Some videos of Grace today...

[_jetset_]

...being lunged

I had no idea how difficult it was to lunge and video at the same time

She worked quite nicely today, although I found it hard getting the whip to function when I was holding a camera in one hand

There are some silly moments, but absolutely nothing like what she was like before. If something spooked her she would proceed to gallop around at 100mph leaning right in and wouldn't settle back to work again the way she did today

This is huge progress from a lunging point of view today... so I thought I would post the videos and see what you thought of her out on the lunge after so many gave me excellent advice when I was having issues

On the left rein she can look almost footy, but when I push her forwards into the contact she is absolutely fine. She also does this when ridden and it is all a balance issue. Once she is through and working into the contact and forwards, it completely disappears. My trainer thinks it is all down to her needing to find her own balance and I have to say initially I was a bit concerned (she does have some issues in her left fore which has been xrayed etc...) but seeing how much it improves when she actually works correctly, I am almost convinced that this is most of the problem if not all of it. Her heels are really improving now and the farrier has done an outstanding job so far

Anyway, here are the videos I took this morning. I really enjoyed lunging her in the sunshine, and she is becoming such a pleasure to have on the yard and work... when I think back to how I was feeling just a few months ago it is amazing to see the transformation. I just wish I had some footage of this time to compare to!

Trotting on the left rein

Trotting on the right rein 1

Trotting on the right rein 2

Walking on the lunge

 

[SAL66]

Well done to video and lunge at the same time!.

I am no expert far from it, but I would have liked her to track up alittle more particular on the left rein, but otherwise she looks relaxed.

 

[_jetset_]

Thanks... I agree and work hard on this when I am not videoing

When I can use the lunge whip correctly to encourage her more forwards through the hind legs I am now getting a much more positive result. I could do with someone to video and me just to lunge

It was bloody hard work because I just couldn't flick the whip and hold her with one hand

 

[_jetset_]

I've actually just watched the vids for the first time and cannot understand why she does not look as though she is tracking up in the trot and the walk... in the walk today she had a good foot and a bit over track and yet you just cannot see it on the video

Is that because I am moving with her???

Also in the trot she was not perfect, but her hinds were almost touching the tracks of her fronts but they look miles and miles off in the video

Am I imagining things here?

 

[Bossanova]

Maybe it is deceiving due to not being able to see her feet in the surface properly but she really doesnt look like she is tracking up at all, particularly on the left rein and with her left hind.
She looks rather fixed and flat in the vienna reins (I think thats what she's in?) and that isnt helping her hindleg- she has the height through her hocks but no reach with them and no support with a bending hock under her body, thats what it looks like anyway

 

[_jetset_]

I don't know what Vienna reins are... they are just side reins.

 

[AmyMay]

She's looking soo well.

Have to agree with the others about not tracking up - and she looks totally fixed in front, with no softness through the poll and neck at all. I wonder if she would work better if she wasn't so strapped in. Are the side reins elasticated?

 

[_jetset_]

Yes, they are...

It is weird because she does not 'feel' like that at all

I have had to really work hard to get her into the contact on the lunge as she tends to curl up and overbend. The side reins are also not particularly tight as she gets panicky with them tight.

I think I will see if someone would mind videoing it from a distance rather than me stood in the middle. I am really worried because this morning I noticed how well she was tracking up and yet watching these videos I am beginning to think I am seeing things, or just going stark raving mad

She was also really loose through her back and swinging, but that is not obvious at all either

I feel really disappointed because she felt and looked really good this morning but beginning to doubt myself now.

 

[MillionDollar]

Agree with the others, she's not tracking up at all, and looks very stiff/tense in the contact.

I would use either a Harbridge or Pessoa, with poles to encourage her to stretch down and forwards, and to move from behind. And also lots of transitions.

Also I don't know if it's because you had zoomed in, but the circle shes on looks too small.

 

[MillionDollar]

Forgot to say though she looks VERY well

 

[_jetset_]

Circle is just under 20m...

I can't use anything that takes the contact between her legs like a harbridge because she really panics and goes up

And she threw herself on the floor with a Pessoa and was really upset so I sold it!

I do quite a bit of pole work with her anyway because they are usually down in the arena from the previous day...

It is so hard for me because she is actually really soft and loose in the contact and she is not tied in at all, they are quite slack. She is actually a bit too soft in the contact at times and I have to work quite hard to get her to work into the contact rather than holding fresh air

I am trying to slow the video down to see whether I can look at everything in slo mo, but can't do it!!!

 

[carthorse]

I would have the side reins higher up the roller, or a pessoa not too low. Get rid of the flash while lunging and put a cavesson headcollar on and lunge from the front ring . Make sure the circle is really big and in fact often do two circles joined together with a straight line down the long side with you moving by the side of her.In this way you can extend. I would have the side reins much longer and encourage her to seek the contact. She looks a bit better than the video of her lunging that you post a while ago but still not tracking up and stiff over her back.