Our hack went very well yesterday and we were out for longer than we expected. Not sure why, but time just ran away with us. Sammie gave me no real reason for concern - he was a little jumpy on the way out but soon settled down and started racing his ginger girlfriend towards the end (much to her great annoyance!)
I just let him go at his own pace in walk, trot and canter. Hardly any rein control at all - just letting him stretch out and run! He really did run at one stage but I didn't feel unsafe at all. If we came across some hard stony bits we just went off piste through the heather (watching out for rabbit holes along the way) - I'm not sure if we need to do this, but best to be cautious I reckon.
He was pretty tired and very sweaty by the time we got back but soon perked up after his shower when he knew supper was on its way. We have two new horses at the yard and their human is very keen to get out hacking, so we might have another partner there. One of the newbies is a youngster (4 years old) - part Welsh, part Warmblood and part something else - quite a dolly mixture but a real honey.
I went down to the yard later in the hope that it might have cooled off a bit, but no chance there. So I took Sammie to the pond field for a spot of long lining.
He went off in his 'hot to trot' mode - I wasn't pushing him at all, he just decided that's what he wanted to do. I thought he'd be a bit tired after yesterday but obviously not. I keep half expecting that time to come when he just doesn't want to go into trot (that's how I'll know something is going wrong back there). I do try and put it out of my mind but it's a hard habit to kick. I just remember so well when all had been ok and Sammie had been trotting merrily along on the long lines and then gradually he became more and more resistant until it was obvious he couldn't do it at all.
Anyway, enough of that; always work with the horse that you've got in front of you.
Sammie did some nice canter work as well during his speedy work out. By the end he'd calmed down a bit so we did some more controlled work, had a long stretching walk and then went home for supper after yet another shower to cool him off again.
I plan to take him to the jumping field tomorrow for a spot of schooling and to see if he'll attempt the poles again. If he doesn't want to, that's fine by me, but it'll be interesting to see if he will.
Friday 29 August 2008
Tuesday 26 August 2008
Red Rover, Red Rover, will Sammie move over?
Sammie and I managed to go round in ever decreasing circles today. I thought it might be a good idea (for a change) to see if I could get him to move his hindquarters away from me on the long lines. So I put him on a small circle, asked him to walk on and then pointed at his bottom and said "Over". He partly got it at one stage but was very keen to show me his Spanish Stamp at the same time.
He was going round and round in ever decreasing circles doing his silly walk and occasionally moving his bottom over until he had managed to wrap the ends of the long lines around my legs and came to a grinding halt as he was effectively tied to me.
So instead of walk and one Spanish Stamp, he put his head right by me and Spanish Stamped at standstill. We got in a right old tangle and Sammie's face was a picture. It would have got very interesting if he'd decided to run off!
He was going round and round in ever decreasing circles doing his silly walk and occasionally moving his bottom over until he had managed to wrap the ends of the long lines around my legs and came to a grinding halt as he was effectively tied to me.
So instead of walk and one Spanish Stamp, he put his head right by me and Spanish Stamped at standstill. We got in a right old tangle and Sammie's face was a picture. It would have got very interesting if he'd decided to run off!
A bit tied up...
Sammie and I managed to go round in ever decreasing circles on yesterday. I thought it might be a good idea (for a change) to see if I could get him to move his hindquarters away from me on the long lines. So I put him on a small circle, asked him to walk on and then pointed at his bottom and said "Over". He partly got it at one stage but was very keen to show me his Spanish Stamp at the same time.
He was going round and round in ever decreasing circles doing his funny walk and occasionally moving his bottom over until he had managed to wrap the ends of the long lines around my legs and came to a grinding halt as he was effectively tied to me.
So instead of walk and one Spanish Stamp, he put his head right by me and Spanish Stamped at standstill. We got in a right old tangle and Sammie's face was a picture. It would have got very interesting if he'd decided to run off!
Poor Jack had to have stitches in his leg today (nasty cut) and they completely knocked him out for it. He came to the yard (but can't run around) and he looked pretty well out of it, poor boy - dazed and confused but still able to find a stick. He has to be kept from running around for 10 days. He's going to be a crazy dog by the end of that stretch!
Tomorrow we're going to try hacking out with Sam and Savannah. I thought it would make a nice change and I can always turn back if Sammie doesn't feel right. Doubting Thomas I know, but you know me. We'll take it easy and keep to good tracks and see how we go.
He was going round and round in ever decreasing circles doing his funny walk and occasionally moving his bottom over until he had managed to wrap the ends of the long lines around my legs and came to a grinding halt as he was effectively tied to me.
So instead of walk and one Spanish Stamp, he put his head right by me and Spanish Stamped at standstill. We got in a right old tangle and Sammie's face was a picture. It would have got very interesting if he'd decided to run off!
Poor Jack had to have stitches in his leg today (nasty cut) and they completely knocked him out for it. He came to the yard (but can't run around) and he looked pretty well out of it, poor boy - dazed and confused but still able to find a stick. He has to be kept from running around for 10 days. He's going to be a crazy dog by the end of that stretch!
Tomorrow we're going to try hacking out with Sam and Savannah. I thought it would make a nice change and I can always turn back if Sammie doesn't feel right. Doubting Thomas I know, but you know me. We'll take it easy and keep to good tracks and see how we go.
Saturday 23 August 2008
I ain't afraid of no jumps!
Today we rode to the jumping field (we haven't ridden in there before) - well, I got on as we neared the field. I wanted to make it as easy as possible for Sammie as he hasn't been out, ridden on his own for some time now and he can get a bit 'sticky' when he starts worrying.
Basically I wanted to make success easy for him. When he came into my life, it was as a show jumper; he'd made a bit of money doing that, but somewhere along the line it had gone wrong, and since we've been together, his aversion to poles and jumps in a school has been pretty hard to miss. I don't like to think too much about what caused his fear of all things jumpy. My imagination could go wild! Was he "knocked"? Was he pushed too hard? What happened to make jumps a thing to be afraid of?
As we got near the field on foot, I noticed the cows were in the next field, but that didn't bother Sammie one jot. He has already demonstrated his cow herding skills on the farm!
I found a log and hopped on half expecting (bad, I know) for him to want to do an about turn and head home. There was nothing of the sort, he strode out bravely towards the jumping field causing the cows to rustle about a bit. Somebody had put up some pretty large jumps but there was plenty of room to walk, trot and canter in between them. There were also a few poles on the ground (more on that later)
Sammie was a very fresh boy. He really comes to life very quickly when he feels the grass under his feet. So we took off at quite a pace, but it wasn't him being scared of the jumps - he can often get very fast when he's feeling scared and I know that feeling very well; he was just up for some action.
So we weaved in and out of the jumps at trot on the left rein and right rein, went into canter, back to trot and did some lovely lateral work with practically no rein contact at all.
As I said, there were some poles on the ground (normally Sammie's worst fear) but these were nicely nestled in the grass so they didn't glare out at him.
When we first went in, just walking around he was avoiding them for all he was worth so I just ignored it. Then as we did more and more work and he was more and more switched on to me I kept wondering if he might just go over one.
So as we were doing a very nice walk (really in my hand) I just pointed him at it and over he went, no problem at all. Big click/treat moment. Then he did it again and again and again (more treats). I left it alone for a while and did some trotting. As we came across the field in trot, I pointed him at the pole again and he took it all his stride. Big, big treat moment.
We did it a couple more times and on the last one, he took a wee little jump over it! Not a scared, rushing jump. Just a hop and a skip and then broke into a gentle canter. Big hug and big treat moment with lots and lots of praise.
So where did that come from?
I thought it would wind him up just being in a field of jumps, but that didn't bother him at all. I thought he would really hesitate at the pole on the ground, there there was nothing of the sort. I even had a few doubts in my head, but that didn't put him off either. He felt so relaxed and happy to be moving around that field with the cows as his audience.
I was quite gobsmacked as we rode back to the yard and Sammie just pootled along on dangling reins. Then I thought maybe I "feel" different when we're not riding in the school, which he might link into. Whenever we put poles in the school we always seem to go into leap and crazy rush mode.
It could be something very deep down - maybe because his many jumping competitions (and probably his early training) were always done in a school/arena. I don't know, but he felt so willing and free out there in the jumping paddock.
So that's another place to do some work now. I really think it's good to vary the environment, especially in Sammie's case. It helps build up the variety of work as well.
When we got back I decided to take advantage of the weather and give him a bath. He just stood there soaking it all up. That was followed by a bit of hoof rasping (which he was very good for), then dinner and out to the field.
I don't think Sammie will ever cease to amaze me.
Basically I wanted to make success easy for him. When he came into my life, it was as a show jumper; he'd made a bit of money doing that, but somewhere along the line it had gone wrong, and since we've been together, his aversion to poles and jumps in a school has been pretty hard to miss. I don't like to think too much about what caused his fear of all things jumpy. My imagination could go wild! Was he "knocked"? Was he pushed too hard? What happened to make jumps a thing to be afraid of?
As we got near the field on foot, I noticed the cows were in the next field, but that didn't bother Sammie one jot. He has already demonstrated his cow herding skills on the farm!
I found a log and hopped on half expecting (bad, I know) for him to want to do an about turn and head home. There was nothing of the sort, he strode out bravely towards the jumping field causing the cows to rustle about a bit. Somebody had put up some pretty large jumps but there was plenty of room to walk, trot and canter in between them. There were also a few poles on the ground (more on that later)
Sammie was a very fresh boy. He really comes to life very quickly when he feels the grass under his feet. So we took off at quite a pace, but it wasn't him being scared of the jumps - he can often get very fast when he's feeling scared and I know that feeling very well; he was just up for some action.
So we weaved in and out of the jumps at trot on the left rein and right rein, went into canter, back to trot and did some lovely lateral work with practically no rein contact at all.
As I said, there were some poles on the ground (normally Sammie's worst fear) but these were nicely nestled in the grass so they didn't glare out at him.
When we first went in, just walking around he was avoiding them for all he was worth so I just ignored it. Then as we did more and more work and he was more and more switched on to me I kept wondering if he might just go over one.
So as we were doing a very nice walk (really in my hand) I just pointed him at it and over he went, no problem at all. Big click/treat moment. Then he did it again and again and again (more treats). I left it alone for a while and did some trotting. As we came across the field in trot, I pointed him at the pole again and he took it all his stride. Big, big treat moment.
We did it a couple more times and on the last one, he took a wee little jump over it! Not a scared, rushing jump. Just a hop and a skip and then broke into a gentle canter. Big hug and big treat moment with lots and lots of praise.
So where did that come from?
I thought it would wind him up just being in a field of jumps, but that didn't bother him at all. I thought he would really hesitate at the pole on the ground, there there was nothing of the sort. I even had a few doubts in my head, but that didn't put him off either. He felt so relaxed and happy to be moving around that field with the cows as his audience.
I was quite gobsmacked as we rode back to the yard and Sammie just pootled along on dangling reins. Then I thought maybe I "feel" different when we're not riding in the school, which he might link into. Whenever we put poles in the school we always seem to go into leap and crazy rush mode.
It could be something very deep down - maybe because his many jumping competitions (and probably his early training) were always done in a school/arena. I don't know, but he felt so willing and free out there in the jumping paddock.
So that's another place to do some work now. I really think it's good to vary the environment, especially in Sammie's case. It helps build up the variety of work as well.
When we got back I decided to take advantage of the weather and give him a bath. He just stood there soaking it all up. That was followed by a bit of hoof rasping (which he was very good for), then dinner and out to the field.
I don't think Sammie will ever cease to amaze me.
Sunday 17 August 2008
In the moment...
I don't know what to make of anything right now. I was watching Sammie yesterday, so happy to have his head in between RI and her trainee, who were sitting either side of the patch of grass he was munching on after our lesson.
Trainee was idly playing with his forelock and RI was giving his head the odd scratch as she chatted away. Neither had any feeling that he might do anything harmful, you could just tell by how relaxed they were with him.
Sammie just looked so relaxed, as if he was meant to be there. It's hard for me to remember sometimes what he used to be like when he first came into my life, and then see him as he was today; it seems like the Sammie I see now is just the Sammie he's always been. Relaxed, comfortable in his space, master of his domain. No hint of any baggage.
When I got him back to the yard I ground tied him (just his lead rope dangling on the floor). He had all four of us (YO, RI, trainee and me) moving around him, busy with our stuff, and again he just looked so relaxed, accepted all the buzz around him, was not perplexed or alarmed by an of it.
Trainee went up to give him some fuss which he welcomed. He had people walking in front and behind him and he couldn't have given two hoots about it. Not wary at all, just watching the goings on with curiosity and interest.
In fact he was being so good that YO offered him a bit of her Cadbury's chocolate finger, but he wasn't too keen on that so it was swiftly replaced with a carrot which was much, much better!
It gives me so much pleasure to see people interacting with him in this way. When I first got him, everybody was so wary of him and would avoid handling him if they possibly could. He was not a horse that people would feel inclined fuss or be too close too because he was deemed unpredictable.
It just struck me today how much softer he has become. How much happier he can be in the company of humans (well, the right sort of humans anyway)
I've always thought of him (maybe wrongly) as a horse with behavioural issues, but today, nobody would have said he had any issues at all. He just looked like a regular horse that had led a quiet and regular life, always treated with kindness and respect, nothing to raise suspicion.
I guess it's because others didn't see him at the very beginning - a broken horse, totally closed down and so angry. When people see him like he was today, they can't see his past, what I know was there.
That's good I suppose, but it also means that people don't realise how far he has come.
Maybe that just has to be one of the many special things between him and me.
I know, and Sammie knows, and that's probably enough.
Trainee was idly playing with his forelock and RI was giving his head the odd scratch as she chatted away. Neither had any feeling that he might do anything harmful, you could just tell by how relaxed they were with him.
Sammie just looked so relaxed, as if he was meant to be there. It's hard for me to remember sometimes what he used to be like when he first came into my life, and then see him as he was today; it seems like the Sammie I see now is just the Sammie he's always been. Relaxed, comfortable in his space, master of his domain. No hint of any baggage.
When I got him back to the yard I ground tied him (just his lead rope dangling on the floor). He had all four of us (YO, RI, trainee and me) moving around him, busy with our stuff, and again he just looked so relaxed, accepted all the buzz around him, was not perplexed or alarmed by an of it.
Trainee went up to give him some fuss which he welcomed. He had people walking in front and behind him and he couldn't have given two hoots about it. Not wary at all, just watching the goings on with curiosity and interest.
In fact he was being so good that YO offered him a bit of her Cadbury's chocolate finger, but he wasn't too keen on that so it was swiftly replaced with a carrot which was much, much better!
It gives me so much pleasure to see people interacting with him in this way. When I first got him, everybody was so wary of him and would avoid handling him if they possibly could. He was not a horse that people would feel inclined fuss or be too close too because he was deemed unpredictable.
It just struck me today how much softer he has become. How much happier he can be in the company of humans (well, the right sort of humans anyway)
I've always thought of him (maybe wrongly) as a horse with behavioural issues, but today, nobody would have said he had any issues at all. He just looked like a regular horse that had led a quiet and regular life, always treated with kindness and respect, nothing to raise suspicion.
I guess it's because others didn't see him at the very beginning - a broken horse, totally closed down and so angry. When people see him like he was today, they can't see his past, what I know was there.
That's good I suppose, but it also means that people don't realise how far he has come.
Maybe that just has to be one of the many special things between him and me.
I know, and Sammie knows, and that's probably enough.
Saturday 16 August 2008
Counter canter?
Eeek! Counter canter is not nice. It feels weird, but we were giving it a go in our lesson today. Not at all elegantly but we were doing it - although RI seemed quite impressed.
It involved cantering up the track to the middle of the school and turning back on ourselves in a shallow loop (so basically the outside leg is leading) then going round in a shallow loop to the right (in counter canter) and then going round to the left so you're leading with the inside leg again. It made Sammie do some nifty turns I can tell you! I nearly flew out the side door with one of his left turns and sent RI and her trainee/observer into fits of giggles. The final left turn felt like one of those turns that you see Western riders do.
The amazing thing for me (apart from Sammie's quick response to my weight aids) was that we kept the canter throughout all of that. That would have seemed an impossibility a year ago. Apparently this is also one of the ways to start canter pirouette - I thought they were kidding but was told I was half way there. Hmm....all a bit beyond me I think. Maybe Sammie could do it with a better rider, but not with me.
We started the lesson with some exercises to get Sammie's back end going. He's always been more stiff on the right, so the idea is to get that right hind really stretching over in lateral work. We also tried turn on the haunches. Again I'm sure Sammie is more than capable, but my mind tends to go into meltdown with this leg here, that leg there, this hand doing that and the other hand doing something else.
As RI was saying, the more you do, the more you notice things that need to be worked on. I don't know how far Sammie and I will get with all this. But just to have those strides of nice canter on the left rein and to be able to get it so easily will never cease to amaze me.
Sammie worked very hard, bless him, so he got a bit of a chocolate brownie from RI at the end and then just stood munching the grass round the edge of the school while we chatted. I explained how all this barefoot business had made me quite nervous but they both said that he was sound and the best help I can give him is to keep him strong. All sounds sensible, but I take that in, agree it sounds sensible, while my mind wanders and works in mysterious ways!
It involved cantering up the track to the middle of the school and turning back on ourselves in a shallow loop (so basically the outside leg is leading) then going round in a shallow loop to the right (in counter canter) and then going round to the left so you're leading with the inside leg again. It made Sammie do some nifty turns I can tell you! I nearly flew out the side door with one of his left turns and sent RI and her trainee/observer into fits of giggles. The final left turn felt like one of those turns that you see Western riders do.
The amazing thing for me (apart from Sammie's quick response to my weight aids) was that we kept the canter throughout all of that. That would have seemed an impossibility a year ago. Apparently this is also one of the ways to start canter pirouette - I thought they were kidding but was told I was half way there. Hmm....all a bit beyond me I think. Maybe Sammie could do it with a better rider, but not with me.
We started the lesson with some exercises to get Sammie's back end going. He's always been more stiff on the right, so the idea is to get that right hind really stretching over in lateral work. We also tried turn on the haunches. Again I'm sure Sammie is more than capable, but my mind tends to go into meltdown with this leg here, that leg there, this hand doing that and the other hand doing something else.
As RI was saying, the more you do, the more you notice things that need to be worked on. I don't know how far Sammie and I will get with all this. But just to have those strides of nice canter on the left rein and to be able to get it so easily will never cease to amaze me.
Sammie worked very hard, bless him, so he got a bit of a chocolate brownie from RI at the end and then just stood munching the grass round the edge of the school while we chatted. I explained how all this barefoot business had made me quite nervous but they both said that he was sound and the best help I can give him is to keep him strong. All sounds sensible, but I take that in, agree it sounds sensible, while my mind wanders and works in mysterious ways!
Monday 4 August 2008
Let me take you down, cuz we're going to....
Strawberry Fields!
Yesterday Sammie and I went longlining round the strawberry fields. Sammie was in marching mode so we got round in double quick time and I decided to take him into the pond field for a quick whizz in there. Well, he found that highly exciting and I have to confess that I had very little control at times. I think he considered it an incredibly odd thing to be doing, so he decided to high tail it and throw in a couple of bucks for good measure. I got back to the yard exhausted - he looked as fresh as a daisy.
I managed to have a bit of a go with his hinds over the last couple of days - little and often is the way forward I think and then there won't be too much to do in one go. YM said she thought I had done a pretty good job and they are starting to look a lot better now the nail holes are growing out. I still have my doubts as to whether he will make it through this or not, but at least I know that I'm giving him every chance.
He really was looking lovely after I'd cleaned him up back at the yard and I gave him his dinner out the back in the tea and coffee area as he quite likes it in there (probably because that's where the food is!) .
After that he just stood there ground tied waiting for me to finish a cup of tea and YM commented that he really is looking good and wouldn't look out of place in a showing class. That made me feel very proud and I have to say he did look beautiful - just one of those moments I guess.
Yesterday Sammie and I went longlining round the strawberry fields. Sammie was in marching mode so we got round in double quick time and I decided to take him into the pond field for a quick whizz in there. Well, he found that highly exciting and I have to confess that I had very little control at times. I think he considered it an incredibly odd thing to be doing, so he decided to high tail it and throw in a couple of bucks for good measure. I got back to the yard exhausted - he looked as fresh as a daisy.
I managed to have a bit of a go with his hinds over the last couple of days - little and often is the way forward I think and then there won't be too much to do in one go. YM said she thought I had done a pretty good job and they are starting to look a lot better now the nail holes are growing out. I still have my doubts as to whether he will make it through this or not, but at least I know that I'm giving him every chance.
He really was looking lovely after I'd cleaned him up back at the yard and I gave him his dinner out the back in the tea and coffee area as he quite likes it in there (probably because that's where the food is!) .
After that he just stood there ground tied waiting for me to finish a cup of tea and YM commented that he really is looking good and wouldn't look out of place in a showing class. That made me feel very proud and I have to say he did look beautiful - just one of those moments I guess.
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