Ben was just in one of those moods today...you know hyper pony, just getting a bit fitter, autumn wind up tail type of mood
My instructor decided that we should learn long reining today in the outdoor school. Bens done it quite a few times now, but only second time for me. Going round corner, helicopter in distance (Ben came from under the takeoff flight path in Stansted, so has heard planes every day for the last five years) Ben decides he is going to run, and has blinkers on, so not realising that Mummy is attached to him, turns and runs into me.....luckily only gets my elbow, but heart races a bit.
Carry on long reining, going really well... Ben decides that he has had enough, stops, then takes off for the gate...too quick for me to hold him back, so off he goes, reins flying behind him.... I think I went a bit pale at this point.
My instructor takes over (and I stand the other side of the fence and gets him long reining again, but he is still a bit all over the place. On go the lunge lines and my instructor long reins him round in a circle around him. Like lunging but with two reins. Ben decides to alternate ignoring everything and bucking and plunging like a good-un. Everytime I think he must be worn out, and starts trotting round nicely, he throws in a buck and a plunge. Ben does eventually get a bit tired and starts working really nicely with only a couple more discussions with my instructor.
My instructor then said to me, 'did you want to have a go at this today?' and all I could manage was a faint squeaky ummmm no thanks
It wouldnt be so bad, but hes just on chaff and hay at the moment!!!
My instructor and I had a chat about that Ben is lovely in the carriage but hasnt had much schooling, and my instructor didnt at the beginning think that Ben needed as much schooling as he actually does, so we will extend the six weeks training if Ben needs it. His opinion is that Ben has never been really fit, and it just trying things on to get out of working, and that when he realises that he cant get away with things he will stop doing it.
How do I get confident with this, because being run into and taken off with, and then watching Ben doing all the bucking and plunging to be honest gave me the heeby jeebies. I know its practise, but how do you deal with bucking on the end of a lunge line? And most frightening for me, how do you deal with them whipping round towards you?? I dont feel like everyone horsey that I know, who can deal with rears and bucks and running off like its not much of a big deal, I feel like a not confident novice whos going to get squished or trodden on! (by an 11hh pony )
My instructor decided that we should learn long reining today in the outdoor school. Bens done it quite a few times now, but only second time for me. Going round corner, helicopter in distance (Ben came from under the takeoff flight path in Stansted, so has heard planes every day for the last five years) Ben decides he is going to run, and has blinkers on, so not realising that Mummy is attached to him, turns and runs into me.....luckily only gets my elbow, but heart races a bit.
Carry on long reining, going really well... Ben decides that he has had enough, stops, then takes off for the gate...too quick for me to hold him back, so off he goes, reins flying behind him.... I think I went a bit pale at this point.
My instructor takes over (and I stand the other side of the fence and gets him long reining again, but he is still a bit all over the place. On go the lunge lines and my instructor long reins him round in a circle around him. Like lunging but with two reins. Ben decides to alternate ignoring everything and bucking and plunging like a good-un. Everytime I think he must be worn out, and starts trotting round nicely, he throws in a buck and a plunge. Ben does eventually get a bit tired and starts working really nicely with only a couple more discussions with my instructor.
My instructor then said to me, 'did you want to have a go at this today?' and all I could manage was a faint squeaky ummmm no thanks
It wouldnt be so bad, but hes just on chaff and hay at the moment!!!
My instructor and I had a chat about that Ben is lovely in the carriage but hasnt had much schooling, and my instructor didnt at the beginning think that Ben needed as much schooling as he actually does, so we will extend the six weeks training if Ben needs it. His opinion is that Ben has never been really fit, and it just trying things on to get out of working, and that when he realises that he cant get away with things he will stop doing it.
How do I get confident with this, because being run into and taken off with, and then watching Ben doing all the bucking and plunging to be honest gave me the heeby jeebies. I know its practise, but how do you deal with bucking on the end of a lunge line? And most frightening for me, how do you deal with them whipping round towards you?? I dont feel like everyone horsey that I know, who can deal with rears and bucks and running off like its not much of a big deal, I feel like a not confident novice whos going to get squished or trodden on! (by an 11hh pony )