We're very aware now that how we ride affects how our horses perform.
Betty had Morgunn turning, moving and changing speeds with the slightest of cues. He's a strong horse and was trained in a way that used strong cues and that was what he was used to. She is going a great job helping him to learn that her lighter cues are better for him when he responds to them.
Sugar has always been lighter than Morgunn so I haven't had to work as hard with her to get her to respond to my lighter cues. My work has been on her transitions from a walk, to an extended walk and to a gait. At first she would jump into any transition, throwing her head up. Now she's moving from one speed to another, up or down, without any radical change in her balance and rhythm.
The reality is they're getting better as we get better. More work to do, but it's great fun to have a philosophy and a program that's working for us and for them.
More thoughts from Dominique Barbier...
As soon as something is wrong and the horse grows tense, listen to your horse.
Any contact greater than the lightness of the reins will impede both lightness and the horse's desire to perform.
Collection is maximum impulsion in lightness.
Trying to 'collect' the horse with any sort of strong contact is compression.
We must allow the horse to perform, allow him to enjoy his job, not drive him.
Respect the horse's mouth and the horse will respect your hands.
Rein back - If horse has weak back, sit as lightly as you can to allow that weak back to round up under you. Make sure you have impulsion at the halt. Then a very short, timed closing of the fingers will act like a wall and reverse the direction of the impulsion.
Too much work on anything will bore your horse and make him resistant. Work well, work short. Vary it up.
Know the value of short lessons - 20 minutes or less; use 'instant quits' - if the horse does what I ask, I stop as a reward.
A horse's best on any given day doesn't mean perfection - just the best he can do at that particular moment.
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2 comments:
Sounds like a good day with your horses. I enjoyed the horse thoughts, too.
Apache was very dead-sided when I got her and until this year required heavy squeezing, a quirt, and kicking to get her to move into a trot.
Now, she doesn't need anything to move into a trot or canter, except a slight squeeze or change in my energy and seat position.
I think a lot of this is because we know trust one another, and like Morgunn, she has learned that lighter and more subtle really is better....for both of us :)
~Lisa
Every time I get home my little paint mare comes right to me and I ride her on a mile loop now with little balking and no rearing. Sweet success. She's beginning to transfer trust to me. Glad that you two are enjoying your horses and making improvements.
Have a blessed Christmas season.
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