Friday, April 3, 2009

Boo's got me blue

Rode tonight and it started out alright. I felt nice and centered. Boo started out listening, but by mid ride he wasn't listening to my aids. Seemed like everything I asked for he did but at his desired speed regardless of what I had to say about it. There was a lot of weight in my hands. I actually felt like he had gotten hold of the bit and was letting me keep his head from falling on the ground. Then...for no apparent reason he would be back listening to me again. Then rushing. Then listening. Then rushing. It was all very frustrating. His canter work was nice. It was mostly trot work where he was blasting through me. I'm wondering what to try to fix this. Any suggestions?
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3 comments:

  1. allhorsestuffApril 3, 2009 at 11:23 PM

    huh...I was reading and thinking of my ride yesterday with my mentor. She went and turned on a tape of a metronome on the arena speakers. WOW..that really helped us keep a pace and come back to it when we rushed some.

    Without that...I have started this by longing first..I will ask my mare to slow her trot...I count outloud"One-Two-One-Two(or one, two, three, four) She seems to do well with it ..so I do it in the saddle as well, and she does well then too...it also helps me.
    And there are also the Half(gos) halts and or smaller routine patterns, instead of long walls. Serpentines, spirals in and then out..ect.
    My mare needs a lot to think about and I have to keep it interesting...or SHE does, like Boo!

    Also sounds like he was making you hold his head up? Huh..try letting the reins out 1/2 inch invite him to hold himself longer(if he isnot running away at the time!

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  2. wilsoncApril 6, 2009 at 6:15 PM

    I tried all your suggestions today along with doing more transition work and today's ride was much much better. Thanks for the input. I asked a trainer what they would do over the weekend and they said pretty much the same thing that you did. I hadn't thought about using a metronome, but sometimes I do count my trot beat with a one-two one-two. I think it helps me a lot. He held his head himself today and we had light, supple contact. It was great! That is how he usually is, but lately...guess I'm not keeping him engaged enough with the aids.

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  3. allhorsestuffApril 11, 2009 at 7:31 PM

    Oh, am glad that something worked..and maybe it did too because you were thinking differently ..FOCUSING on other things....I was riding for my mentor and I started to look at her and talk..she suddeny said, "Don't do anything differently, than you are, right now!"
    My mare totally responded to me in that relaxed situation of my bending towrds the center and breathing in and out to talk!
    Keep up the good work!!!
    I love hearing aobut it!
    Kac

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