click............................fart.............................GO!

one mild kevin the teenager moment today, when fuzz left the menage just as was starting trot work, star decided he couldnt possibly carry one and downed tools in the corner and started ping ponging around.......i actually remembered to kick like buggery (instead of just sitting quiet) and lo and behold it does actually return to earth much quicker when i do that!
then spent ten minutes teaching it that if i drop my reins and click it is to LEAP in to gallop and shoot off sharpish, which it got the idea of pretty quickly, launching off with enthusiasm, kicking and farting its way down the long side.
this got him really in front of the leg and he didnt think about dropping behind it again, also got him a bit more playful about it all instead of in serious work mode.
when i got him too hot in the walk we even got some very baby piaffe steps, such a clever baby pony.
canter transitions were bang on again, i think iv been bringing my leg too far back, this week iv been doing it a la carl hester in one of my favourite training vids, and just pull the leg off and *tap* it back down again to get canter-works like a charm.
let him finish by having a good blast round with me up off his back, having a buck and a snort and then stretching down in trot.

we have lost the finesse a little, but i dont imagine it will take that long to get it back, and i do feel today has made a lasting impression so will be interested to see if we can pick up tomorrow, where we left off today, forwards wise.

ah good baby pone...

bored of lunging, decided to ride tonight.

pony had totally reverted to a wobbly baby not quite in control of his legs bless him, but got it together after ten minutes.
didnt do a great deal, just stretched him down, few small flexions, mainly letting him flow forward.
got fab canter transitions(when i remember to sit!!!) so left him after 20 mins as he was sweetly forward and didnt want to over cook it.
pleased with that!!!

half time is over.......................for star................

first day back in work for lord Star.
was deeply unimpressed at being lunged in the rain and stormed round scowling and swearing. had a minor nap and when i tapped him, sat down and piaffed with a properly "check me out" expression, arse, but at least we know he finds it easy!!!

good to see he looks loose and supple and tracks up equally on both reins now.

so more lunging tomorrow, and then tues will have a little sit and see how he feels.

ken lesson avec more pics...

piccies

worked on my 2 issues de jour-lateral reaction to the leg and the dreaded canter transitions!

my sneaking suspicion was that the lack of sharper reaction might be a combination of dullness to the leg but also lack of strength, which ken agreed with, so did leg yield out of the circle and counter leg yield on the circle to loosen his hips. and am to intro some shallow shoulder in to help with this too, and only use leg yield on straight lines as a test of how its improving.

canter-someone suggested to me last night to think medium trot just before the transition and ken suggested the same, and also not to pull the outside leg so far back, and after one lurch and a leap, we then got some really nice fluent ones, so fingers crossed we have at least worked out a way to sort this.

got some lovely medium canter on the circle and medium trot down the long sides.

points for me-shorter reins and hands more forward, bloody well look up, and firmer core.

pony on his holidays now, just gentle hacking a couple of times a week to keep that stifle moving as per vets instructions not to let him down completely.

Harry lesson and pics:

pics here

Mostly pleased with him, there was a horse finishing off as we started to warm up and when they cantered we leapt in the air and then bucked and then leapt and stood up, nothing too dramatic and just excitement. i can tell when its excitement and nto naughtyness as all his veins come up and he rolls his eyes, he did settle very quickly though, and then his veins went back down and he blew his nose a few times and was then very soft and settled.

sat here watching the racing and thinking that whoever rode him with jockey stirrups was a braver bastard than me!!!!!!!

mainly worked on getting him straighter and stopping me drawing back with the inside hand and thus ruining the straightness! really pushing him to the outside rein, and then going large in medium,before back on to a circle and checking the straightness.
Harry was pleased with his medium trot..." not bad is it, you wouldnt know it wasnt foreign..." so praise indeed!

canter transition are still our weak point-he curls up and drops me a bit, so did a few pushing the hands right forward and if he ignored the leg he got a click, a tap and sent forward in to a gallop. much better after that but really need to be black and white about this.

finsihed up working on the leg yield, need to think outside elbow to hip and keep my toe in so heel doesnt draw up and back, then tap if he ignore the calf aid. def getting there but does need to be a bit more sideways now.

so....ken lesson tomorrow, then a week or maybe 2 off for Star, to relax and think about things! will then get him registered with BD and get cracking :)

wub my pretty pony. oh please note sparkley bandages in pics!!!!

feeling a bit nothingy:

dunno really, pony is going really well, and im curbing my desire to do twiddly bits,just feel im lacking a bit of direction???? oh well, have Harry the sheep on sat and ken on sun, so will get bollockings and homework to think about!!!!

did a bit without stirrups yesterday, pony was fine with it, carries me very easily but ohmygod am i out of practice, had to work so hard to stay with him, he's got a much bigger trot that Rubi, abs were killing!!!! oh well, good for me(i think, im sure anything that hurts that much must be good for you!)

have worked a bit on walk-canter-walk and rein back this week. both are getting more on the aids but are still a bit cautious, kind of going.....going......gone.will come with practice.

mum bought me the coolest present back from Scotland-she managed to find the only tack shop for 100 miles in the wilds of scotland where they were staying and bought an amazing pink grooming back which has a waterproof pocket for a damp wipe down sponge, cooler bag area, whip holder, pink hoof pick attached and an outside waterproof pocket for bandages etc, so will be uber useful for shows when she takes off bandages and does last minute polish up.she also go a variety of pink sponges and brushes etc to go in it.
tack shop assistant apparently cooed "ah, is it for your daughter?"
mum: "yes:
TSA: "ah, sweet,has she go a little pony to use it on?"
mum:"erm,a 16hh TB"
TSA:"errrr......................................................."
mum: i should probably clarify that she is 25, matchy matchy obsessive and loves pink."

apparently TSA laughed her head off!!!!!

stubble bashing and important shopping Q...

all the hay has been bought in now so we have acres of lovely stubble, and with todays rain on the sandy soil, the going is perfect.
not wanting to upset/wind up baby pony we didnt go totally mad, trotted round a bit to warm up, and he was sprightly and up to the bridle but relaxed.then cantered right handed all the way round at a school canter, again very relaxed.
then went left handed and let him run on a bit.....wow......the feeling of power is amazing, didnt dare let that great long neck all the way out for fear of no brakes, but he did pull up easily and settled to walk off on a long rein straight away so maybe next time i can go up another gear.........

now.....do i want petrol blue horse heaven set or ANKY set in orchid pink?!

results from college-so very chuffed!

we got 33.

40 won it, 39 second, 38 third.

we beat a whole 5 people!!!!!!

pleased with him, and we had a fab session tonight, back to his usualy sharp,light self.

rein back comming on nicely,just needs to be a bit sharper and more engaged.