Playing with Ponies
Well. Playing with a pony and a horse because a certain pony is still moping around with a 25% shoe reduction. And is in season. I mean really mare, you are 18 and live with two geldings...there is no need!!
Anyway, took the boys off for lessons yesterday instead. First up was Mr Shortest Strides In The Universe (aka Ranger).
He hasn't had a chance to jump since....whenever the last time I jumped him was...which was also the last time I jumped. Perfect combination that since he was overenthusiastic and I was desperately trying to not fall off or have him fall on his own face. He was a good boy overall though. Generally made his striding fairly well (which is always a big issue for him), particularly when I actually remembered to ride properly. Made it up to ~2'6" no problem. The only issues we had were with a small double - one of the two jumps was a square oxer (we had the double set up so we could go upright to oxer or oxer to upright) which is always one of the trickiest things with him because his jump isn't naturally geared towards square oxers. First time going upright to oxer he ducked out sideways at it, because I completely forgot to sit up and ride! Also had a stop going oxer to upright at the upright because he came down in the oxer and scared himself (and also I went OHSHIT and stopped riding because apparently that's what I do).
Take home points from it were:
Trust him! We know Ranger will jump if you ask him to and I need to believe that.
Soft hands in the last few strides and over the fence. I find this one very hard on him, he's naturally quite heavy on your hand and will pull. However, softening does mean that you get a nicer jump and he doesn't scrabble the canter when he lands. Comes back to trusting him really.
Sit up, sit up, sit up! Obvious. But. Super important on Mr Mini Front Legs.
Some terrible photos were taken (my dad can't work my camera...)
You can almost hear me going "Steadysteadysteadysteady" at him
Plunge our face into the jump to stare at it
Landing safely on the other side! Note my massively defensive position here ;)
Aaaaaaand I'm being taken off with. Because it's Ranger.
Moving onto my Big Handsome Man. Brought up that we're thinking about getting him to some dressage over the summer so we looked at starting to get him working properly a bit more.
He was also a very good boy. Definitely knows what you want him to do, but isn't necessarily fit and strong enough to manage it. Spent a lot of time working on getting him to Slow Down. Lots of slow, low rising, half halts and asking him to lengthen/shorten to get his back end engaged. Nothing groundbreaking, but by the end he was definitely starting to work through his back and soften through the bridle a bit. He can also be heavy, and will set himself and lean on you.
Take home points from this:
Sit up, sit up, sit up! Sensing a theme here? Trying to get him to respond more to my seat and weight (lol, I am far too tiny on him). Also to help him work properly by keeping centred on him.
Lots of steady, slow rising. Again to get a response to my seat rather than hands. Sitting trot just makes him think we're going to canter so is counterproductive at the moment. Adjust rising to try to get some stride changes.
Transitions! Again, obvious, but massively important for him.
Plan ahead! This is just me needing to get more used to him. So used to the ponies where you think "turn" and you're facing the other direction. Smokey needs about five minutes to figure out how to turn his legs.
Also: Grow an extra couple of inches on my legs. Just because it would help.
Please ignore everything in this photo except how handsome this horse is!
Again, ignore my and look at the handsome man. Idek what I'm doing. Except trying to cling on. His canter is SO hard to sit compared to my little girly.
Fucksake arms. Seriously. He is getting a bit on his forehand here, but this is mainly because I utterly failed to prepare him properly for the turn. Turning up the centre line requires a LOT or preparation on this horse.
Haaaaandsome.
Halt fail.
I have GOT to bend my elbows on this horse. Need to retrain my arms into not thinking his neck is the same length as Willow's
Nice halt, exhausted horse, exhausted me!
Can we also please take a moment to note that at 23 years old I look better proportioned on the bloody 13.2 than the 15.3ish??
Anyway, took the boys off for lessons yesterday instead. First up was Mr Shortest Strides In The Universe (aka Ranger).
He hasn't had a chance to jump since....whenever the last time I jumped him was...which was also the last time I jumped. Perfect combination that since he was overenthusiastic and I was desperately trying to not fall off or have him fall on his own face. He was a good boy overall though. Generally made his striding fairly well (which is always a big issue for him), particularly when I actually remembered to ride properly. Made it up to ~2'6" no problem. The only issues we had were with a small double - one of the two jumps was a square oxer (we had the double set up so we could go upright to oxer or oxer to upright) which is always one of the trickiest things with him because his jump isn't naturally geared towards square oxers. First time going upright to oxer he ducked out sideways at it, because I completely forgot to sit up and ride! Also had a stop going oxer to upright at the upright because he came down in the oxer and scared himself (and also I went OHSHIT and stopped riding because apparently that's what I do).
Take home points from it were:
Trust him! We know Ranger will jump if you ask him to and I need to believe that.
Soft hands in the last few strides and over the fence. I find this one very hard on him, he's naturally quite heavy on your hand and will pull. However, softening does mean that you get a nicer jump and he doesn't scrabble the canter when he lands. Comes back to trusting him really.
Sit up, sit up, sit up! Obvious. But. Super important on Mr Mini Front Legs.
Some terrible photos were taken (my dad can't work my camera...)
You can almost hear me going "Steadysteadysteadysteady" at him
Plunge our face into the jump to stare at it
Landing safely on the other side! Note my massively defensive position here ;)
Aaaaaaand I'm being taken off with. Because it's Ranger.
Moving onto my Big Handsome Man. Brought up that we're thinking about getting him to some dressage over the summer so we looked at starting to get him working properly a bit more.
He was also a very good boy. Definitely knows what you want him to do, but isn't necessarily fit and strong enough to manage it. Spent a lot of time working on getting him to Slow Down. Lots of slow, low rising, half halts and asking him to lengthen/shorten to get his back end engaged. Nothing groundbreaking, but by the end he was definitely starting to work through his back and soften through the bridle a bit. He can also be heavy, and will set himself and lean on you.
Take home points from this:
Sit up, sit up, sit up! Sensing a theme here? Trying to get him to respond more to my seat and weight (lol, I am far too tiny on him). Also to help him work properly by keeping centred on him.
Lots of steady, slow rising. Again to get a response to my seat rather than hands. Sitting trot just makes him think we're going to canter so is counterproductive at the moment. Adjust rising to try to get some stride changes.
Transitions! Again, obvious, but massively important for him.
Plan ahead! This is just me needing to get more used to him. So used to the ponies where you think "turn" and you're facing the other direction. Smokey needs about five minutes to figure out how to turn his legs.
Also: Grow an extra couple of inches on my legs. Just because it would help.
Please ignore everything in this photo except how handsome this horse is!
Again, ignore my and look at the handsome man. Idek what I'm doing. Except trying to cling on. His canter is SO hard to sit compared to my little girly.
Fucksake arms. Seriously. He is getting a bit on his forehand here, but this is mainly because I utterly failed to prepare him properly for the turn. Turning up the centre line requires a LOT or preparation on this horse.
Haaaaandsome.
Halt fail.
I have GOT to bend my elbows on this horse. Need to retrain my arms into not thinking his neck is the same length as Willow's
Nice halt, exhausted horse, exhausted me!
Can we also please take a moment to note that at 23 years old I look better proportioned on the bloody 13.2 than the 15.3ish??