Post by Amanda Seater on Jan 10, 2013 18:25:12 GMT 1
LAst spring I had a cob x earth mover to train.
He had two paces slow or stop. He hadn't been made dead to teh leg but really did not know what it meant.
He was 5/6 yrs old and had looked after his beginer rider for a year plodding round the lanes and taking her to and from the pub.
The request was that she be able to ride back from the pub quicker than she could walk herself.`
As I have an electric bum I said " be careful what you wish for!
Well this lovely cob was just REALLY laid back and REALLY bomb proof ( which makes a lovely change from most cobs who come to me)
we managed walk and trot but canter was a non response and I could have whipped and kicked and wip wopped to my hearts content and he would have done - well very little.
I have to say here that I do have and electric bum - generally. I also am good at projecting energy. Well I was throwing my energy at this chap- too much like hard work for me or his small rider
So in desperation and not wanting to look like thelwell we had another go at canter. No I didn't want to canter him in the school, that would not have been an inducement to forwards and a first canter for this boy.
I had a lovely long field with a slight incline for a canter. First he followed another horse and we got canter but not off my leg.
He needed to learn to canter on his own for his rider.
We needed a solution and any effort forwards (walk to trot) was being praised and treated but still not enough energetic response.
first I tried a white bag on a stick for energy - hmm not a lot of reaction.
then an orange plastic bag on a stick.
A better visual stimulous but still more than sluggish.
I then put rice in the bag , blew it up a bit and rattled it - A bit more success.
There was much enthusiastic whooping to urge him on verbally.
In the end I got him going by banging said orange bag with rice in on my riding helmet whilst cheering him on and applying a leg aid- RESULT canter - no lurch into it just an active upward transition into a nice steady canter which I gave him a long rein to just GO but no mad gallop or fear just "oh I see now". much praise given. So he got a visual, physical and auditory que
Next day we had a nice trot to canter transition. NO bag , rattle , no cheering but lotsof praise.
I then worked more on his balance and transitions
After 2 weeks he was being ridden by a 10 yr old over small jumps and doing a respectable walk to canter transition with me. His owner was geting back for the pub at a much better pace
THis case was unusual I admit that, but it worked without having to resort to thumping his ribs with my heels , spurs or whipping. I haven't had such a laid back non reactive horse come through the door before. Good horse, he is one in a million. Make a good drum horse for the Queen.
Sometimes when other more usual things have failed we have to think out of the box.
Not a tool for most horses - but you don't know untill you get one like that. I mostly get very reactive ones it made a nice change. Always good to get "odd" ones to keep ones mind active
He had two paces slow or stop. He hadn't been made dead to teh leg but really did not know what it meant.
He was 5/6 yrs old and had looked after his beginer rider for a year plodding round the lanes and taking her to and from the pub.
The request was that she be able to ride back from the pub quicker than she could walk herself.`
As I have an electric bum I said " be careful what you wish for!
Well this lovely cob was just REALLY laid back and REALLY bomb proof ( which makes a lovely change from most cobs who come to me)
we managed walk and trot but canter was a non response and I could have whipped and kicked and wip wopped to my hearts content and he would have done - well very little.
I have to say here that I do have and electric bum - generally. I also am good at projecting energy. Well I was throwing my energy at this chap- too much like hard work for me or his small rider
So in desperation and not wanting to look like thelwell we had another go at canter. No I didn't want to canter him in the school, that would not have been an inducement to forwards and a first canter for this boy.
I had a lovely long field with a slight incline for a canter. First he followed another horse and we got canter but not off my leg.
He needed to learn to canter on his own for his rider.
We needed a solution and any effort forwards (walk to trot) was being praised and treated but still not enough energetic response.
first I tried a white bag on a stick for energy - hmm not a lot of reaction.
then an orange plastic bag on a stick.
A better visual stimulous but still more than sluggish.
I then put rice in the bag , blew it up a bit and rattled it - A bit more success.
There was much enthusiastic whooping to urge him on verbally.
In the end I got him going by banging said orange bag with rice in on my riding helmet whilst cheering him on and applying a leg aid- RESULT canter - no lurch into it just an active upward transition into a nice steady canter which I gave him a long rein to just GO but no mad gallop or fear just "oh I see now". much praise given. So he got a visual, physical and auditory que
Next day we had a nice trot to canter transition. NO bag , rattle , no cheering but lotsof praise.
I then worked more on his balance and transitions
After 2 weeks he was being ridden by a 10 yr old over small jumps and doing a respectable walk to canter transition with me. His owner was geting back for the pub at a much better pace
THis case was unusual I admit that, but it worked without having to resort to thumping his ribs with my heels , spurs or whipping. I haven't had such a laid back non reactive horse come through the door before. Good horse, he is one in a million. Make a good drum horse for the Queen.
Sometimes when other more usual things have failed we have to think out of the box.
Not a tool for most horses - but you don't know untill you get one like that. I mostly get very reactive ones it made a nice change. Always good to get "odd" ones to keep ones mind active