"New" trainer for Ludo

[ycbm]

I have gone back to the trainer I used to go to 10 years ago, the only trainer who I have ever felt was totally on my wavelength. She moved further away and I didn't want to travel that far when Cheshire is loaded with GP level trainers, but there comes a point when you realise that the right person is worth traveling for. She manages to train me and the horse while also making it fun. She isn't issuing instructions, she's engaging in an ongoing conversation between me her and the horse. I think the fact that she trains children to GP level is a big part of what makes her training work for me. I want results, but it has to be fun, this is my hobby, not a job.

In one session, we did more exercises than we have done in a year with our previous trainer. Neither of us had a chance to be bored. Her methods of getting him straight were very different. Instead of thinking about where his hindquarters were, she had me working to get him forward into both reins first using loops and then just subtle bend charges down the long side. And then slowing everything right down using my seat not my reins. I thought that would make him swing his backside over, but to my surprise, it didn't. His lack of balance and strength is still very obvious, but his trainability is second to none, so nothing feels like hard work with him.

At the end of the lesson I asked for her honest opinion, not one just to please me. She said 'well he's got no weaknesses, has he?, all three paces - he's the best horse you've had' The two other horses she has trained me on were GP bred KWPNs and Ludo is an unregistered mongrel.

As I was walking him back to the van, the person for the next lesson was warming up and she stopped me and said 'I hope you don't mind me saying, but your horse is absolutely stunning'. Mind? I was thrilled.

Lots to work on at home before our next session on 2 weeks. I'm feeling very motivated to show her an improvement by then.

 

[dorsetladette]

Sounds like you had a lovely session. You know you've got a good trainer when your eager to shoe them your 'homework' makes you feel like an eager child at the school gates.

 

[Mule]

Brilliant. Ludo is lovely, he was a real find. I find an instructor who you click with is well worth travelling for.

 

[Wheels]

When you find someone you click with it's worth the extra travel time!

How far do you have to travel for this trainer?

 

[scats]

Sounds like a really encouraging lesson! I toy with the idea of having lessons again, but I feel it would be a total waste of time because purely from the point of view of my own health as I have to stop so frequently with pain and overwhelming fatigue. On my own it doesn’t matter but I’d feel a complete wally infront of anyone else. Riding a dressage test kills me, it’s that bad. At home I ride every movement separately and then take a walk.
I’ve mostly accepted my limitations now, but it can be frustrating as I do want to do more than my body will allow.

 

[Wheels]

Sounds like a really encouraging lesson! I toy with the idea of having lessons again, but I feel it would be a total waste of time because purely from the point of view of my own health as I have to stop so frequently with pain and overwhelming fatigue. On my own it doesn’t matter but I’d feel a complete wally infront of anyone else. Riding a dressage test kills me, it’s that bad. At home I ride every movement separately and then take a walk.
I’ve mostly accepted my limitations now, but it can be frustrating as I do want to do more than my body will allow.

Sorry to hear that scats

 

[SEL]

Sounds like a really encouraging lesson! I toy with the idea of having lessons again, but I feel it would be a total waste of time because purely from the point of view of my own health as I have to stop so frequently with pain and overwhelming fatigue. On my own it doesn’t matter but I’d feel a complete wally infront of anyone else. Riding a dressage test kills me, it’s that bad. At home I ride every movement separately and then take a walk.
I’ve mostly accepted my limitations now, but it can be frustrating as I do want to do more than my body will allow.

My lessons stopped with lockdown but I said to the instructor that I could have waves of fatigue and i needed to stop if that happened. She was great and actually stopped me a few times when I thought I could keep going to take a break and do walk exercises. I think she could see from the ground that I'd started to look a bit flakey. So there are more understanding instructors out there - this one had her own injuries and came word of mouth.

YCBM - he's a cracking horse and I'm glad you've found someone who 'gets' you both. Really looking forward to hearing how he gets on. How often are you planning on having a lesson on him?

 

[ycbm]

Sounds like a really encouraging lesson! I toy with the idea of having lessons again, but I feel it would be a total waste of time because purely from the point of view of my own health as I have to stop so frequently with pain and overwhelming fatigue. On my own it doesn’t matter but I’d feel a complete wally infront of anyone else. Riding a dressage test kills me, it’s that bad. At home I ride every movement separately and then take a walk.
I’ve mostly accepted my limitations now, but it can be frustrating as I do want to do more than my body will allow.

I'm sorry about that Scats. If you are in my area, I can recommend a trainer who will do lots of really useful, detailed, precise work in walk while you recover some energy.
.

 

[ycbm]

How far do you have to travel for this trainer?

Mileage wise it doesn't sound far, but it's all up hill and down dale, so a slow journey.

Annoyingly, it took nowhere near as long as I thought it would take, or I would have gone to her years ago. The last third looks on the map like slow (and potentiality icy) country roads and I was shocked to find it was a fairly wide B road right to the door.

It took about an hour and a quarter, really doable even in winter.
.

 

[Trouper]

So now we really need some videos??

 

[ycbm]

YCBM - he's a cracking horse and I'm glad you've found someone who 'gets' you both. Really looking forward to hearing how he gets on. How often are you planning on having a lesson on him?

I have decided to hell with it, inflation is going to eat my savings with all the fake money that's being pumped into the economy, so I'm going every two weeks and some months I'll slot in one with Deza on top.

His training will cost twice what it costs to keep him for a year ?
.

 

[ycbm]

So now we really need some videos??

I have some and I'm thrilled with him, but my history on this forum is that someone will tell me he is lame, because he doesn't stay in a constant rhythm yet.

He is still a terrible baby for a five year old, but a terrible baby with a ton of talent!

I might try and grab a few seconds of a good bit, later.
.

 

[Wheels]

Mileage wise it doesn't sound far, but it's all up hill and down dale, so a slow journey.

Annoyingly, it took nowhere near as long as I thought it would take, or I would have gone to her years ago. The last third looks on the map like slow (and potentiality icy) country roads and I was shocked to find it was a fairly wide B road right to the door.

It took about an hour and a quarter, really doable even in winter.
.

That's no problem, my main trainer is 1 hr 15 to 1hr 30 depending on traffic as I have to go via a couple of towns. It's worth it though so I dont mind

Really glad that you've reignited your training with this person as they sound great

 

[Trouper]

I have some and I'm thrilled with him, but my history on this forum is that someone will tell me he is lame, because he doesn't stay in a constant rhythm yet.

He is still a terrible baby for a five year old, but a terrible baby with a ton of talent!

I might try and grab a few seconds of a good bit, later.
.

Ah yes - The Lame Brigade. They would probably try to tell the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse that their steeds were lame. Never ceases to amaze me that they can spot lameness from a couple of minutes of video when vets sometimes struggle to pinpoint it in a full lameness work up!! I think most of us would enjoy seeing what your trainer is seeing and watching his progress.

 

[Wheels]

I agree trouper!

 

[ycbm]

They don't need a couple of minutes, the last time it happened it was 11 seconds and they were writing about the "poor horse" that was so obviously lame in the right hind.
.

 

[planete]

Yes, please. I, for one, would very much look forward to following Ludo's training through some videos. The lameness brigade are not as important or influential as they would have us believe. But of course I am not in your shoes and at the receiving end of the nastiness.

 

[Wheels]

They don't need a couple of minutes, the last time it happened it was 11 seconds and they were writing about the "poor horse" that was so obviously lame in the right hind.
.

I don't think you got negative comments on your last vid? Please share some more

 

[dorsetladette]

They don't need a couple of minutes, the last time it happened it was 11 seconds and they were writing about the "poor horse" that was so obviously lame in the right hind.
.

I dread to think what they'd say about my backwards thinking, behind the leg cob when I school him on the uneven surface of my grass schooling area. The poor neglected soul.

I know exactly where your coming from. I've been told my ridden horse has every aliment under the sun. I've also been told my non ridden cob is lame behind - they seem to have failed to notice the lunge line he was trailing behind him as he bolted round the arena which would clearly kill him if it touched his legs.

Key board warriors at their finest.

 

[SpotsandBays]

Your instructor sounds like exactly what I’m looking for! Also I love the name Ludo!

 

[ycbm]

Your instructor sounds like exactly what I’m looking for! Also I love the name Ludo!

My friend chose his name and it was so obvious as soon as she said it!
.

 

[ycbm]

OK I'll give it a go. I never learn.

This is an unedited clip showing his current progress pretty well. The first length of trot is asking him to lengthen a bit, then shorten at the end. The canter transition is fairly normal, sometimes they are worse, sometimes better. The second canter up the far wall is the first time he's ever been asked to do a canter loop. The head carriage is pretty representative, he's got a lot steadier since I took DabDab's suggestion to focus hard on rhythm. I've cut the sound because I haven't asked the instructor's permission, but it's all about keeping him bending around my inside leg and equal in both reins. He dishes and plaits when he loses balance and both are improving fast. He has suddenly developed an enormous backside (meaty, not bum high) ?

.

 

[IrishMilo]

You can tell he's the sort of horse who tries very hard to please. He has a lovely trot.

 

[ycbm]

You can tell he's the sort of horse who tries very hard to please. He has a lovely trot.

His canter is better than his trot, though it may not show in that clip.
.

 

[Roxylola]

Hes maintaining his rhythm much better now. Hes still wobbly bless him. Canter looks a more established rhythm and a happier place for him generally. Yes you could nanny him a bit more in the trot to have him more together etc, but really what's the point - you're in it for the long haul you might as well let him learn self carriage etc now

 

[ycbm]

We had him a lot more together in very short bursts with lots of transitions, but it's very bitty in terms of a video which represents his work, so I picked a more flowing bit. I do want him to learn to control his own body, not me do it for him, it would be too much work!

He's a very loose horse. Riding him feels like riding a bunch of elastic bands with one always trying to shoot off on its own journey somewhere . I drag it back in line and off goes another one ?
.

 

[Roxylola]

Hes a try-er bless him.

 

[Wheels]

Looking good

 

[dorsetladette]

Lovely - he looks like a very willing sort.

 

[HashRouge]

He's definitely lame...


I'm sorry that's mean I couldn't resist! I think he's an absolute smasher, he's such a lovely mover. I've loved seeing how he's developed over the last few years and I can't wait to see what's to come for him! The conformation of his hind end reminds me of a really nice SJ bred gelding I used to work with - he was beautifully schooled and such a comfortable ride but he definitely took longer to mature than some. He was a very, very different horse from when I met him as a 5 year old to when I last rode him as a 7 year old. I think it's because he had so much power behind him to learn to control (if that makes sense). Ludo looks similar