BACK AT HOME
I took Simon home today and did some groundwork review with Debbie enable her to practice the basic cues with him. He was responsive to cues and behaved consistently on his home territory.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Day 13 - Simon
LAST RIDING DAY
Simon was even more consistent today, making light direct rein turns, and stopping every time I exhaled and quit riding. Lateral shoulder movements were improved and the sensitivity to the bit was MUCH LESS. I focused on lateral flexion and hindquarter disengagements. Transitions into the trot, though still sluggish and slow, were much improved. I asked for a canter and picked up both leads. And, he was showing less hesitation before making water crossings.
Simon was even more consistent today, making light direct rein turns, and stopping every time I exhaled and quit riding. Lateral shoulder movements were improved and the sensitivity to the bit was MUCH LESS. I focused on lateral flexion and hindquarter disengagements. Transitions into the trot, though still sluggish and slow, were much improved. I asked for a canter and picked up both leads. And, he was showing less hesitation before making water crossings.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Day 12 - Simon
ASKING FOR THE CANTER
Simon began today's lesson with a slow, sluggish trot. I did not try to liven him up. Instead, I took him out into a new field where there were new things to see. The tall grass put more spring into his stride. Strange horses running up to the fence really caught his attention! He whinnied, but just stopped and looked, didn't try to run with them. I let him stand and watch for a little bit. Then we continued with our trot work.
I had MUCH MORE precision and control today. Direct rein turns were EXCELLENT by the end of our ride and lateral shoulder control is MUCH BETTER! Simon's backing is continuing to improve and become lighter. Transitions into trot are also so much easier. He is beginning to listen to my exhale, sit and the closing of my hands on the reins as a cue to transition down to halt from a trot. I ask him to canter and picked up both leads.
Simon began today's lesson with a slow, sluggish trot. I did not try to liven him up. Instead, I took him out into a new field where there were new things to see. The tall grass put more spring into his stride. Strange horses running up to the fence really caught his attention! He whinnied, but just stopped and looked, didn't try to run with them. I let him stand and watch for a little bit. Then we continued with our trot work.
I had MUCH MORE precision and control today. Direct rein turns were EXCELLENT by the end of our ride and lateral shoulder control is MUCH BETTER! Simon's backing is continuing to improve and become lighter. Transitions into trot are also so much easier. He is beginning to listen to my exhale, sit and the closing of my hands on the reins as a cue to transition down to halt from a trot. I ask him to canter and picked up both leads.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Day 11 - Simon
DETAILS IMPROVING
We started out our ride at a walk, but Simon volunteered a trot almost immediately, so I allowed the energy. He was quiet and steady, never trying to race or get excited. When we came around the field in front of the pond, he volunteered a canter, and I allowed that also. Again he was quiet and steady, never trying to race or get excited. At the end of the field, he slowed down on his own and I asked him to trot and started working on lateral yields, both shoulders and hindquarters. We did quite a bit of trotting, circling and weaving in and out of the cows. We also did some cantering on both leads. When I asked Simon to slow down, he came right down with me to a stop and was much lighter in his backs. Simon was less reactive to the bit today too. By the end of our ride, I was getting much more consistency and control.
We started out our ride at a walk, but Simon volunteered a trot almost immediately, so I allowed the energy. He was quiet and steady, never trying to race or get excited. When we came around the field in front of the pond, he volunteered a canter, and I allowed that also. Again he was quiet and steady, never trying to race or get excited. At the end of the field, he slowed down on his own and I asked him to trot and started working on lateral yields, both shoulders and hindquarters. We did quite a bit of trotting, circling and weaving in and out of the cows. We also did some cantering on both leads. When I asked Simon to slow down, he came right down with me to a stop and was much lighter in his backs. Simon was less reactive to the bit today too. By the end of our ride, I was getting much more consistency and control.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Day 10 - Simon
DEBBIE RODE SIMON FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY
Simon is being consistently quiet about being handled, saddled, mounted. Though he did pull back twice today at the tie rack. Both times, he didn't over react and did come forward off the pressure to stand quietly. I started out riding him with a demonstration of what I had taught him and how he was responding to my cues. Though responsive, he was a little more sensitive to the bit than I would like to see, especially at the trot and would lift his nose in the air, especially when I asked for lateral shoulder movement. Then, we went on a walk, crossing several water crossings and stepped up and down a small bank. He was relaxed and steady. At this point, I walked, and Debbie rode Simon. He seemed to be as comfortable with her as he was with me and was well behaved.
When Debbie left, I tied Simon up and let him stand awhile before taking him back out to do some trot work. At the beginning of our session, Simon continued to react to my asking for lateral movement by lifting his nose. Every time he did, I took the slack out of the reins and held soft pressure until he dropped his nose. Then I released the pressure and asked for a little more forward movement. By the end of our ride, Simon was beginning to move forward smoother without being as sensitive to the bit and beginning to be more responsive to individual rein cues and my presignals when I asked him to slow down.
Simon is being consistently quiet about being handled, saddled, mounted. Though he did pull back twice today at the tie rack. Both times, he didn't over react and did come forward off the pressure to stand quietly. I started out riding him with a demonstration of what I had taught him and how he was responding to my cues. Though responsive, he was a little more sensitive to the bit than I would like to see, especially at the trot and would lift his nose in the air, especially when I asked for lateral shoulder movement. Then, we went on a walk, crossing several water crossings and stepped up and down a small bank. He was relaxed and steady. At this point, I walked, and Debbie rode Simon. He seemed to be as comfortable with her as he was with me and was well behaved.
When Debbie left, I tied Simon up and let him stand awhile before taking him back out to do some trot work. At the beginning of our session, Simon continued to react to my asking for lateral movement by lifting his nose. Every time he did, I took the slack out of the reins and held soft pressure until he dropped his nose. Then I released the pressure and asked for a little more forward movement. By the end of our ride, Simon was beginning to move forward smoother without being as sensitive to the bit and beginning to be more responsive to individual rein cues and my presignals when I asked him to slow down.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Day 9 - Simon
MORE TROT WORK
I spent a lot of time trotting Simon this evening. I insisted on him moving quicker into a trot when asked by taking the end of the macate and tapping him on the hip, just lightly tapping. He is very sensitive and doesn't need a lot of encouragement, even when he is being lazy. I focused on trying to create a pattern that he could easily anticipate, focus forward, lift reins and inhale, take the slack out of the reins, hold slight upward pressure, squeeze with my legs and click, pick up the macate and tap him on the hip. Even though the tap did encourage movement, Simon is a little slow to anticipate and avoid the coming tap by moving into a trot when I squeezed him with my legs and click to him. We also worked on shoulder control at the walk and trot, and practiced transitions from a trot to a halt. Simon is also having difficulty reading the cues leading up the the halt.
I spent a lot of time trotting Simon this evening. I insisted on him moving quicker into a trot when asked by taking the end of the macate and tapping him on the hip, just lightly tapping. He is very sensitive and doesn't need a lot of encouragement, even when he is being lazy. I focused on trying to create a pattern that he could easily anticipate, focus forward, lift reins and inhale, take the slack out of the reins, hold slight upward pressure, squeeze with my legs and click, pick up the macate and tap him on the hip. Even though the tap did encourage movement, Simon is a little slow to anticipate and avoid the coming tap by moving into a trot when I squeezed him with my legs and click to him. We also worked on shoulder control at the walk and trot, and practiced transitions from a trot to a halt. Simon is also having difficulty reading the cues leading up the the halt.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Day 8 - Simon
TROT WORK
I mounted and dismounted Simon several times today, each time he stood quietly and wasn't bothered by my movement up or my leg over into the saddle. He was giving, following and responding to rein cues so much better today with very little reacting to the backward pressure. I focused on shoulder control, stopping and standing and transitions into a trot, which need to be quicker. I trotted him quite a bit and rode among the cows. Some of them walked towards him, and he was steady and unwavering as he walked right up to them until they turned and moved away. Simon was quite and consistant, never getting excited even if they ran. We worked on creek corssings, where he is hesitant. It took a little persistence, but he crossed without me having to dismount to help him out. Just before I finished, I asked for a canter. It was quiet and steady with no excitement or added energy.
I mounted and dismounted Simon several times today, each time he stood quietly and wasn't bothered by my movement up or my leg over into the saddle. He was giving, following and responding to rein cues so much better today with very little reacting to the backward pressure. I focused on shoulder control, stopping and standing and transitions into a trot, which need to be quicker. I trotted him quite a bit and rode among the cows. Some of them walked towards him, and he was steady and unwavering as he walked right up to them until they turned and moved away. Simon was quite and consistant, never getting excited even if they ran. We worked on creek corssings, where he is hesitant. It took a little persistence, but he crossed without me having to dismount to help him out. Just before I finished, I asked for a canter. It was quiet and steady with no excitement or added energy.
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