Success (shhh!!! dont tell the horse)

mulberrymill

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10 May 2012
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After months of hacking alone meaning napping with a vengeance, stop, start, spin, plant, mini rears, etc etc. and an hour to get past whatever tonights demon happens to be, we had a breakthrough this evening.
For some reason I decided to ride him out in his French Link Pelham, (its usually a standard French Link) . Whether it was due to me having 2 reins , I havent got a clue, but I was a lot firmer in my seat and legs with him. The stops tonight were few and far between and literally lasted a second or two. Only one attempt to spin and half rear and that was at the scary metal barriers that always try to get him .

Once past that he went happily up the track, practiced loads of transitions and he was instant every time. By the time we were heading home he was actually starting to put himself in a semblance of an outline and not one attempt to nap, not even at the scary pile of bricks that bit him last time he went past them.
The first solo ride I have actually enjoyed and got back to the yard not too knackered to untack.

So pleased with him, but dead worried that this was a blip and tomorrow will be back to normal.
Think I may stick with the pelham for a couple more rides, Ive only used it for short schooling sessions up to now
 
You will have setbacks but you are making progress. Do you have any tips on how to deal with an irish draught who is convinced that the wood pigeons are ganging up on him and if he even sees one in a tree he panicks.His worst nightmare came true when one tried to move into his stable:eek:He walks in and gets a centre parting in flaxen mane from high speed exiting pigeon.:eek:No other birds have this affect on him and he actualy likes crows.
 
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