Pigeon
Well-Known Member
Posted a few times about an issue with Pip's schooling (lack of roundness when asking for forwardness, we get one or the other) that we just haven't been able to get past, for about three months now, and it had really been getting me down. I've received some amazing advice on here so spent this afternoon putting it into practise 
(thanks guys!!)
Well I don't want to count my chickens, but we had a bit of a breakthrough moment tonight and I think we may finally have cracked it. :biggrin3:
I figured he is sound, fit, in a really good state muscle-wise, and he is more than capable of round & forwards on the lunge. We've had a proper fitness drive this last month, loads of lunging and trotting poles and hills and cantering around fields. So I told myself that we would get at least a few strides of round and forwards tonight, no excuses. I tend to back off at any moments of grumpiness (paranoid about him being in pain, me doing it wrong etc, which is silly because I know I CAN ride, and he's fine, just lazy) but tonight I thought I need to be stricter with myself - so what if it's ugly, needs to be sorted.
Warmed up on a loose rein doing leg yields, serpentines and millions of transitions, made sure he was instantly off my leg, did some walk to canter etc to the point where he was very excited and just wanted to canter (a good thing, he can be a bit of a kick-a-long ride if I let him) and then asked him to come round. Wandered around aimlessly for a bit sort of vaguely round, which normally would do, but I thought no, got to get it sorted, asked for properly round, he had a hissy fit and jumped around, started to go up into a rear, I gave him a smack on the bum and he went 'oh, okay' and dropped his head down, relaxed his back and went forward beautifully, into a feather light contact, with no hint of tension. I thought it was a fluke, it was like he was a different horse all of a sudden, I cannot tell you how amazing it felt. I let him stretch down pretty much straight away and told him how good he was, tried to do it again and he came round instantly, no hint of an argument, and we had the best schooling session in months, if not ever. Did all three paces, upwards and downwards transitions, and he stayed beautifully soft and round and swingy (and forwards yay!!) in a consistent outline. I would have been happy to get that down one long side but we did the equivalent of a prelim and he was fantastic. I barely had to do anything except sit there and think what a lovely pony I have. :biggrin3: Usually it's a case of arms being pulled out of sockets and legs almost dropping off, we've had a few sessions where we've almost got it but it's been inconsistent. First time in ages that I have actually felt like I've made progress with Pip, I was starting to worry!
The only thing troubling me is it all seemed a bit too easy. :redface3: Got the fear I will try the same thing tomorrow and it won't work. I will report back anyways, hopefully with a vid, but for the meantime very very happy!! :biggrin3: :biggrin3: :biggrin3: :biggrin3::biggrin3:
(thanks guys!!) Well I don't want to count my chickens, but we had a bit of a breakthrough moment tonight and I think we may finally have cracked it. :biggrin3:
I figured he is sound, fit, in a really good state muscle-wise, and he is more than capable of round & forwards on the lunge. We've had a proper fitness drive this last month, loads of lunging and trotting poles and hills and cantering around fields. So I told myself that we would get at least a few strides of round and forwards tonight, no excuses. I tend to back off at any moments of grumpiness (paranoid about him being in pain, me doing it wrong etc, which is silly because I know I CAN ride, and he's fine, just lazy) but tonight I thought I need to be stricter with myself - so what if it's ugly, needs to be sorted.
Warmed up on a loose rein doing leg yields, serpentines and millions of transitions, made sure he was instantly off my leg, did some walk to canter etc to the point where he was very excited and just wanted to canter (a good thing, he can be a bit of a kick-a-long ride if I let him) and then asked him to come round. Wandered around aimlessly for a bit sort of vaguely round, which normally would do, but I thought no, got to get it sorted, asked for properly round, he had a hissy fit and jumped around, started to go up into a rear, I gave him a smack on the bum and he went 'oh, okay' and dropped his head down, relaxed his back and went forward beautifully, into a feather light contact, with no hint of tension. I thought it was a fluke, it was like he was a different horse all of a sudden, I cannot tell you how amazing it felt. I let him stretch down pretty much straight away and told him how good he was, tried to do it again and he came round instantly, no hint of an argument, and we had the best schooling session in months, if not ever. Did all three paces, upwards and downwards transitions, and he stayed beautifully soft and round and swingy (and forwards yay!!) in a consistent outline. I would have been happy to get that down one long side but we did the equivalent of a prelim and he was fantastic. I barely had to do anything except sit there and think what a lovely pony I have. :biggrin3: Usually it's a case of arms being pulled out of sockets and legs almost dropping off, we've had a few sessions where we've almost got it but it's been inconsistent. First time in ages that I have actually felt like I've made progress with Pip, I was starting to worry!
The only thing troubling me is it all seemed a bit too easy. :redface3: Got the fear I will try the same thing tomorrow and it won't work. I will report back anyways, hopefully with a vid, but for the meantime very very happy!! :biggrin3: :biggrin3: :biggrin3: :biggrin3::biggrin3:
