Poles poles poles

Horsekaren

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We are still mixing things up :D
We have been hacking, lots of walking, in hand and ridden, tiny jumps, riding on grass ect so a real good mix. I have really taken a shine to pole work without a rider. I dont lunge much at all, havnt really done any lunging for 4 months but decided to try some lunging over poles.
I had stopped using gadgets but i popped the roller and side reins on to help him seek a contact and for balance (i dont think they were too tight, Please tell me if im wrong!)

I guess this would be a good example of how he moves with a steady contact.
This was the weaker rein, he was really lifting his hind legs over in the other direction but i didnt film that. I read up on poles and something said walking over poles is really hard as they dont have any spring and have to lift so we did a lot of that.

Is he working correctly (mostly)? I can see after the poles he goes short behind but then soon steps under again when asked....
Is he starting to track up at points? I dont want to push him to hard for now as im hoping with this sort of work he will become strong enough to track up when he is ready, plus to get him to i would really need to be on him with the whip which i just couldn't do with the effort the lovely boy put in to it.

To be honest he has never been so forward on the lunge so i was over the moon, he used to fall in and out but such progress for not doing this in a while. If this is good for him i may try and do this once a week :D

Trot to walk over poles-
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Trot without poles
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Trot over poles (we had just changed rein so he isnt as relaxed and not picking up as much)
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I was thrilled with this, what do you think?
Ps i'm a bit like a wailing banchie i know i move a lot but it works :)
 

tristar

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i greatly admire your quiet way that shows in everything you do with your horse, it gives time to think as things are happening so you can play back after and think out the next step instead pf rushing on.

personally i never use side reins, and i do what you are doing over poles but with the horse loose using polo mints as a reward, it involves a lot of running! to keep in the right place so the horse goes forwards to the poles once it has got the game over poles loose.

any form of movement and gentle work is going to make long term improvement in the horse, even if you might feel you are not actually doing a lot at the time, it all adds up, and you are learning yourself all the time quietly and as it sinks in you will have light bulb moments.

i never worry about lunging if they are very slow, i let them be slow, fumble, grumble, but gently let them loosen up on big circles and squares and let them come to work as they warm up, but some horses are never forward on the lunge but i don`t worry about it its their way of being.

you could try lunge him or over poles or not then ride and see if you can feel a difference, i do and for me it is the evidence that however sluggish the lunging may seems it has a positive effect on prep for riding, so on some deep level there is a lot more going on than it appeard
 

whiteflower

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I don't lunge or do pole work in side reins either. On occasions it looks as though he tucks behind the vertical but hard to see as videos not that close.
His rhythm looks good and he looks nice and relaxed which is lovely to see. I would give it a go without the side reins so he can stretch his neck and find his own balance over the poles. I think you may be suprised at how he now carries himself with all the work you have been doing with him. It's lovely to see
 

Leo Walker

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Hes still very short on that right hind leg, so keep monitoring that. It does look better in the later videos just make sure its not getting any worse at any point.

I'd want him with a little bit more energy over the poles. So let him start where he is in the videos while he warms up, but then he needs to go forward. Its nice that hes relaxed and but he looks a little bit like a car with the handbrake stuck half on and thats why hes clunking poles.

I looked for a video but I only have this blurry photo of the approach, its not perfect as this was during rehab for a hind limb/SI issue, but can you see how the right leg is tracking up and starting to stretch forward a little bit. If I had the next one in the sequence it would show him springing from leg to leg over the poles. The reason the trot has improved in this pic is because we were a few goes in and the pole work was activating his hindquarters

1556270225599.png
 

TPO

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OP I just wanted to say how much I admire you. So many people I know talk a good story but don't actually do the work but you appear to take everything on board and are putting in the slow, methodical work to help your horse. I've only see your past couple of posts but one of them had "throwback" pictures and there is a big difference.

I don't think you moving while lunging is a bad thing. I'd much rather see the "lunger" moving rather than be stationary meaning the horses is going around on the exact same circle.

Everything that you've asked for comments on you've already answered yourself re how forward he is/isn't and the difference when changing reins. It's really good that you have that awareness and know the hows and whys of it.

I only watched 20 secs of each video (since I'm so busy at work...) and the shortness in the right hind is more noticeable on the last video where he's just changed reins and hasn't settled into that direction yet. However you're already doing everything that would be advised for a horse moving in that way; have involved a vet, use a physio/chiro, doing pole work and lots of variety with slow and steady work. So just keep on keeping on doing what you're doing and the videos are an excellent way of tracking his progress and improvement. Please also don't get totally hung up on that hind, he looks fit for purpose to me (& your vet/physio from previous post) and there are a LOT worse out doing a LOT more than you (and getting rosettes for it) so please keep enjoying your horse!
 

Horsekaren

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Yes, i can really notice the right hind now, i slow mo'd a ridden video and the left tracked up and the right was 3 -4 inches short. Which explains why his left shoulder is tight and struggles to be straight... Eureka i know what i am looking at but im not going to dwell, just going to monitor.

In the first vid about 9 seconds in i ask him to go forward, he responds, drops in slightly and throws his head down... If i was on him at that exact moment he would have gone into canter so thats shows the tranter thing he does is all me!

I will work on getting him more springy towards the poles but for now baby steps, i am happy with the lifting and then will move forward with forwardness (i hope) Like your horse LEO, i can see the power.

I am going to continue with the side reins for a few more sessions as the steady contact stopped all of his bouncing off into canter which was amazing! Then ill remove them :)

lol there is no other way to be with this horse than quiet, he is a big sweetie but if you try and bully him he turns into a beast! I find he wants to work with you and please if your quiet, and quietly firm when needed. Any other attitude he knows he is a big strong boy and will make sure its know lol

oooo i really hope in a couple of months i can see a difference in him!
 

milliepops

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Personally I think for trotwork the side reins are fine and I agree the steady contact is a useful tool in keeping him working in a constructive way and focused on the task. I think you might be able to achieve the same later on without them but he has to learn at the same time that you are, so doing things a bit at a time is the right way.

I like lunging with 2 reins, it takes a bit of practice and you need a horse that is already educated about the contact to be able to get productive work, but it gives you the most flexibility in terms of allowing or containing stretch... just planting the seed ;)

If you want to do more walk work on the lunge in the meantime I would probably let the side reins out a hole or so, based on your videos I would expect him to stay seeking the contact but it would just give him a tad more freedom in the walk which should help him to lengthen the stride and get the rhythm a little more established :)
 
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Pearlsasinger

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I wouldn't have used side-reins in this situation but I can understand your reasoning and if it's working for you, that's good. It might be that the contact is the reason that when he responds to your asking him to go forwards, he drops in and throws his head down, so that is something to be aware of.
Moving around when lunging is much better for the horse than standing in one place until the horse is dizzy.
I am another who admires the way you take on board advice and have been keeping at it, with him, the progress is noticeable because you take things steadily and calmly.
 

atropa

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I think he looks like he is working quite nicely, if ever so slightly on the forehand a little. I do the same as you, wander/jog/gallop around the school with my horses..it must give my YO quite a laugh if she ever sees me.
 

Mule

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He's nice and calm over the poles. Mine sees them and thinks it's jumping time and likes to show off. He routinely canters through trot poles :rolleyes:
 

Pinkvboots

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Hes still very short on that right hind leg, so keep monitoring that. It does look better in the later videos just make sure its not getting any worse at any point.

I'd want him with a little bit more energy over the poles. So let him start where he is in the videos while he warms up, but then he needs to go forward. Its nice that hes relaxed and but he looks a little bit like a car with the handbrake stuck half on and thats why hes clunking poles.

I looked for a video but I only have this blurry photo of the approach, its not perfect as this was during rehab for a hind limb/SI issue, but can you see how the right leg is tracking up and starting to stretch forward a little bit. If I had the next one in the sequence it would show him springing from leg to leg over the poles. The reason the trot has improved in this pic is because we were a few goes in and the pole work was activating his hindquarters

View attachment 31966

Exactly this I couldn't have explained it better myself, he does look better in the last video but there is a real lack of energy to me it's almost a jog rather than a trot, it probably looks worse for me as I am used to looking at high energy Arabs that are very expressive especially in trot.

Sorry to harp on about it but I can only say what I see and the back legs just don't look like they want to do very much.
 

Pinkvboots

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Yes, i can really notice the right hind now, i slow mo'd a ridden video and the left tracked up and the right was 3 -4 inches short. Which explains why his left shoulder is tight and struggles to be straight... Eureka i know what i am looking at but im not going to dwell, just going to monitor.

In the first vid about 9 seconds in i ask him to go forward, he responds, drops in slightly and throws his head down... If i was on him at that exact moment he would have gone into canter so thats shows the tranter thing he does is all me!

I will work on getting him more springy towards the poles but for now baby steps, i am happy with the lifting and then will move forward with forwardness (i hope) Like your horse LEO, i can see the power.

I am going to continue with the side reins for a few more sessions as the steady contact stopped all of his bouncing off into canter which was amazing! Then ill remove them :)

lol there is no other way to be with this horse than quiet, he is a big sweetie but if you try and bully him he turns into a beast! I find he wants to work with you and please if your quiet, and quietly firm when needed. Any other attitude he knows he is a big strong boy and will make sure its know lol

oooo i really hope in a couple of months i can see a difference in him!

Might be worth doing a bit of in hand lateral work in between the lunging, I think it can make a huge difference and free them up in a lot of respects, just a bit of turn on the forehand, and a bit of stepping backward, have you ever seen it being done there are some videos on YouTube!
 

Tarragon

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I have started doing "Pony Pilates" (my term for it ;)) with my pony and after say 15 minutes daily before I ride for the last 3 weeks I am sure that I can start to see some improvements, both in the way he behaves in hand, his general outlook and his flexibility.
I think that we are both enjoying the experience.
I started with a new trainer three weeks ago and she has given me one new exercise to practise each week. As I ride in the morning before work, I can quite see that it won't be long before I am spending half of my "riding" time doing pony pilates!
My pony is 14 years old this year and I have had him since he was 3 years old. I wish I had started doing this years ago!
 

ester

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I don't think you are helping yourself by not having a stick, did you ask him to slow to walk before the poles or did he do that? (I think you did but can't quite hear :) ).

I do think it will help you to see him from the floor more, and ditto doing closer in hand work too.
 

Horsekaren

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I don't think you are helping yourself by not having a stick, did you ask him to slow to walk before the poles or did he do that? (I think you did but can't quite hear :) ).

I do think it will help you to see him from the floor more, and ditto doing closer in hand work too.

I did have a lunge whip, that was me really geeing him along lol
Yes I did ask him to walk, my theory was to try and get an active trot then bring him back to walk so he had to lift his legs right away. I think it’s actually really hard as in walk he has to use his muscles to lift as there is no bounce for the gate ... if that makes sense I may be talking rubbish!

Yes going to try and do more ground work so I can see more :) night attempt a bit of Liberty in our newly build round pen
 
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ester

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ah good, I thought it was just the end of the rope :). nothing wrong with walking over poles :). It was interesting at the Ingrid clinic at Wellington as although sometimes raised iirc she said she never did more than four in a row as if they got it wrong it meant they were out of it again without any catastrophes (I have one inclined to kick poles to where he would prefer them to be so I think that would have been helfpful.)
 
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