metalmare
Well-Known Member
Hi,
Thank you to those who gave constructive advice re: kes, my new boy...
One month together and he is settling well and we are starting to come to an understanding.
He is still in his hanging cheek Waterford and it seems to be working. Most rides now are calm and relaxing, although his eyes are on stalks and he is scared of his own shadow, he gives fair warning before reacting and my seat is better than I realised, luckily. My personal favourite was today when a large tractor with a huge noisy trailer came down the road too fast, slammed his noisy brakes on, then tried to keep moving past us. We spun 90 degrees anti-clockwise, did a jump up a bank, a kind of reversed hickstead derby, some scrambling, then came to rest on a beautifully tended lawn and afterwards continued our ride very peacefully. The home-owner came to the window so I was able to shout a grovelling apology.
With regards to the lack of brakes, we can now trot on grass without feeling the need to canter. I can now ride him with the leg on, into the bridle, without him running through the bridle (I don't think he's ever really had the rider's leg on). He is learning the meaning of half-halts and starting to work from behind.
So we're going in the right direction, quite quickly, and once I feel this is established we can retry the canter work. He really is a very sweet, affectionate boy, if a little nosey and nervous!
Thank you to those who gave constructive advice re: kes, my new boy...
One month together and he is settling well and we are starting to come to an understanding.
He is still in his hanging cheek Waterford and it seems to be working. Most rides now are calm and relaxing, although his eyes are on stalks and he is scared of his own shadow, he gives fair warning before reacting and my seat is better than I realised, luckily. My personal favourite was today when a large tractor with a huge noisy trailer came down the road too fast, slammed his noisy brakes on, then tried to keep moving past us. We spun 90 degrees anti-clockwise, did a jump up a bank, a kind of reversed hickstead derby, some scrambling, then came to rest on a beautifully tended lawn and afterwards continued our ride very peacefully. The home-owner came to the window so I was able to shout a grovelling apology.
With regards to the lack of brakes, we can now trot on grass without feeling the need to canter. I can now ride him with the leg on, into the bridle, without him running through the bridle (I don't think he's ever really had the rider's leg on). He is learning the meaning of half-halts and starting to work from behind.
So we're going in the right direction, quite quickly, and once I feel this is established we can retry the canter work. He really is a very sweet, affectionate boy, if a little nosey and nervous!
