Videos and pics of both the bay boys

I am always so impressed with how immaculate you and your horses are - not only in your turn out but also in discipline of your schooling :)

Really lovely horses!
 
Fig is lovely, I was pleasantly surprised with his canter, I expected more on the forehand racer tbh. I think CS is going to have some serious competition.

CS is super, I'm sure JLC will help you as apparently her mantra is forward, forward, forward. Let me know what time you get & vica versa.
 
yes def, am going to try and watch as much as poss too, am bringing NMT and a client along to watch :)

FB-my spanish trainer is over end of april so was going to ask him to do some more from the floor so will let you know how we get on/try and get vids.

have got an indoor with mirrors booked for fri too, so that will help me i think.

fig is really doing well, am so pleased with him (and the pilot!!!), may try and get him out in June and see if we can qual prelim regionals (if he's ready).
 
JGC - He is muscling up nicely yes, a change of feed is coming up soon for our lot so will be interesting to see the change (if any!) :)

lex - Aww thanks that's really nice. We're both slight neat freaks :o

DC - Thank you :) It has improved a lot since I first started working on his canter! It's lovely to sit to, and with him being so willing I'm hoping it will be quite easy to mold into a bigger and more expressive style as he gets stronger.

I'm just hoping he finds it all so easy when I start taking him on adventures :cool: Am excited to see what our spanish trainer thinks of him!
 
just as a follow up, had a bit of a lightbulb tonight....

....realised i have got a bit sloppy and slighty changed how i ride, perhaps due to tireness or stress away from the horses but i havent been as strict with myself as i usually am and had got drawn in to "touch.....no reaction....sharp kick/tap" sort of riding, which is textbook way of making an idle git sharper, but doesnt work for CS, he doesnt mind it, but just ignores it repeatedly............ whether subconciously i knew i was too tired and distracted to sit a full on volley of explosions so wasnt really asking properly i dont know, but yesterday and tonight i really thought about how i know is best to ride him, which is "touch......if no reaction keep up the same pressure......sit out resulting explosion......remove leg completely from thigh as soon as horse goes even a tiny bit forward and put it back down softly".........................after 3/4 repetitions he is usually on the ball and in front of the leg. for such a prickly horse the best reward is no aids at all and this penny really drops with him from this way of riding.

because ive been so slack, it took an hour, a hundred basic transitions and some rein back to trot before he felt really in front of me and taking the contact today, but ive no doubt he'll be better tomorrow because he felt so much happier, like "thank god idiot mother you are back in my groove"!!!!

and obviously because he was taking me forward he wasnt so bibbly bobbly in the contact either.

so bit of a *duh* session, but a sharp reminder that i need to keep my brain in gear and not lapse on to auto pilot.

will attempt to get new vid at weekend, even if just a short clip for comparison.
 
Nothing to add except enjoy the pictures as usual, but particularly enjoying (as a trainer but, as you know, eventing rather than pure dressage...) the educated, good-humoured input and debate, really helpful :)

I do think Fig is looking fantastic - exactly as you would want him to at this stage :) You two do train them well but I have to say, ps, you are very good at picking those with the necessary tools for the job in the first place - that looks to be the makings of a fab trot! :) :)
 
just as a follow up, had a bit of a lightbulb tonight....

....realised i have got a bit sloppy and slighty changed how i ride, perhaps due to tireness or stress away from the horses but i havent been as strict with myself as i usually am and had got drawn in to "touch.....no reaction....sharp kick/tap" sort of riding, which is textbook way of making an idle git sharper, but doesnt work for CS, he doesnt mind it, but just ignores it repeatedly............ whether subconciously i knew i was too tired and distracted to sit a full on volley of explosions so wasnt really asking properly i dont know, but yesterday and tonight i really thought about how i know is best to ride him, which is "touch......if no reaction keep up the same pressure......sit out resulting explosion......remove leg completely from thigh as soon as horse goes even a tiny bit forward and put it back down softly".........................after 3/4 repetitions he is usually on the ball and in front of the leg. for such a prickly horse the best reward is no aids at all and this penny really drops with him from this way of riding.

will attempt to get new vid at weekend, even if just a short clip for comparison.

Hmm, that sounds like it might work better for my mare - she totally switches off with the light aid then sharp tap/kick thing. I'd love to see another video so that I can see the difference.
 
Thanks TD :)

he is a sweety, we are both really excited to get him out and about. As long as he's happy we might try and get a prelim regional qual in before the cut off date. He finds working with CS in the school a bit more of a challenge, but in a way its good practice for shows and clinics and it helps NMT learn which tools she will need to get him relaxed at a show...................and he is 500% improved, last night he was just a bit looky and tense in the neck, first time he worked with another horse we had trantering sideways and white sweat poor lad, convinced he was going for a gallop!

JGC-will try for vids for you :)
 
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