It Just Keeps Getting Better

8/21/2014

Over the weekend I found out that my Monday and Wednesday lessons were cancelled. It was okay though because I felt like firming up our latest work was really important before adding a new element.

The latest is of course, the right lead canter. Things went quite well on Saturday. They were even better on Sunday. By Tuesday's ride, I was grinning from ear to ear. For the first time ever, I was able to ask for repeated right lead canter departures wherever I wanted to in the arena. We worked in the scary end where I asked for the canter in the second half of the circle at C, between H and C, and even between C and M. If he got fussy, I worked the inside rein as firmly as I needed to remind him that he can't hang on it.

When I took a lesson with Chemaine a week or so ago, she reminded me of a technique that Christian Schacht uses to encourage a horse to let go of the inside rein. He has the rider lift the inside hand toward the outside shoulder, effectively crossing the withers (something we're never supposed to do). The instant the horse lets go, the rider MUST give a release. I can't over-use the technique with Sydney, but mild variations of it remind him that he must let go.

JL has had me sponge or rock the inside rein, but when that doesn't get the job done, I can now use Christian's method. And once Sydney has been encouraged to let go with that aid, it is much easier to remind him with the rocking of the rein.

The more in charge I am, the more relaxed he becomes. This horses doesn't want to have to make a single decision. He doesn't want to save my butt, and he certainly doesn't like multiple choice questions or fill in the blanks. He wants me to point exactly where he is to go.

No problem, Sydney. I can handle it!

Mia link

8/20/2014 10:43:38 pm

I learned that crossing the hand over the withers is a no-no because it disconnects the base of the neck from the withers. As in, it forces the horse to bend that part of the neck (which we normally don't want). But when the horse is buldging the shoulder against the inside rein (i.e. hanging on it weight on inside shoulder), breaking that line helps the horse to move the shoulders left or right, and loosen the muscles in the base of the neck so that you can put them straight.

I may be a bit off on that, but that was kind of the gist of it. That technique is what I used on Ava to get her to start loosening up the base of her neck so the she could transfer weight to the opposite shoulder. But now I'm in the habit of crossing the withers and my instructor keeps nailing me on it. Haha :)

emma link

8/21/2014 12:48:16 am

awesome! it's funny - we work so hard to forge equal & respectful partnerships with our horses, but sometimes i guess they just need a 'boss.' how does Sydney rank in his herd's pecking order (if he gets turnout with other horses, that is)?

Sarah link

8/21/2014 05:23:44 am

I'm not quite there with Hemie, but almost. Instead of trying to get him to take the left rein instead of the right rein (major resistance), I've been having him take the left rein in addition to the right rein, and am slowly working on letting the right rein go while keeping left rein. Tricky for sure!

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Not-So-Speedy Dressage