Bosworth
Well-Known Member
I have just had my second lesson with Susie and I have to say i was really impressed and can't wait for the next set of lessons in October. I have an ex racer who I have had for 12 months, It has taken me a year to teach him to canter on both reins, to calmly work into the hands, to work in an outline and to stand still. I started to teach him to jump about 4 weeks ago and he has had 3 lessons with a local trainer who is good. I had initially booked to go on the October Susie lessons but got a call Sat to offer me this week at short notice. I went but expected to be well out of my depth with him but Susie is nothing short of brilliant.
We had a lesson last night and I was the focus, how I sit, how I affect the horse. I had to drop my stirrups 2 holes. We then concentrated on maintaining his rhythm, not worrying about his outline, just allowing him to be rhythmical over the poles on the ground. I have a tendancy to try and push for a stride whereas Susie was making me keep his rhythm and let the jump come to me. I had to stay up and tilt my pelvis forward. it worked. he maintained his rhythm and got the correct stride everytime, without me looking for it for him. Without me looking for the fence and pushing for a stride everything just fell into place. We did nothing bigger than 2 ft and no more than about 3 jumps, but it all felt right and I could feel Pongo really learning.
Todays lesson was about how i position him, making sure I do everything in good time , so he has plenty of time to understand what I want. We concentrated on lengthening and shortening his stride by simply tilting my pelvis back to lengthen and tilting it forward to shorten. Not using my legs to push on or my reins to hold. it worked brilliantly through a grid. We then did a small course - again no bigger than 2ft.
I have come away having far more confidence in my horses ability to jump, I know he is careful and tries hard, I know I look at the bottom of jumps - so that has to stop, I know I tense before spreads so that has to stop. I need to maintain his rhythm and not worry about head carriage. My job is to ensure I give him time to think and put him in the correct place so he is straight to the fence and allow it to happen - don't force it.
can't wait for my October lessons
We had a lesson last night and I was the focus, how I sit, how I affect the horse. I had to drop my stirrups 2 holes. We then concentrated on maintaining his rhythm, not worrying about his outline, just allowing him to be rhythmical over the poles on the ground. I have a tendancy to try and push for a stride whereas Susie was making me keep his rhythm and let the jump come to me. I had to stay up and tilt my pelvis forward. it worked. he maintained his rhythm and got the correct stride everytime, without me looking for it for him. Without me looking for the fence and pushing for a stride everything just fell into place. We did nothing bigger than 2 ft and no more than about 3 jumps, but it all felt right and I could feel Pongo really learning.
Todays lesson was about how i position him, making sure I do everything in good time , so he has plenty of time to understand what I want. We concentrated on lengthening and shortening his stride by simply tilting my pelvis back to lengthen and tilting it forward to shorten. Not using my legs to push on or my reins to hold. it worked brilliantly through a grid. We then did a small course - again no bigger than 2ft.
I have come away having far more confidence in my horses ability to jump, I know he is careful and tries hard, I know I look at the bottom of jumps - so that has to stop, I know I tense before spreads so that has to stop. I need to maintain his rhythm and not worry about head carriage. My job is to ensure I give him time to think and put him in the correct place so he is straight to the fence and allow it to happen - don't force it.
can't wait for my October lessons
