February Lessons Day 2 (Izzy)

On Sunday, we continued with the suppling exercises. Unlike Speedy, Izzy is already in front of my leg and doesn't need to be pushed. He's unlike Speedy in a lot of other ways too, but the biggest difference is how stiff he is through his neck and back. Speedy is like trying to wrangle wet noodles. He squirts out all over the place as he tries to avoid pushing through his hind end.

He really needs to relax through his neck.

Izzy fishtails his hind end around rather than softening through his neck and back, so that's what we've been working on. Chemaine had me doing several different exercises. The first was at the left lead canter. 

Counter bend

As we cantered left, she had me change the bend until he softened, especially when he was fussing with my outside rein. Changing the bend kind of works like a big half halt. Once he softened to the outside rein, I let him swing gently back to the inside.

Is he getting BIGGER?!?!

This is a long video, but the sound quality is good, and you will feel like you're getting a lesson. Chemaine explains the purpose of the exercise and points out where I am being effective and not so effective.

In the latter part of the video, we continued with changing the bend, but we worked at the trot. Instead of letting him come back to the regular bend, she had me use the counter bend to set him up for a change of direction.

I've used this exercise before, but the way we did it this time made a lot of sense for a horse who struggles with confidence. Once he had softened to the counter bend, I simply changed direction which helped him maintain his balance. For Izzy, as athletic as he is, changes of direction challenge his confidence when he loses his balance.

Lots of muscle that needs to be suppled.

As he gets more and more supple through his neck and back, Chemaine referred to him as muscle-bound, the changes of bend will get easier and easier.

One nice moment.

My homework with Izzy is to keep changing the bend. As he gets more and more supple, he will be able to use his body more effectively, and the right lead canter will feel easy for him.