For a very long time now I have ridden the hills and tracks and not done any arena work. I became disenchanted with Parelli - not because of anything inherently wrong with it but because it's just not my 'thing' after a certain point. I still use it in that when Balthazar tries to dominate by pinning his ears and trying to nip (he never really does, don't think he's got it in him to actually bite), I make him move his feet. No reason to smack him or yell just make him move his feet. Afterwards he's polite and tractable without being cowed or frightened.
But this past week I've started working in the arena every other day or so. Only 15 or 20 minutes at a time. No big deal (which is a helpful mindset for me. If it becomes a Big Deal then I've set myself up for stress and trying too hard which is Not the way to work with Balthazar).
Was looking at his physique. He's irridescent, beautifully shiny, well covered, but his musculature isn't as I'd like. He's fit to run around the hills and trot and canter in a straight line but I'd like to see more topline development. Also Balthazar is 17 and would benefit from some horse yoga (read classical dressage).
Have become interested in Baucher through Nuno Oliveira and the French method through Andre Jousseaume and his book Progressive Dressage which I happen to have.
One of the hurdles Balthazar and I have is his Pretty Pony outline. When I rode him in a bit (French Snaffle), he'd prettily bend his neck and trot around the arena seemingly with perfect obedience. Except of course, he was behind the bit, never on it. He never 'gave' himself. Therefore if something spooked him or he didn't want to do something I had an explosive out of control horse beneath me. He'd learned to hide behind a pretty outline.
Horses are smart like that. When I offer him a drink before grooming and tacking up he's learned that if he stands with his mouth touching the water he can get another minute or so before he has to start work. Same with the arched neck. He looks lovely, he's doing what is asked so he's pretty much left alone.
Today was the first time I felt confident (through my practice of yoga funnily enough) to begin to tackle the issue.
Balthazar has always been bridle lame. I have never ever been hard on his mouth and now that I ride (and have for a couple of years now) in a bitless bridle the excuse of pain in his mouth doesn't exist. It's something he learned years ago that I've always just lived with. I've been asking him to walk forward with gusto. That's been an interesting exercise because he either breaks into a trot (with a bent neck) or refuses to walk faster. When he finally does submit and walk freely forward I reward him and give him a break. We'll keep on with that but what truly illustrated how sucked back he was was asking him to just take contact at the halt.
The lightest of contacts with my legs on. We went backwards. We went sideways. We had head tossing, lots and lots of head tossing. We had everything but the lightest of contacts.
I called him out. It was a real fight. There was no pain, no kicking or yanking or anything but a relentless asking with my legs into a receiving hand. Finally, FINALLY, he gave in. Asked a couple of more times then quit for the day.
This is something we'll have to repeat again and again I'm sure. Which is okay. We have to start somewhere. He has to learn that he must do as he's asked and that I won't hurt him if he does. Quite exciting actually as we're, after all these years, finally facing the root problem straight on.
Showing posts with label bitless bridle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bitless bridle. Show all posts
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Thursday, May 24, 2012
First ride
So much for that invitation to ride. I've ridden Balthazar three times this week. Took him up to Peter's on Monday. Peter gave us some lessons in Parelli's Seven Games in The Playpen. Let me tell you about The Playpen. Peter has gone to a great deal of trouble and created a Parelli Paradise. He has caveletti, he has a tractor tire pedestal, he has a float ramp complete with flapping tarp roof and pink horse ball and painted breast bar. He has log jumps, barrel jumps and a water jump. Witches hats abound and every piece of equipment has been gaily painted. There is a huge squishy lime green Parelli ball and hot pink Tibetan prayer flags. The Playpen connects to the round yard with zen raked white gravel. Peter has put much time and effort into creating the perfect Parelli horse training environment.
This was the milieu Balthazar was led into on Monday morning. He recognized Jack and Emmy immediately. We left them to settle and went and had a coffee. Afterwards Peter took us through a few of the seven games. Weaknesses were discovered, differences explained and at the end, when we'd both been mentally stimulated, I put the Easy Boots (herein referred to as the booties) on Balthazar's feet. He was pretty good. The front ones he got used to fairly quickly. He never quite relaxed about the hind ones but was okay. I chose to remove the hind booties for our ride. We rode around The Playpen at first. Balthazar was fine. Then we headed out for a saunter up to Picnic Hill and back. I was a little scared. Balthazar's back came up beneath me and he was agitated; head tossing and trying to break into a faster gait, something I wasn't prepared to do. But we made it to the top without incident. Really, after more than 2 years of not being ridden, he did well.
On the return trip, things took a turn for the worse. He tossed his head, something he did on the way up the hill but on the way down it was constant, as was the wanting to jig jog. Again, his back was up beneath me and it seemed that it would take a very small spark to incite a major conflagration. I know Balthazar can buck. Wanted to avoid that if possible. We circled and circled and circled. Once his feet stopped moving I would let the rein go. I was riding in a bitless bridle but could still instigate the one rein 'stop'. Seemed every two or three steps I was having to circle him. At the very end, when we reached the old house, the other horses came galloping up to the fence. That was too much, I bailed. Balthazar had grown from 16 to 18 hands. Walked him into The Playpen, got on and rode him around. He was fine then, calm and focussed.
On Tuesday I went up again. Balthazar and I didn't do very well the previous day with yielding the forequarter to the left. I was positioned in the wrong spot, asking in the wrong way and getting circles instead of turns on the hindquarter. I was also getting frustrated. Peter tactfully suggested we move on to something else. Anyway, on the Tuesday we tried again and were much better. We also tried the Falling Leaf pattern in which the horse does half circles in front of you as you walk and we attempted figure 8's around two cones. It was all very calm and nurturing, much better than the day before. I didn't say anything but at one point when Peter was helping me he lightly smacked Balthazar on Monday to wake him up and get him to give. I didn't like that. We don't do that anymore. Not the end of the world but I'm grateful it was just the one instance as I didn't want to have to say anything. At any rate, the second day was much nicer. We rode out and although there was some head tossing, Balthazar was a different horse. So much so that I got off him before we returned to the yards. I'd always done that, stemming back from endurance days when getting off 5 or 10 minutes before arriving allowed blood flow to return to the area under the saddle. It's also a nice reward to get off, loosen the girth, run the stirrups up and walk beside your horse homeward.
One bad thing on Tuesday; while Peter and I were at the house for smoko, Balthazar was working himself into a frenzy because Emmy wasn't with him and managed to slice his leg open just below the knee. Only a surface cut although there was much blood. It is still swollen today but he's not lame and it's a clean wound.
Also had a play with Peter's tb mare Gypsy. She was horsing and consequently was a little obstreperous and squealy. She also had Peter's number and rang him down. He was scared of her and all she had to do was pin her ears or squeal or even make a move into his space to unnerve him. I don't blame him for being scared. I'm scared much of the time but as a bystander I could see what was going on. I took her in hand and after a few complaints she was good.
We ended up putting the saddle on her. I bellied up on her and as she didn't do anything so I sat astride her. Still nothing. Right, I said, your turn, Peter. And he did. I was very proud of him. He got on and she behaved impeccably. We left it at that.
Didn't go Wednesday but returned yesterday. Peter had a little play with Gypsy that he was pleased with and I had a play with Balthazar - ditto. After we'd worked them for awhile I suggested we take them out for a pick. After they'd eaten we tacked them up and went for another walk. Peter accompanied us parallel to their driveway. I would ride Balthazar down the 6km and meet Richard with the float at the bottom. Balthazar whinnied when Peter and Emmy turned back for home but did nothing else. He shouted a few times but kept moving. He did get somewhat excited when we did finally reach the bottom and I got off him but loaded beautifully.
So that's the story. I've ridden him and now only need to keep it up. No riding today as it's raining but perhaps tomorrow. Have made arrangements with Peter that I will go up on Thursdays to play with either Rebel, his other thoroughbred, or Gypsy while he plays with the other. The thing to do is to keep the momentum and motivation going. I've got John Curtin's property to ride through again so even though I have lost much of the riding trails I used to enjoy I still have two close to home that I can use.
Fed all the horses hay last night. Balthazar had lost a little weight while he was away I thought. Because he was so anxious to be reunited with Dakota and Pagan, I didn't try and clean him up from the ride but just turned him loose. So while he was eating hay I hand groomed him to work out most of the dirt and sticky sweat. He pinned his ears a little when I worked on his chest but he seemed okay with it overall. This morning he, after initially turning his head away when I greeted him, walked over to say hello. Very very happy with that.
This was the milieu Balthazar was led into on Monday morning. He recognized Jack and Emmy immediately. We left them to settle and went and had a coffee. Afterwards Peter took us through a few of the seven games. Weaknesses were discovered, differences explained and at the end, when we'd both been mentally stimulated, I put the Easy Boots (herein referred to as the booties) on Balthazar's feet. He was pretty good. The front ones he got used to fairly quickly. He never quite relaxed about the hind ones but was okay. I chose to remove the hind booties for our ride. We rode around The Playpen at first. Balthazar was fine. Then we headed out for a saunter up to Picnic Hill and back. I was a little scared. Balthazar's back came up beneath me and he was agitated; head tossing and trying to break into a faster gait, something I wasn't prepared to do. But we made it to the top without incident. Really, after more than 2 years of not being ridden, he did well.
On the return trip, things took a turn for the worse. He tossed his head, something he did on the way up the hill but on the way down it was constant, as was the wanting to jig jog. Again, his back was up beneath me and it seemed that it would take a very small spark to incite a major conflagration. I know Balthazar can buck. Wanted to avoid that if possible. We circled and circled and circled. Once his feet stopped moving I would let the rein go. I was riding in a bitless bridle but could still instigate the one rein 'stop'. Seemed every two or three steps I was having to circle him. At the very end, when we reached the old house, the other horses came galloping up to the fence. That was too much, I bailed. Balthazar had grown from 16 to 18 hands. Walked him into The Playpen, got on and rode him around. He was fine then, calm and focussed.
On Tuesday I went up again. Balthazar and I didn't do very well the previous day with yielding the forequarter to the left. I was positioned in the wrong spot, asking in the wrong way and getting circles instead of turns on the hindquarter. I was also getting frustrated. Peter tactfully suggested we move on to something else. Anyway, on the Tuesday we tried again and were much better. We also tried the Falling Leaf pattern in which the horse does half circles in front of you as you walk and we attempted figure 8's around two cones. It was all very calm and nurturing, much better than the day before. I didn't say anything but at one point when Peter was helping me he lightly smacked Balthazar on Monday to wake him up and get him to give. I didn't like that. We don't do that anymore. Not the end of the world but I'm grateful it was just the one instance as I didn't want to have to say anything. At any rate, the second day was much nicer. We rode out and although there was some head tossing, Balthazar was a different horse. So much so that I got off him before we returned to the yards. I'd always done that, stemming back from endurance days when getting off 5 or 10 minutes before arriving allowed blood flow to return to the area under the saddle. It's also a nice reward to get off, loosen the girth, run the stirrups up and walk beside your horse homeward.
One bad thing on Tuesday; while Peter and I were at the house for smoko, Balthazar was working himself into a frenzy because Emmy wasn't with him and managed to slice his leg open just below the knee. Only a surface cut although there was much blood. It is still swollen today but he's not lame and it's a clean wound.
Also had a play with Peter's tb mare Gypsy. She was horsing and consequently was a little obstreperous and squealy. She also had Peter's number and rang him down. He was scared of her and all she had to do was pin her ears or squeal or even make a move into his space to unnerve him. I don't blame him for being scared. I'm scared much of the time but as a bystander I could see what was going on. I took her in hand and after a few complaints she was good.
We ended up putting the saddle on her. I bellied up on her and as she didn't do anything so I sat astride her. Still nothing. Right, I said, your turn, Peter. And he did. I was very proud of him. He got on and she behaved impeccably. We left it at that.
Didn't go Wednesday but returned yesterday. Peter had a little play with Gypsy that he was pleased with and I had a play with Balthazar - ditto. After we'd worked them for awhile I suggested we take them out for a pick. After they'd eaten we tacked them up and went for another walk. Peter accompanied us parallel to their driveway. I would ride Balthazar down the 6km and meet Richard with the float at the bottom. Balthazar whinnied when Peter and Emmy turned back for home but did nothing else. He shouted a few times but kept moving. He did get somewhat excited when we did finally reach the bottom and I got off him but loaded beautifully.
So that's the story. I've ridden him and now only need to keep it up. No riding today as it's raining but perhaps tomorrow. Have made arrangements with Peter that I will go up on Thursdays to play with either Rebel, his other thoroughbred, or Gypsy while he plays with the other. The thing to do is to keep the momentum and motivation going. I've got John Curtin's property to ride through again so even though I have lost much of the riding trails I used to enjoy I still have two close to home that I can use.
Fed all the horses hay last night. Balthazar had lost a little weight while he was away I thought. Because he was so anxious to be reunited with Dakota and Pagan, I didn't try and clean him up from the ride but just turned him loose. So while he was eating hay I hand groomed him to work out most of the dirt and sticky sweat. He pinned his ears a little when I worked on his chest but he seemed okay with it overall. This morning he, after initially turning his head away when I greeted him, walked over to say hello. Very very happy with that.
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