Video - progress report!!

[FREESTYLER]

Ok, so I have been working hard on getting his engine moving, transitions, transitions...I am pooped!!

any better??!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXGMr0bC164

 

[Tempi]

he does look better - but can you see where he is dragging his hind toes in the sand? He needs to be picking up and clearing the sand, rather than dragging through it! Altho he has a lovely straight action and his hocks are fantastic he is still a little lazy with his feet - do you see what i mean?

The canter looks better, but for me it still needs more 'jump' he looks like its all very 'nice' but still not quite enough 'expression' and energy.

Im working on all this with Archie at the moment aswell, and its hard work isnt it! I can be trotting around at my trainers yard thinking its looking good whilst my trainer is screaming at me saying its looking crap

 

[FREESTYLER]

aggggggggghhhhhhhh I know!!!! He is such a lazy "whatsit" at times !!!! I must admit this morning I gave him a gallop down the long side of the school!!! It is probably half me and knowing how to get him to tick because I know he can do it out in the field!!! I also took him out hacking the other day and the little bugger was on his toes like anything and his trot was huge.. I think I am going to get in more hacking.. although I did fall off recently and it put me off a bit!! He is a long way down!!!Plus I still had my left leg in the stirrup across the saddle when I fell to the right!! Good job I can do the splits!!! Ah well, more work .... back to the drawing board....and hot bath to relieve my sore legs!!! What do you do with Archie??? Is he lazy too behind?

 

[Tempi]

Ive actually just changed his feed which is helping a lot - hes turned into a bit of a speed demon

but then at least i can work on controlling his energy, rather than having to make it all the time!! Hes on Baileys No6 now (Endurance Mix) which is slow release energy just to give him a bit more stamina as he gets tired quite easily as he stresses himself out when out competing etc.

He can be lazy behind - i do lots of work in shoulder fore, really riding forwards down the long side and using my inside leg to bring his inside hind up and through, with just the slightest amount of inside bend. Also trot/halt/trot transitions work well to get him motivated from behind.

Hes also decided he loves trotting poles (we did medium trot round the school last night in excitment for his new found love!) so im doing a lot of pole work aswell as it keeps him forwards and gets him to pick up behind. Varying the distances is good for them too, so shorter to get them to collect and longer for the medium work. Raised trotting poles are good too - however we arent quite that established yet as hes only just started jumping

 

[Eccles]

I think his trot is lovely but I can see what P_G means though re. more expression in the canter. You've obviously worked very hard with him and both look brill, please can you come and school my youngster?

 

[_jetset_]

How old is he?

He is a lovely looking horse and has a very natural bounce in his tort. But I know what PG means about him dragging his toes in his hind legs. I agree with what she has said about getting him to pick up his hind feet a bit more in the trot and add more jump to the canter. I also agree that lots of transition work will probably help this because he will become more responsive to your leg as soon as you put it on and therefore have a bit more impulsion from behind. I do lots of transitions from walk to trot, trot to walk, trot to canter, canter to trot... no exaggeration I probably do 60 or more in a 40 mins session with her.

I also tried the shoulder fore thing as PG suggested to me yesterday to improve Grac's medium canter by getting her hind quarters more under and it really helped us!

Do you compete him? (sorry, not been on here much recently so a bit behind)

 

[Tempi]

[ QUOTE ]
I also tried the shoulder fore thing as PG suggested to me yesterday to improve Grac's medium canter by getting her hind quarters more under and it really helped us!

[/ QUOTE ]

Glad it helped!!

 

[_jetset_]

Put a video on somewhere in the Photo Gallery of her at the beginning of our schooling session, and I really think it got her to step under and open up at the shoulder too

 

[FREESTYLER]

EJ123, would love too but my boy is enough!!!

Becki, he is 8 and yes I compete Novice/just trying out Elementary!!!

Thanks PG I will keep going with the transitions and lateral work .. just thought there may be a magic trick I am missing out on !!! Ha!!! I think I need to be a little tougher on him and get him out for a few more gallops... I jumped him Sunday, albeit little cross poles but that did not excite him much!!! He is such a funny boy!!! Now when I hack with a mare, we are on a roll!!! LOL!!!!