One of those days, frustration flatwork lesson.

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showpony

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So long story short, we are going to be doing alot of showing over the next 2mths so have really being doing alot of flatwork and getting us both used to the double bridle.

Lesson started off great.... Went for a big trot up the hill on the road beside yard - no spooky hedge monsters, mare didnt put a foot wrong - prob because my instructor was roaring at us from the bottom of the hill to pick the pace up lol... & it was my first time riding up that hill without the company of another horse so tiny little milestone achieved.

Back to arena, did lots of flexing & riding in a square using turns on the forehand to ride the square - all good & some good work achieved by both of us..

this is where it pretty much falls appart... She was very resistant to the contact, and instructor trying to get me to not use my inside leg on every stride - easier said than done.. so the big bad schooling whip had to be used very regularly today which she did NOT appreciate, asked her to move on with my outside leg, nothing so used stick so it was as if she was sticking her middle finger up at me, second time I tapped her with the stick she threw a HUGE buck & tanked off, more bucking every time I put stick on ...
Instructor got up & she gave her a right telling off when she wasnt listening & of course she was a total angel.

Got back up, managed probably some of our best non "Giraffe " transitions into canter but everytime she was in an outline it would last for couple of strides & then total resistance. Am very quiet with my hands so its not as if Im blocking her or being heavy handed.. It was as if what was going through my head just wouldnt go through to my hands if that makes sence!

Was just so bloody frustrated by the end of it - as I felt I had let my instructor & my horse down as know I can do better:( but today just wasn't my finest moment.

Baileys Hot Chocolate if you have made it this far!

No pics from today, but one two from our first proper showing show 2 wks ago where I managed to connect my brain to my hands!





 
Oh don't feel bad - different day, different result and all that. It can be hard when under instruction to stop feeling frustrated long enough to take a deep breath and regroup when things start going wonky. Bad days happen to the best, and on the plus side you have a lovely looking horse :D
 
She's lovely :)

I know nothing about showing!! Do they need to be in a double bridle?

My only advice would be more leg. Just because that what I always do in that kind of situation :o Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't :D
 
I don't understand... You posted this at a time when most posters are creeping towards bed, or at least off HHO- if you had no replies this time tomorrow, then complain ;)

She looks very well. From what I understand, a horse going very well in a snaffle will do better than one being resistant in a double. Reg really can't get on with a double, so we just didn't...
 
showpony said:
Thanks Lolo, she actually is equally as resistant in a plain snaffle.
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Then surely asking her to work into a bit which is considered to be the next stage up, so to speak, is quite an ask? How is she resisting? Is it a head up, or setting against you, or something else?

She could just be saying working is really difficult and she wants more breaks! Reg would sympathise, he says that a lot too :D
 
One of the biggest tools my instructor has given me is showing the horse what I want from the ground. For about 2-3 months straight, I started every ridden session with Dante with lateral flexions in halt both ways, downwards stretch, and yielding of the hind end both ways, and then rein-back. All had to be done from a very light hand (which initially meant waiting aaaagggggeeeesss for him to catch onto 'stretch down' particularly) but the patience did pay off quite quickly. It's really helpful for getting them to chill/focus too, as well as helping them understand the 'meaning' of the bridle & aids, as well as encouraging suppleness & good reactions from the leg. I've definitely enjoyed & benefitted from incorporating more in-hand work to my schooling sessions. It helped a pony I've started schooling pick up the idea of working with the bridle, not against it, in only a few sessions. (that's literally just spending 5mins with him in the stable before I got on.)
You don't have to not ride, but it's definitely helpful in an infinite number of ways I think :)
 
How is she in lateral work?

TBH- if things are not going well in a double then you really need to go back to a snaffle for a bit- even if she still doesn't go as well in that, you cannot keep avoiding the problem. Tackle her problems in a snaffle first and once they are better and she is more established with you then put her back in the double.

It is really difficult to tell without seeing a video tbh but I would do plenty of transitions, transitions within the pace to ensure that she is on your aids and is listening to you. I would also do plenty of lateral work with her, LY, spiralling in and out on a circle, 10 metre circles and she MUST get off your inside leg. If she doesn't flick with a stick, be ready with your outside rein and DON'T STOP ASKING WHAT YOU ARE DOING WHATEVER SHE DOES. Even if she takes off or goes off into trot when you are only in walk, I know it is difficult but try to keep asking the question regardless, if not, her distraction/evadence tactic has worked!! Would spurs be either if she doesn't like a whip, just some small rollerball ones?

Again, without seeing a video it's hard to say but I would forget where her head is in the canter at the moment, put her on a 20 metre circle and do transitions on the circle. Once in the canter just focus on sitting up, back on your bum and letting you both find a rhythm. Little half halts down the outside rein on corners to help her balance and gradually start asking her to come through into the contact. It won't happen overnight.

It sounds a bit like she just isn't 'through' too so again, lots of transitions in all gaits will help with this, get her engine revving and working from behind.

Don't forget about you too, sit up, engage your core, sit back on your bum and try and drive her forward from your seat.

Good luck.
 
Ditto Perfect Pirouette - her head and neck are her balancing mechanism, if her hind legs aren't engaged she will have problems with having head and neck where you would like them to be in "an outline" (grr, I HATE that phrase - it implies it is stand alone and not dependant on anything else). Bucking etc are her telling you it is hard for her - she did tell you by being reluctant to comply, but you ignored her and forced her to shout.
 
We still do lots of work in a snaffle...
We do heeps of lateral work - actually a very small pair of spurs may be worth a shot as she is extremely stick sensitive and always has been so worth a try.
Agree re my core however after two c sections, my muscles just arent what they were however am doing pilates to try to strengthen them up.


Perfect_Pirouette said:
How is she in lateral work?

TBH- if things are not going well in a double then you really need to go back to a snaffle for a bit- even if she still doesn't go as well in that, you cannot keep avoiding the problem. Tackle her problems in a snaffle first and once they are better and she is more established with you then put her back in the double.

It is really difficult to tell without seeing a video tbh but I would do plenty of transitions, transitions within the pace to ensure that she is on your aids and is listening to you. I would also do plenty of lateral work with her, LY, spiralling in and out on a circle, 10 metre circles and she MUST get off your inside leg. If she doesn't flick with a stick, be ready with your outside rein and DON'T STOP ASKING WHAT YOU ARE DOING WHATEVER SHE DOES. Even if she takes off or goes off into trot when you are only in walk, I know it is difficult but try to keep asking the question regardless, if not, her distraction/evadence tactic has worked!! Would spurs be either if she doesn't like a whip, just some small rollerball ones?

Again, without seeing a video it's hard to say but I would forget where her head is in the canter at the moment, put her on a 20 metre circle and do transitions on the circle. Once in the canter just focus on sitting up, back on your bum and letting you both find a rhythm. Little half halts down the outside rein on corners to help her balance and gradually start asking her to come through into the contact. It won't happen overnight.

It sounds a bit like she just isn't 'through' too so again, lots of transitions in all gaits will help with this, get her engine revving and working from behind.

Don't forget about you too, sit up, engage your core, sit back on your bum and try and drive her forward from your seat.

Good luck.
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No I DIDNT igore her, we do a long warm up to engage her hind legs so she is more supple ... anytime she finds something tough she tends to throw her toys out of the pram.

JillA said:
Ditto Perfect Pirouette - her head and neck are her balancing mechanism, if her hind legs aren't engaged she will have problems with having head and neck where you would like them to be in "an outline" (grr, I HATE that phrase - it implies it is stand alone and not dependant on anything else). Bucking etc are her telling you it is hard for her - she did tell you by being reluctant to comply, but you ignored her and forced her to shout.
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how old is she?

can you not take a step back and use a pelham with a similar mouthpiece to your snaffle? I'd certainly go for more work in the snaffle if she is resistant in that too rather than forcing the issue with a double.
 
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