Finally! So excited to be moving past forward and that boring stuff I've been doing for most of my life. I had a lesson on Saturday and my instructor said Skate will never use his little butt until we get him really moving off my leg and bending...so we started lateral work. Teaching a horse how to do a turn on the forehand makes you realize how difficult it is to coordinate all of your aids at once. We didn't get it until I finally started using my whip to reinforce the 'move it!'.
We did spiral in at the walk until the center of the spiral where it turned into TOF and he really stepped under himself...then I immediately made him trot off energetically (this was nearly impossible). He had a tendency to get really stuck after the TOF, so the trot was to get him moving forward again. It really made a huge difference in his trot...which was much more springy and engaged.
She also had me work on riding like his hind end was in front of me, since he's on his forehand and I have a tendency to lean forward in huntery fashion. Trying to mentally ride what's behind you will really make you sit back...at least it did for me.
That evening was the barn Halloween Party...Skate went as Scooby, I was Daphne, and Matt was Shaggy. Really, it was the easiest costume I could think of : ) We also ran barrels...in 19 seconds! I think real barrel racers do it in 5. I did, however, win the adult division...as I was the only adult. I got schooled by the kids on ponies! So cute!
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3 comments:
Ooh, go Skate! Sounds like he's come a long way just in the short time you've had him. And he doesn't sound like the sort of horse to tear around a barrels course, so 19 seconds isn't that bad!
Yay for lateral work. It will help him to lift his back and step under himself.
How exciting to have a barn halloween party. I alway thought barns that did that were so cool. 19 seconds for barrels isnt bad at all.
Yay Skate! Lateral work is fun. I agree that 19 seconds for the barrels isn't bad. A barn Halloween party sounds fun! I have been wondering how to get a unicorn horn on Deuce! We don't have anywhere to go, though.
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