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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Izzy's Training

3/2/2015

 
I am not even going to number these posts or create a category. Training young horses is simply about exposing them to EVERYTHING. Repeatedly. And then one day, you're riding, and they're just chugging along.

Even though Izzy has been on the disabled list, he's still had plenty to learn. I already shared how I've been working on his feet every day. I pick them out, put them between my legs, hammer the bottoms, and even place them on a mounting block to simulate the farrier's hoof stand. All of that work has definitely paid off as he was super easy to shoe.

Replacing the leg bandage every other day has allowed me to do a lot of schooling in the cross ties. He now knows that it's best to just stand still until I finish as he gets lots of praise and cookies for being patient. I've also worked on pulling his mane and using the clippers. There's not much else I can teach him about being in the cross ties. And really, I think his previous owner did a fair amount of that anyway.
Picture
Izzy at 11 months standing tied (photo courtesy of Noemi)
From the first day that Izzy arrived at my barn, I started putting my weight across his back. While grooming, I would pull the mounting block over and stand above him. This helped me groom his back and pull his mane (he's pretty tall). From there, I started laying across his back and patting his belly. He's been started under saddle of course, and then he was ridden by a second trainer, but I wanted to make sure he felt totally comfortable with me up there. Once he was okay with me across his back, I started doing it in the arena and in his paddock. When he didn't do anything but stand there, I decided to start getting on him. 

Before I just hopped on though, I "worked" him in my square pen. I sent him around at a walk and focused on encouraging him to walk and whoa with my voice. When that seemed good, I dragged the mounting block into his paddock, put him in a rope halter, made sure my helmet was on tight, and then just hopped on bareback. 

To my delight, he just stood there. Giving him a good boy, I patted his neck and gently slid off the other side. I've been doing this for a few days, but I've since added some walking forward. He wasn't sure what I wanted the first time, and frankly, I was a bit nervous to ask for forward with just a halter and lead rope, but with a few thumps of my legs, he took a step forward.

We've since moved on to walking laps around his paddock. I still don't feel perfectly relaxed doing this as he could get a wild hair at any moment, but the few times that he broke into a trot, he quickly came back to the walk when I asked. His steering is nonexistent, but I've been asking him to move over with leg pressure. It's a bit confusing for him as he thinks that my leg means only go. I am not worried. I've only been on his back for a few minutes each time, and he's gotten more comfortable with me up there each day.

Other than trailer loading, which gets it's own post, the last big thing I've worked on is allowing the reins over his head. He was really fussy about that when I saw him at the trainer's place. To teach him that the reins over his head wasn't anything to worry about, I stood to his side and turned the lead rope into reins. As he grazed, I brought the rope across his face, back and forth. Within a few minutes, he ignored the rope in favor of grazing.

Later, I stood in front of him and to both sides and brought the rope up to his eyes and asked him to lower his head. I do it over and over, always removing the rope when his head is lowered. Every once in a while the rope surprises him and his head shoots up, but for the most part, he's no longer worried about the "reins" grabbing his ears or sliding past his eyes. In fact, while I was on him bareback the other day, I passed the rope from the left side to the right side so I could pull him around and change direction, no big deal.

We are now working on so many skills that I have to pick and chose which ones to school on any particular day. Some days it's just "square pen" work with the rope and me getting on, and other days it's about grooming, farrier work, and hand walking.

Hopefully by the time his leg has healed completely, the return to under saddle work will be nothing to get excited about. I am looking forward to that day.
Picture
Izzy at two years old standing tied and feeling a "girth." (photo courtesy of Noemi)
jenj
3/1/2015 11:13:25 pm

Aw, what a good boy!

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/3/2015 08:45:19 am

You know what? He really is! :0)

Lauren link
3/2/2015 12:06:29 am

I bet all this hard work will make for a VERY smooth transition back to 'real' work. He'll be a dressage superstar by fall :)

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/3/2015 08:45:45 am

That's my plan! :0)

emma link
3/2/2015 04:50:19 am

what a great education he's getting - esp given the low pressure and patient learning environment. it's still a bummer that he came home with such a gruesome injury, but you're certainly making it pay dividends!

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/3/2015 08:47:03 am

Lemonade from lemons, that's me! Thank you for the kind words though. I know I make plenty of mistakes, but I certainly strive to do the best I can for my horses. :0)

Tracy link
3/3/2015 01:45:50 am

Your posts about Izzy's training have become my favorite. It's so interesting and honestly impressive how you approach it so slowly and methodically! I often find myself wishing we lived closer so I could come learn this type of stuff from you!

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/3/2015 08:53:58 am

That's really kind of you to say, Tracy. I'll try to share more of what I am doing with him. I am NOT a professional trainer, but I know how I want my horses to behave. I want a horse that is quiet on the ground, good for the vet and farrier, loads easily, doesn't fuss about clippers, etc. If you want those things, you have to practice them until the horse gets it.

Being a teacher probably helps since at work I teach things in a very step by step way to my students, and I know that the more you break it down, the better they tend to do.

I treat my horses like kindergarteners or first graders. They get rewarded when they do it right, and when they don't, it just means they need more practice.

I think the biggest part of this kind of training is to NOT take any of it personally. The horse isn't trying to piss you off, just like a kid who can't add 4 and 8 isn't doing it on purpose. It just means that they don't get the concept.

I totally wish all of my blogging friends would move to California. To be surrounded by like-minded people would be AWESOME!!!


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    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I am a lifelong rider. 
    I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.
    ​Welcome to my dressage journey.
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    About Speedy G

    ​Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
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    July 2020 (PC AJSK Photography)

    About Izzy

    Izzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
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Among other things, Karen is a Wife, Friend, Reader, Writer, Rider, Traveler, and Dog Lover
Contact her at bakersfielddressage@gmail.com
  • Home
  • About
  • My Horses
    • Horses
    • Imperioso
    • G Ima Starr FA
    • Sunshine
    • Nakota and Gideon
    • Corky
    • Sassy
    • Montoya DSA
    • Mickey Dee
    • Sydney
  • Show Results
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
  • Dressage Organizations
    • Dressage Organizations
    • Memberships
    • 2019 Dressage Tests
  • Local
    • Shopping List
  • Home