Progress!

[4whitesocks]

BTW thanks everyone who responded to the correct vs overbent post - really interesting stuff...had an excellent lesson last night, warmed up with draw reins which I have been using for the past 2 weeks or so and he settled into proper work immediately (as opposed to two weeks ago where he'd faff about and I'd be too wary of the draw reins to insist he worked)....just to clarify I am using them as a temporary measure to firmly establish my expectations from him....and my overbent question was to be sure that I wasn't causing any problems with them....


last night was the first time that when I took the draw reins off (after about 15 minutes, as we were starting our jumping lesson) that his head didn't go straight back up and in fact he gave me some lovely walk & some nice trot. YO (who is also instructor & schools him as he's on full schooling livery) actually said to me that he's starting to go much better for her now as a result of the consistency between what I am asking & expecting of him & what she is asking & expecting so I am really pleased.....and hopeful that within the next few weeks we'll be able to lose the draw reins completely.

Sorry for the self-indulgence but I have had such a conflict about using the draw reins in the first place but decided I would trust my YO's advice & am now really relieved to be making such definite progress!

 

[lillie07]

Thats fab, well done. It is such a nice feeling when something you are working on comes right

 

[cosmo_sam]

Congratulations!!

If things feel softer, happier and generally better then things are going the right way!! Try not to worry about other peoples judgements of draw reins, you are clearly using them kindly and responsibly with the intention of working without them.

I did use draw reins for a spell with G. They helped me relax and stop bracing myself, as when he was setting himself in giraffe pose and generally noseying all over the show, he would become very uncomfortable to sit on, and so I'd brace myself and there was a vicious circle.

Gaining his attention and stopping him noseying a little, helped him relax which helped me relax and then when his back was soft I was able to understand the feeling and aim for that when riding without them.

Onwards and upwards!

 

[4whitesocks]

That's totally it CS - through using them I get to recognise how he should feel & work (and thanks to that other post I also now can recognise when he is going 'behind the bit') and it helps me find the balance between suggesting & insisting - by 'suggesting' he generally decides that he'll not bother, when I insist he concurs!
The ideal situation will be that within another week or so my insistence won't need the draw reins to back it up!