What do you recon ?

[Armas]

Its been 10 months since we introduced Armas to jumping. He has taken to it like a duck to water. He has gone from a nervous boy afraid to even walk over poles to a confident horse that seems to enjoy his work.

He now has two competitions under his belt where he excelled expectations
My plan for next year is a good mix of SJ competitions and mid year I am hoping to enter him in to some basic dressage events !

These are some clips from yesterdays training. We were working on just a couple of jumps in particular the oxer was well spread to make him stretch out.

Who spays Spanish horses can't jump !

[youtube]5fURLajpaw8[/youtube]

 

[Ladyinred]

He looks like he is having fun, and that's the main thing. Go for it.. he might never make a Grade A showjumper but if he is enjoying life then that's all that matters really.

 

[Armas]

He looks like he is having fun, and that's the main thing. Go for it.. he might never make a Grade A showjumper but if he is enjoying life then that's all that matters really.

He does seem to enjoy him self Its all about having fun.

 

[Spyda]

He's defintely got a good 'ping' in him! But that was a lot of jumping for one session.

 

[Lippyx]

He has a lovely jump on him, and certainly seems to be enjoying it. My only concern would be how close he is getting to the jumps. Have you noticed if you drop the contact just as you reach the fence? Might be an idea to put a placing pole in front of the fence, so he learns where he should be taking off.

Other than that, all looks really good!

 

[justabob]

I love this horse and I think you are doing a marvelous job with him, he is a lucky boy. I dont mean to offend, please just give a bit with your hands over a jump, he manages the small cross poles ok, but he needs a bit of give over the bigger fences, thats why he stopped. Dont set your hands.

 

[3Beasties]

I love this horse and I think you are doing a marvelous job with him, he is a lucky boy. I dont mean to offend, please just give a bit with your hands over a jump, he manages the small cross poles ok, but he needs a bit of give over the bigger fences, thats why he stopped. Dont set your hands.

Ditto, giving with your hands would really make his job much easier (as well as being nicer for him!)!

 

[hobo]

Always watch your videos never usually comment and not experienced to comment on your rider. But I always smile at your poles and I think the going can only be discribed as deep I guess you have had as much rain as we have.

 

[Lolo]

Oddly, I thought he was giving a decet amount with his hands- if you freezeframe, the horse is stretching, and appears to have enough rein to make a good shape. I think it looks like Armas isn't giving because he is a pretty tall guy on a small-ish short-coupled horse so doesn't have to make such an effort to get the same amount of 'give'...

 

[catwithclaws]

Oddly, I thought he was giving a decet amount with his hands- if you freezeframe, the horse is stretching, and appears to have enough rein to make a good shape. I think it looks like Armas isn't giving because he is a pretty tall guy on a small-ish short-coupled horse so doesn't have to make such an effort to get the same amount of 'give'...

actually i agree, i freeze framed a few times and saw a fair amount of give

 

[Armas]

Deleted

 

[Armas]

Might be an idea to put a placing pole in front of the fence, so he learns where he should be taking off.
Other than that, all looks really good!

We do start some sessions with poles in front of the fences

I love this horse and I think you are doing a marvelous job with him, he is a lucky boy. I dont mean to offend, please just give a bit with your hands over a jump, he manages the small cross poles ok, but he needs a bit of give over the bigger fences, thats why he stopped. Dont set your hands.

Glad you love him me too I think the rider was giving with his hands. He is tall and Armas is a shorty....

 

[Auslander]

Rider is quite economical with his 'give' but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'd rather see that than someone chucking away the contact as they get to the fence, leaving the horse to go "Arrgghh - where's my support gone". I would like to see a little more elasticity in the contact to make up for the fact that he isn't always in balance with the horse, so there are a few instances where he has got a bit of an iron grip. The boy has natural ability, and I would like to see him taught to be softer in the hand and arm in the approach, and more importantly, to ride the getaway and turn as if it's just as important as the approach. Once he's jumped, he stops riding, and Armas is either pulling up very sharply, or falls round the corner on the wrong canter lead. For the sake of his training, I think someone needs to step in and make sure the lad is thinking, rather than relying on raw natural talent.

 

[Armas]

Rider is quite economical with his 'give' but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'd rather see that than someone chucking away the contact as they get to the fence, leaving the horse to go "Arrgghh - where's my support gone". I would like to see a little more elasticity in the contact to make up for the fact that he isn't always in balance with the horse, so there are a few instances where he has got a bit of an iron grip. The boy has natural ability, and I would like to see him taught to be softer in the hand and arm in the approach, and more importantly, to ride the getaway and turn as if it's just as important as the approach. Once he's jumped, he stops riding, and Armas is either pulling up very sharply, or falls round the corner on the wrong canter lead. For the sake of his training, I think someone needs to step in and make sure the lad is thinking, rather than relying on raw natural talent.

He does have a strong gip, his dad / my trainer yells at him offre des doigts ( Birds fingers ) = soft contact !
Thank you for the tips..... watch this space

 

[JCWHITE]

Rider is quite economical with his 'give' but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'd rather see that than someone chucking away the contact as they get to the fence, leaving the horse to go "Arrgghh - where's my support gone". I would like to see a little more elasticity in the contact to make up for the fact that he isn't always in balance with the horse, so there are a few instances where he has got a bit of an iron grip. The boy has natural ability, and I would like to see him taught to be softer in the hand and arm in the approach, and more importantly, to ride the getaway and turn as if it's just as important as the approach. Once he's jumped, he stops riding, and Armas is either pulling up very sharply, or falls round the corner on the wrong canter lead. For the sake of his training, I think someone needs to step in and make sure the lad is thinking, rather than relying on raw natural talent.

Completely agree, I mentioned a while ago about after the fence and the corners,

However, as someone who has a Spanish horse and who lives in the same country as Armas, and who understands a little about the WAY of training,its difficult to know how to approach saying this, (for me that means foreign country, foreign language, different expectations by the trainer).
All I will add is that I think the horse is fab and send my best wishes for a foray into the dressage arena, Hope you continue have a lot of fun in 2013!