We worked on forward. Simple concept...hard to execute. How do you keep a horse forward? Really...I ask and he goes...and slows...and we repeat over and over. If I ask and he doesn't go, I back my aid up with the whip. But at what point do I expect the horse to maintain? Why should I have to keep freaking asking to stay the same speed???
Cruise Control? Where is that button?
Anyhoo...for those of you that need pics, here is the RPSI gelding I'm so excited to go see:
11 comments:
Oh my, Gabby! He looks nice! I so wish I could look at/for a horse like that! (Since I like eventing...) Want company so I can live vicariously? *big grin*
Forward...theoretically you should ask and he should maintain. If he doesn't you should back it up with the whip as you said you did, but you shouldn't have to KEEP doing it. Are you half halting to keep him balanced, etc.? Maybe someone who isn't as rusty as I am should chime in here, though. :) Maybe the hard footing with ouchiness and being out of shape are contributing to the not going forward, too.
OMG, that gelding is adorable!!!
Nice looking guy !!!
ugg its so hard with some horses to keep that momentum going ! I wonder too if the footing did contribute, think about if your feet hurt, you dont want to run down the mall lol
Hmmm...cruise control...yeah, let me know if you find it! Pro alternates between the gas/brakes so I'd like a steady speed, too.
Do you squeeze with your legs to ask for forward? I used to be a squeezer, but Gayle has me more of a "leg off unless you need it" style now. So my lower leg stays off until Pro gets sluggish and then WHOMP, then off again. He seems to respect my leg a lot more now that he knows it's not going to gently squeeze. Just a thought!
And that horse is SOOO gorgeous!!!
He's gorgeous!
I've been working with the Jane Savoie "Happy Horse" dvds and she says to ask once VERY lightly, and if no response back up with the tap of the whip - so as not to get heavy with the legs. If the horse still does not respond, you "chase" the horse into the next higher gait, then transition back down and ask again with the light aid, and praise every stride that the horse maintains the gait. She recommends doing this at walk/trot/canter until the horse maintains responsibility for holding the gait you've asked for.
I hope this is clear - I'm typing a mile a minute. It has worked really well with my Hano. and he is MUCH lighter than he was.
Ooh..Billie, how are those DVD's? I think I would get a lot out of those...
Interesting, Billie...funny how two methods get at the same thing! Pro totally ignored light aids (unless they're seat aids). He's a lot better with my leg now that it's either "off" or "WHOMP". But clearly the other way (which I was originally taught) worked for your horse! :)
I guess...just experiment, Gabby! ;)
I always try to remember to use the ask, tell, make concept...ask w/ light pressure, tell w/ a whomp of the leg, then make w/ the whip. I think Hobbes knows perfectly well what leg 'on' means, so I've started skipping the tell part and going straight to the whip. He normally responds to ask just fine, its just that he doesn't stay at that speed. I am asking every 4-5 strides or so, seriously.
At least its a good workout!
I've used both concepts before Gabby. What I WILL say that has worked for me in terms of cruise control is to ask *ever so softly* with my leg for the same impulsion the SECOND you feel them start to slow. If they ignore you, then it's WHIP HARD once, and then ignore them UNTIL you need leg again. Then ask *ever so softly*, and if they ignore then WHIP again. The point is for THEM to figure out that staying the same speed means no leg, and ignoring your leg means a fast, hard wack!
It takes less time than you'd think for them to figure it out, but you have to be VERY consistent, both with your timing and your soft and hard cues. If you confuse them then you'll just frustrate them and then NEITHER of you will have a good ride.
Oh yeah- and I love the new gelding!!
I love the dvds, but I love Jane's philosophy. I won't ever ride with spurs and really prefer no whip, but have found that Keil Bay was trained with it and if I carry it, he knows what's going on and does what he's supposed to. Sigh.
But he will go from a butterfly aid and keep the gait if I make sure I keep the exact same routine and set of cues.
I think either way the key is consistency.
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