Lesson was on Saturday, it was really good and useful. The aim was to introduce Oscar to working on the bit, as he now has enough impulsion (almost) for me to start to bring him back together. We started off doing lots of walk trot transitions. RI pulled me in and took Oscar's end of the rein, to illustrate how strong a contact I should be having
much more than I thought! Suddently everything he had told me about my position (strong in the back, closing hands, sitting up straight, hands forward, shoulders back) all became clear! If I did any of my usual habits, I just keeled forward! Apparently as Oscar gets the idea he will lighten, but for a while he will be heavy to hold together, so I will get a good workout! I had no idea how much effort went in making riding look apprently 'effortless'.
After this revalation, he worked really nicely! Only held him together for 5 mins or so at a time, then long stretching. Did leg yeilds in trot, which he has realy got the hang of, and 20m circles, trying to keep the impulsion going!
As this was working muscles he isnt used to, we stopped and did some jumping for a bit of fun after all the hard work! We worked on 2 stride doubles to improve his rythm and impulsion between fences - he was really good!
Have been left with homework to bring him onto the bit for 5 min intervals while hacking gradually increasing. RI rekons he will get used to is soon and will do it himself without such a strong contact but in the meantime it will get me fit!
Next, the show...it was just next door to my lesson so I had to go! I didnt compete, but did keep Oscar in the night before, after a bath, so he was all shiny...bough new bridle from e-bay as well but it didnt fit, so will have to sell it again, and move up to XL for huge CD head!
Oscar was so well behaved. We popped the practice jump (after a bit of scarey snorting and a couple of refusals). Then OH arrived with DD and dog, so I gave Oscar to OH's cousin's daughter who is only about 10. She got a leg up, and next thing I knew she was jumping and cantering about Oscar was the perfect gent,despite her legs only just clearing the saddle! She was delighted as well! The her friend had a go, who is only about 8, and slightly nervous (didnt want to jump her 11.2!), who ended up popping a cross pole! Now is that a confidence giver or what! The friend's mum works with police horses and said i could sell him to them in an instant if I wanted to (Noooo!).
We also did lots of walking about being led eating lovely juicy grass (much better than his field).
Oh, we also met someone from Oscar's old yard, who was pleased to see him!
Lovely day but took him home after lunch hacked home wth his one of his girlfriends pulling her trap, who trotted on at the end leaving us (to unharness while we went slower), and he demonstrated that he wasnt tired, and could canter on the spot
Then want back to watch with DD and friend, only to find that RI (who was judging the jumping) had made the novice course MUCH nicer than the usual builder (who is away), and hadnt followed tradition of using scarey filler in first jump! If I had known I would have stayed and had a go! Never mind next year........
And finally.... went to feed shop today to get something with more 'fizz' and god mollased sugar beet cubes (instead of speedybeet) and competition mix, still have some oats left which have filled him out nicely, and am adding oil, vits and mins, and garlic. Still on 1 feed a day since turned out for summer but might increase to two - I will monitor. RI commented how much better he is looking already, so hopefully in a few weeks he will have muscled out more and be even more gorgeous!
Sorry about usual long post! Havent got on computer all weekend, so lots to catch up on! Off to read all the new posts now.......
much more than I thought! Suddently everything he had told me about my position (strong in the back, closing hands, sitting up straight, hands forward, shoulders back) all became clear! If I did any of my usual habits, I just keeled forward! Apparently as Oscar gets the idea he will lighten, but for a while he will be heavy to hold together, so I will get a good workout! I had no idea how much effort went in making riding look apprently 'effortless'.After this revalation, he worked really nicely! Only held him together for 5 mins or so at a time, then long stretching. Did leg yeilds in trot, which he has realy got the hang of, and 20m circles, trying to keep the impulsion going!
As this was working muscles he isnt used to, we stopped and did some jumping for a bit of fun after all the hard work! We worked on 2 stride doubles to improve his rythm and impulsion between fences - he was really good!
Have been left with homework to bring him onto the bit for 5 min intervals while hacking gradually increasing. RI rekons he will get used to is soon and will do it himself without such a strong contact but in the meantime it will get me fit!
Next, the show...it was just next door to my lesson so I had to go! I didnt compete, but did keep Oscar in the night before, after a bath, so he was all shiny...bough new bridle from e-bay as well but it didnt fit, so will have to sell it again, and move up to XL for huge CD head!
Oscar was so well behaved. We popped the practice jump (after a bit of scarey snorting and a couple of refusals). Then OH arrived with DD and dog, so I gave Oscar to OH's cousin's daughter who is only about 10. She got a leg up, and next thing I knew she was jumping and cantering about
Oscar was the perfect gent,despite her legs only just clearing the saddle! She was delighted as well! The her friend had a go, who is only about 8, and slightly nervous (didnt want to jump her 11.2!), who ended up popping a cross pole! Now is that a confidence giver or what! The friend's mum works with police horses and said i could sell him to them in an instant if I wanted to (Noooo!).We also did lots of walking about being led eating lovely juicy grass (much better than his field).
Oh, we also met someone from Oscar's old yard, who was pleased to see him!
Lovely day but took him home after lunch hacked home wth his one of his girlfriends pulling her trap, who trotted on at the end leaving us (to unharness while we went slower), and he demonstrated that he wasnt tired, and could canter on the spot
Then want back to watch with DD and friend, only to find that RI (who was judging the jumping) had made the novice course MUCH nicer than the usual builder (who is away), and hadnt followed tradition of using scarey filler in first jump! If I had known I would have stayed and had a go! Never mind next year........
And finally.... went to feed shop today to get something with more 'fizz' and god mollased sugar beet cubes (instead of speedybeet) and competition mix, still have some oats left which have filled him out nicely, and am adding oil, vits and mins, and garlic. Still on 1 feed a day since turned out for summer but might increase to two - I will monitor. RI commented how much better he is looking already, so hopefully in a few weeks he will have muscled out more and be even more gorgeous!
Sorry about usual long post! Havent got on computer all weekend, so lots to catch up on! Off to read all the new posts now.......