle. We are making progress but there is so much to be done!
What excercises/amount of work/how to build this up would you be recommending? Due to her level of fitness and lack of topline I am reluctant to lunge quite yet as I think it will be too harsh on her back particularly. She currently is going better in a loose ring french link, no noseband or martingale. She does stick her head up and go if she gets stressed, but this bit seems to be working for her better at least.
Massive biccies for getting this far, looking forward to your replies and advice!
