Spider has had over a weeks solid, continous schooling.
Its going great. He is coming along nicely. We have gone from a cantakerous prick that would kick out, wouldn't maintain his own pace, that you have to WORK to get moving anywhere
to
A horse that is learning to move into the contact, has active paces, maintains the pace he is at (unless he is backing off the contact) but of course you can get up him to move forwards again into the hand and he listens.
Its really exciting. I also clipped him yesterday because he is a sweater, when he gets stressed he sweats. So that made it a little interesting to start with - because obviously the sound of clippers weren't the nicest thing in the world - and he sweated and got damp. Anyone who knows clipping know what a pain this is.... so lo and behold - I canned the big clippers, got out the small one (which were once the husbands shavers) and proceded to do a rough trace clip with them, I rode straight after and promptly decided I didn't take enough off - DOH. Because now it is back to rain and I'm not sure when I'll get another chance to.
So for the next week I'm just working on that - off the leg into the contact, encouraging bend with a open inside rein. And more canter on the circle to get it balanced - potentially more lunging at canter to help with that as well.
On a side note - man I was not impressed today - FIL has put the cows in the next paddock that was for spider - so now its only may and I'm OUT of GRASS. Ekk, so now I have to go and buy hay. Not happy.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Trailer woes
I had another fantastic ride today, spider really is a cute horse.
But.........
He can also be a mongrel when he wants to be. It started off nothing major, just a simple training blip in trailering that needed to be nipped in the bud, and it came out a full flown battle of wills.
So the deal was after the ride (which I'll talk about more) I hosed off, and packed up. Left the cover off for the trip home (the whole 3 minute drive). Loaded him on as per normal - great. However as soon as I walked back to do up the gate, something I've done everyday this past week - spider walked backwards and off the trailer grrr. Ok no worries I'll quickly make him trot a circle and back in. But the same thing happened - I walk back and he walks back. SOOOO Frustrating.
15 minutes later, I had backed him up substantially, he was refusing to even put a foot on the float - and a major hole in the training is very evident. I can not stand behind the shoulder and get him to move forwards and around me. Essentially lunging a small circle. He would not budge, even flicking with the end of the lead rope got nada.
Meanwhile... time is ticking away that I needed to be back at work. I rang the house up the hill and called someone down to give me a hand. Thats literally all I needed. Someone to close the bum bar for me. Tomorrow I'll be riding over at the arena again and it may crop up. But I'm cheating and taking food with me to occupy him until I get the door closed.
I've already discussed with a friend and we are going to work with him this weekend on leading and things like that.
On to the ride. Pretty good ride today. No wobblyness or kicking out. I started out with a good 6 laps of the arena at walk, asking for more activity with the squeeze, growl/kick technique. The yell has been reduced to more of a low grr in the back of the throat, and that was sufficient to get more movement. A couple of times I wasn't happy with the response so I upped the volume.. it was a tad embarrasing because there were some builders near by (I was planning on videoing the ride today - but they were around and I just felt a little weird). We moved onto trot. At first all I was doing was maintaining a contact and I did very very little work to get moving and active. The bad rein I had to do a bit more. I then went large and asked for more trot down the long side and got it - nice work :)
Canter - I kept it a bit short today. I get the feeling he isn't to happy on shifting surfaces, and someone else had been there before me and the arena was quite chopped up, so in canter he was really swinging around the corners and I could feel a couple of times he didn't quite get his back legs where they should have been....
Back to trot, and I felt that he understands that he has to move out, but not when or in response to leg. Which is fine - so I slowed the trot with rising asked a bit more with the contact for bend and I felt a few nice long strides come through. I then went and worked on response to the leg - he gets forwards and he knows he can move out, so now I think even after this short time it is time to start working on that. So just halt to walk 5 or 6 times, squeeze, yell kick scream was generally the way it went - and by the time I kicked and yelled he was thinking trot - which is fine, great in fact. And he was walking with the squeeze - but dwaddling. Something I need to clarify because I've never been through this exact training on another horse - is if I should be happy with the walk, or should be expecting a promt transition. He does very prompt ones into trot - but to walk... not so much.
I also noted today - I still have the horrible habit of hanging with one rein... its like my arm has a mind of its own. Hate it.
So after that reasonable ride today - it was really dissapointing to have the trailer issue...
But.........
He can also be a mongrel when he wants to be. It started off nothing major, just a simple training blip in trailering that needed to be nipped in the bud, and it came out a full flown battle of wills.
So the deal was after the ride (which I'll talk about more) I hosed off, and packed up. Left the cover off for the trip home (the whole 3 minute drive). Loaded him on as per normal - great. However as soon as I walked back to do up the gate, something I've done everyday this past week - spider walked backwards and off the trailer grrr. Ok no worries I'll quickly make him trot a circle and back in. But the same thing happened - I walk back and he walks back. SOOOO Frustrating.
15 minutes later, I had backed him up substantially, he was refusing to even put a foot on the float - and a major hole in the training is very evident. I can not stand behind the shoulder and get him to move forwards and around me. Essentially lunging a small circle. He would not budge, even flicking with the end of the lead rope got nada.
Meanwhile... time is ticking away that I needed to be back at work. I rang the house up the hill and called someone down to give me a hand. Thats literally all I needed. Someone to close the bum bar for me. Tomorrow I'll be riding over at the arena again and it may crop up. But I'm cheating and taking food with me to occupy him until I get the door closed.
I've already discussed with a friend and we are going to work with him this weekend on leading and things like that.
On to the ride. Pretty good ride today. No wobblyness or kicking out. I started out with a good 6 laps of the arena at walk, asking for more activity with the squeeze, growl/kick technique. The yell has been reduced to more of a low grr in the back of the throat, and that was sufficient to get more movement. A couple of times I wasn't happy with the response so I upped the volume.. it was a tad embarrasing because there were some builders near by (I was planning on videoing the ride today - but they were around and I just felt a little weird). We moved onto trot. At first all I was doing was maintaining a contact and I did very very little work to get moving and active. The bad rein I had to do a bit more. I then went large and asked for more trot down the long side and got it - nice work :)
Canter - I kept it a bit short today. I get the feeling he isn't to happy on shifting surfaces, and someone else had been there before me and the arena was quite chopped up, so in canter he was really swinging around the corners and I could feel a couple of times he didn't quite get his back legs where they should have been....
Back to trot, and I felt that he understands that he has to move out, but not when or in response to leg. Which is fine - so I slowed the trot with rising asked a bit more with the contact for bend and I felt a few nice long strides come through. I then went and worked on response to the leg - he gets forwards and he knows he can move out, so now I think even after this short time it is time to start working on that. So just halt to walk 5 or 6 times, squeeze, yell kick scream was generally the way it went - and by the time I kicked and yelled he was thinking trot - which is fine, great in fact. And he was walking with the squeeze - but dwaddling. Something I need to clarify because I've never been through this exact training on another horse - is if I should be happy with the walk, or should be expecting a promt transition. He does very prompt ones into trot - but to walk... not so much.
I also noted today - I still have the horrible habit of hanging with one rein... its like my arm has a mind of its own. Hate it.
So after that reasonable ride today - it was really dissapointing to have the trailer issue...
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Happy
This afternoon I am happy.
Two things: Sunshine and a forward horse.
Despite the gale force winds today I rode. I took a extra hour and half on my lunch break, went out and picked spider up to drive over to the arena. Not a drop of rain nor a grey cloud in site :)
Just worked on a circle, and he was nice and forwards, and only had minor corrections. It was really nice somewhere in the ride, I applied my leg and he moved forwards - big pats. Other than that one instance the rest were normally followed by a growl. We did a few transitions up using the same thing, squeeze and then growl/kick. And they were coming along a bit moer promptly. I did catch myself a few times where I was keeping on kicking when I shouldn't have been... whoops. I had jods on today that weren't full seat and man did I keep slipping around - I don't like them. Give me my full seat breeches back. The first canter I did we had a little whoopsy though he kicked out a couple of times, I'm not sure why - it could have been from me pushing for more straight out of the transition, or something else, even starting the first canter on the stiff rein. I did make a concious choice to work the first canter on the stiff rein - its a fact that you always spend more time on the rein that you first work on. No one has seen it from the ground or at all so would be interesting to get someone elses view on it. Normally only happens the once. I just cantered the rest of the circle and came back down to a really forward trot.
So happy with todays ride. Happy that I am riding because I was feeling a bit like a dabbler - someone who say that they are a rider, but really only gets on 2 times a year... no offense to anyone who does - thats just not me or my style. I like to ride and to me that means 6 days a week for a hour at a time schooling, hacking and jumping (if the horse is ready for it). So it really is nice to have ridden over the weekend and today. We have sunshine forcast until Monday so I'll ride all this week. In my full seats that is
Two things: Sunshine and a forward horse.
Despite the gale force winds today I rode. I took a extra hour and half on my lunch break, went out and picked spider up to drive over to the arena. Not a drop of rain nor a grey cloud in site :)
Just worked on a circle, and he was nice and forwards, and only had minor corrections. It was really nice somewhere in the ride, I applied my leg and he moved forwards - big pats. Other than that one instance the rest were normally followed by a growl. We did a few transitions up using the same thing, squeeze and then growl/kick. And they were coming along a bit moer promptly. I did catch myself a few times where I was keeping on kicking when I shouldn't have been... whoops. I had jods on today that weren't full seat and man did I keep slipping around - I don't like them. Give me my full seat breeches back. The first canter I did we had a little whoopsy though he kicked out a couple of times, I'm not sure why - it could have been from me pushing for more straight out of the transition, or something else, even starting the first canter on the stiff rein. I did make a concious choice to work the first canter on the stiff rein - its a fact that you always spend more time on the rein that you first work on. No one has seen it from the ground or at all so would be interesting to get someone elses view on it. Normally only happens the once. I just cantered the rest of the circle and came back down to a really forward trot.
So happy with todays ride. Happy that I am riding because I was feeling a bit like a dabbler - someone who say that they are a rider, but really only gets on 2 times a year... no offense to anyone who does - thats just not me or my style. I like to ride and to me that means 6 days a week for a hour at a time schooling, hacking and jumping (if the horse is ready for it). So it really is nice to have ridden over the weekend and today. We have sunshine forcast until Monday so I'll ride all this week. In my full seats that is
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Decision Made
I've decided to stick with it with spider.
Quite simply I think I was talking myself out of it before I had even really started. So start I did in the weekend been. 4 solid days schooling in a arena, with some helping eyes (and a ride) on the last day (sunday).
Despite the weather I was lucky to get rides in, its been terrible. The paddock is flooded, and wind has blown down on of our garden sheds (wee insurance companies rock - yeah right), there have been tornado's over the country (one death), thunderstorms every morning for the last 5 days.... oh and side note my cat - spewing 8 times in total last night. Poor mite but I'm so not impressed it was inside on the carpet. Saw her do another two outside this morning. I'll give her until tomorrow and take her to the vets if she is no better. Last time she was like this it was because she had found a old dead bird with maggots inside and ate it... so I'm imagining similar thing.
Anyway - back to spider. A good few sessions after 2 weeks of no work, and little handling he popped straight on the trailer, and popped straight off again.
Saddled up, and I hopped on and we walked off straight away. Took some time to get any response from him, a few clucks, hups growls and good boys... and I think he is getting it, and we starting pinging along nice and forward in trot.
Day two - much of muchness, except we put in some canter. And again just working on getting forward and spider maintaining it with out me working for it all the time... I'm puffed and sore and not overly enjoying this ride. However two laps later with no kicking hupping or growling and just lots of pats i'm pleased.
Day three, I hopped on and warmed up the same as the last couple of days. Small improvement noted he is forward straight off the bat. No diddling around sucking back, not going anywhere with a red faced rider on his back. It really is hard work when you can't use a whip.
Day four, same again and nice a forward walk straight away - that was really pleasing, and he wanted to go forward into trot super pleasing.
Friend jumped on as well today to have a feel/see what she thought of him to help me with my decision. We both came to the same conclusion he just has no idea what leg is, and he has no mouth what so ever. There is a little bit there at walk and trot, and absolutly nothing at canter. So forward plan is to get him off the leg, a bit fitter by cantering circles more (I tend to avoid them because he isnt very balanced).
We do however both agree something is a little off in the hind, one leg isn't stepping through as far as the other, we aren't sure if its pain, lack of balance or something else, so I'll give him a couple weeks work and re-asses the hind end and whether I need a vet out or not. I'll also get shoes on him in the meantime which will do one of two things if its in the foot, fix it (because he is a bit ouchy) or exaggerate it with the extra weight he will be carrying on the feet.
So I'm pleased I came to a decision it was doing my head in and he is cute, not a money maker or a 3 day eventer, but just a nice general hack to do bits of everything on, and you can't fault his nature its good. And how many green/young horses can you leave alone for over a month or more and bring straight back into work with little to no issues or having to lunh :)
Quite simply I think I was talking myself out of it before I had even really started. So start I did in the weekend been. 4 solid days schooling in a arena, with some helping eyes (and a ride) on the last day (sunday).
Despite the weather I was lucky to get rides in, its been terrible. The paddock is flooded, and wind has blown down on of our garden sheds (wee insurance companies rock - yeah right), there have been tornado's over the country (one death), thunderstorms every morning for the last 5 days.... oh and side note my cat - spewing 8 times in total last night. Poor mite but I'm so not impressed it was inside on the carpet. Saw her do another two outside this morning. I'll give her until tomorrow and take her to the vets if she is no better. Last time she was like this it was because she had found a old dead bird with maggots inside and ate it... so I'm imagining similar thing.
Anyway - back to spider. A good few sessions after 2 weeks of no work, and little handling he popped straight on the trailer, and popped straight off again.
Saddled up, and I hopped on and we walked off straight away. Took some time to get any response from him, a few clucks, hups growls and good boys... and I think he is getting it, and we starting pinging along nice and forward in trot.
Day two - much of muchness, except we put in some canter. And again just working on getting forward and spider maintaining it with out me working for it all the time... I'm puffed and sore and not overly enjoying this ride. However two laps later with no kicking hupping or growling and just lots of pats i'm pleased.
Day three, I hopped on and warmed up the same as the last couple of days. Small improvement noted he is forward straight off the bat. No diddling around sucking back, not going anywhere with a red faced rider on his back. It really is hard work when you can't use a whip.
Day four, same again and nice a forward walk straight away - that was really pleasing, and he wanted to go forward into trot super pleasing.
Friend jumped on as well today to have a feel/see what she thought of him to help me with my decision. We both came to the same conclusion he just has no idea what leg is, and he has no mouth what so ever. There is a little bit there at walk and trot, and absolutly nothing at canter. So forward plan is to get him off the leg, a bit fitter by cantering circles more (I tend to avoid them because he isnt very balanced).
We do however both agree something is a little off in the hind, one leg isn't stepping through as far as the other, we aren't sure if its pain, lack of balance or something else, so I'll give him a couple weeks work and re-asses the hind end and whether I need a vet out or not. I'll also get shoes on him in the meantime which will do one of two things if its in the foot, fix it (because he is a bit ouchy) or exaggerate it with the extra weight he will be carrying on the feet.
So I'm pleased I came to a decision it was doing my head in and he is cute, not a money maker or a 3 day eventer, but just a nice general hack to do bits of everything on, and you can't fault his nature its good. And how many green/young horses can you leave alone for over a month or more and bring straight back into work with little to no issues or having to lunh :)
Friday, April 29, 2011
Still Useless...
At blogging that is....
So spider has got me in a muddle. I'm just not sure.
He is super scared of whips. He has bucked quite intensely, he has reared more than once, and he has crooked legs, that I think is the cause of him looking "off" on one rein.
But then again - that could be because he is super stiff, super unbalance and just plain ole does not know how to use his body correctly AT ALL.
He is still struggling to trot a balanced 20m circle... canter is near on out of the question (but he does promt himself to canter at times). Its almost like spider has a switch.... one moment he is calm, relaxed,foward and thinking, does as I ask. The next its like he gets a wind up him and he won't listen, goes far to quick and just doesn't think - this is when he canters and he is clearly not balanced and just about tips himself over for trying to canter, mean while I'm just trying to get him to trot (which does and doesn't help!). SO I really don't know what to do with him...
I do think he has a old injury or something - his shoulders are TIGHT, and he obviously has the tendon injury/scar tissue, the scars from going through a fence (damage to coronet band). So I just don't know if I want to put more then 6 months into him if he is going to break down... he def isn't going to be a top eventer.. he could if I could use a whip and reinforce GO... but I have got NOTHING at the moment it is SO frustrating.
We got saddle check yesterday and thats fine, he has had his teeth done next is a chiro, and last will be some shoes on his toes.... winter is here... so I'll give him the winter I think, and then decide because I just keep thinking I can get a just as nice horse, thats only 3/4 off the track that doesn't have the issue with the whip..... gah its doing my head in.
At the moment he gets work 3 consecutive days in a row or 4, and then has the rest off each week, because I feel the lessons will sink in better for being reinforced several days in a row, rather than every other day. He hasn't been worked this week - the weather is so bad that we've lost one of our garden sheds, roofs have gone and it was hard to stand up outside.. Ive snapped the door arm thingie in my car door - whoops.
At least it looks like I'll be living back at the farm in about 2 months. I'm sick of living in town I hate it, and I hate the fact I've got to drive out to see the horse and goat/dogs.... coutning down the days!
So spider has got me in a muddle. I'm just not sure.
He is super scared of whips. He has bucked quite intensely, he has reared more than once, and he has crooked legs, that I think is the cause of him looking "off" on one rein.
But then again - that could be because he is super stiff, super unbalance and just plain ole does not know how to use his body correctly AT ALL.
He is still struggling to trot a balanced 20m circle... canter is near on out of the question (but he does promt himself to canter at times). Its almost like spider has a switch.... one moment he is calm, relaxed,foward and thinking, does as I ask. The next its like he gets a wind up him and he won't listen, goes far to quick and just doesn't think - this is when he canters and he is clearly not balanced and just about tips himself over for trying to canter, mean while I'm just trying to get him to trot (which does and doesn't help!). SO I really don't know what to do with him...
I do think he has a old injury or something - his shoulders are TIGHT, and he obviously has the tendon injury/scar tissue, the scars from going through a fence (damage to coronet band). So I just don't know if I want to put more then 6 months into him if he is going to break down... he def isn't going to be a top eventer.. he could if I could use a whip and reinforce GO... but I have got NOTHING at the moment it is SO frustrating.
We got saddle check yesterday and thats fine, he has had his teeth done next is a chiro, and last will be some shoes on his toes.... winter is here... so I'll give him the winter I think, and then decide because I just keep thinking I can get a just as nice horse, thats only 3/4 off the track that doesn't have the issue with the whip..... gah its doing my head in.
At the moment he gets work 3 consecutive days in a row or 4, and then has the rest off each week, because I feel the lessons will sink in better for being reinforced several days in a row, rather than every other day. He hasn't been worked this week - the weather is so bad that we've lost one of our garden sheds, roofs have gone and it was hard to stand up outside.. Ive snapped the door arm thingie in my car door - whoops.
At least it looks like I'll be living back at the farm in about 2 months. I'm sick of living in town I hate it, and I hate the fact I've got to drive out to see the horse and goat/dogs.... coutning down the days!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
A restart... I really am a useless blogger
I've got to many blogs.. and all of them are hickle pickle... I'm not a good blogger...
But I have thought I should do one, so I can look back on the progress I'm making with Spider... the new boy. Turbo sold back in Jan.. I spent a month in Thailand.. and here I am...
He is a roughly 16hh if not 15.3 gelding TB, maybe 10yrs old... grey so I need to shave his shoulder to see his brands.. they are currently under cover.
He spent his early years racing on the flat, then won something decent as a steeplechaser.... I wonder why they call it steeple chasing.. I'm mean the jumps don't move so how can they be chasing them....
Once he retired from a tendon injury, rested, re-raced, and layed up again from the same injury.. he went to a home where he lived a good life.. eating to much, and hacking around town... however he was at times i get the impression to much for the rider, so the owners of the grazing took him... and I know her quite well (nakinator on here) she hasn't had time to ride him, and hopped on occasionally in the last few years to ride around the paddock.
Since I sold turbo and was looking half heartedly for a new one - browsing because I don't quite have the $ for what I really wanted.. I took him... and now he has a job for the first time in years.
He has never been on a float... and went on fine first time round... not so good to get off... missed checking that part when we put him on... but thats ok he cameoff eventually albeit sweating and shaking like a leaf from the 20 min trip... so I assume he is only used to trucks and being "closed in" so to speak... next trip 'll close the cover over the back door to see if it goes better.
He has had two weeks to sit in his new location, and get used to being paddocked alone... he has the mini to talk to over the fence which he loves dearly...
He got some hand walks over the farm initially to gauge his reactions to all the scary machines etc... a few puffs and huffs but nothing major...
Then it started.. the lunging lessons...
Day one: how to stay out on the circle....
Day two: trotting
Day three: side reins introduced
etc etc rinse repeat etc etc
Week 2: Canter.. but we won't go into to much detail on that. A few issues, the whip being one, balance and co-ordination another, and understanding what I'm after.
Week 3: the lessons have sunk in, properly adjusted side reins for the trot work, canter voice aid installed, and all the whoas
Week 4: Proper under saddle work starts
That was last weekend. The first proper ride was a hourish hack over the farm with the old owner and mum coming out as well. I decided this was a good option. Given the lack of understanding of the leg aids, and the non-use of a whip (I can carry one but not use it yet) they would give him a incentive to go somewhere if he wasn't sure.. and it was needed a few times he lagged behind they others he would trot to catch up with out to much giddy up's needed. But he was exceptionally well behaved and I can't say a foot out of place was had. No jigging, spooking or launches into space. I was pleased.
The next day keeping in mind the fitness levels a short burst of work on foward and contact followed with a 10min walk abouts.
Monday, I thought we would do our first outing, even if it means we don't get a ride in. But never matter - it went without a hitch, got him in the trailer by myself and a bucket of food, it was a exceptionally short trip. Came off ok, and took a look around and went to completly chilled out - BRILLIANT. Had a short but intense ride in the arena, and did our first serious cantering. Well more than a straight line and letting it happen if it comes. I asked for it and got it, and I felt I had won the olympics YES.
Break yesterday, and I rode today. I have to say I hate the treeless saddle I'm borrowing it make me work against it... need to get a decent one ASAP. One unfortunate thing happened.. the neighbours herd of 2yr old horses were next to the paddock I chose to ride in today... while I was mounting spider was distracted and kept moving off.. so i was making him work each time he moved. Halfway through asking him to backup I got distracted by kids in the house behind me andI got taken advantage of... whoops spider went for a wee canter to meet the neighbours. Finally got on ( and he stood stock still) and more work to occur... contact, foward, leg aids, and attention... attained all of those as well as could be expected, and did a few canters.. all went well - I just have to remember if he leaps foward quickly because I've given him a fright by asking to much/to sharp whatever that I can't pull him up to quick. The first time I did.. and its essentially telling him off for listening to the foward aids - whoops oh well lesson learned.
Tomorrow is another day.. and I do hope to keep updating a blog.. its funny enough reading back through some posts on turbo:wink:
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