sportsmansB
Well-Known Member
Hi All
I have recently acquired a lovely new horse. She is a 9yo mare with decent ISH breeding and has a great step and a decent jump
She has had a couple of years of difficult riding with an amateur show jumper and basically just goes
WALK TROT CANTER JUMP
She has made decent progress in the few weeks I have had her just by schooling and hacking (no jumping) and chilling out in the field. She works beautifully until she has cantered on both reins and then she just doesn't really understand at all that life can go back to nice trots and long rein walks and normal stuff... She jig jogs, grabs the bit, trots like a demon (gypsy trotter stylee) etc.
I have been schooling her twice a week, having one lesson and hacking the other days with the odd wee lunge (at which she is perfect completely voice controlled and not loony after canter at all)
I am trying so hard to vary the schooling routine (starting with stretching which she also wasn't very good at) then going back to walk and starting in contact, sometimes cantering before I trot to mix it up a bit, sometimes dandering off for a wander in the field in the middle of the session on a long rein and then coming back, etc etc.
My question is has anyone else had success with one whose habits are so engrained - she definitely has the paces for dressage, and is the loveliest person. She might make an eventer as she can jump but I have been trying not to make her think about jumping.
I entered a prelim class for this weekend just to see what happens and now I think maybe I am a crazy person
Instructor thinks even if it falls apart a bit half way through she prob has the paces and presence not to get a bad score
Any success stories? I absolutely love her she is the comfiest horse I have ever ridden, so sweet yet responsive, an angel to travel, hack and handle and it would be nice to know we will end up OK. Spoke to someone at the weekend who had an ex showjumper and tried to retrain them for dressage and gave up after 6 months :-(
Prosecco (before it all runs out lol) if you got this far thanks a million!
I have recently acquired a lovely new horse. She is a 9yo mare with decent ISH breeding and has a great step and a decent jump
She has had a couple of years of difficult riding with an amateur show jumper and basically just goes
WALK TROT CANTER JUMP
She has made decent progress in the few weeks I have had her just by schooling and hacking (no jumping) and chilling out in the field. She works beautifully until she has cantered on both reins and then she just doesn't really understand at all that life can go back to nice trots and long rein walks and normal stuff... She jig jogs, grabs the bit, trots like a demon (gypsy trotter stylee) etc.
I have been schooling her twice a week, having one lesson and hacking the other days with the odd wee lunge (at which she is perfect completely voice controlled and not loony after canter at all)
I am trying so hard to vary the schooling routine (starting with stretching which she also wasn't very good at) then going back to walk and starting in contact, sometimes cantering before I trot to mix it up a bit, sometimes dandering off for a wander in the field in the middle of the session on a long rein and then coming back, etc etc.
My question is has anyone else had success with one whose habits are so engrained - she definitely has the paces for dressage, and is the loveliest person. She might make an eventer as she can jump but I have been trying not to make her think about jumping.
I entered a prelim class for this weekend just to see what happens and now I think maybe I am a crazy person
Instructor thinks even if it falls apart a bit half way through she prob has the paces and presence not to get a bad score
Any success stories? I absolutely love her she is the comfiest horse I have ever ridden, so sweet yet responsive, an angel to travel, hack and handle and it would be nice to know we will end up OK. Spoke to someone at the weekend who had an ex showjumper and tried to retrain them for dressage and gave up after 6 months :-(
Prosecco (before it all runs out lol) if you got this far thanks a million!