Kristina let Zing have too much room and he took advantage of it. Bill wants her to catch him before his head gets all the way up with the right rein by raising it up and bumping him and continue until he gives. It's about timing and persistence. Going up with the rein doesn't hurt him but does bother the horse enough to not want to be there. It really worked well. At the canter, if he tosses his head she is to bring him to the trot and bring the right rein up and as soon as he gives go back to the canter. He has to stay in motion. A lot of progress was made during the lesson.
The good thing about the work Kristina has done over the last month is Zing is not bracing against the bit anymore and he was round and cadenced in his trot. Zing pulls his tail to the left, but it's not a true wry tail as he can move it wherever he wants. Bill says his muscles are shorter on the left, so he wants Kristina to do modified shoulder in and half pass to the left to straighten those muscles. It made a lot of difference during the lesson yesterday, he was holding his tail straight about 30% of the time.
We are going again next week to keep the momentum going, but I can't afford Bill on a weekly basis, so after next week we will need to slow down!
It's very rewarding to have someone with such a high skill level to go to. And he is such a gentle man. I feel lucky to be able to go over there.
8 comments:
Wow, I am just happy to get my horse to trot, and go left and right. The world of riding horses seems to be endless in it intricacies. I am going to watch the other horses tails during my next lesson and see who has a straight and not : ) Do you have any recomendations for some books I might read to learn a little bit more about horses and riding in general? I am still so so ignorant about what is going on with the horses : ) I am however interested in riding and learning more.
Ash
If Jean L. will respond she would have lots of reading ideas. The books I have and have read are a little more complicated, they go over my head! But Jean is very widely read on multiple levels. I believe you can't go wrong with Sally Swifts 'Centered Riding'. If Jean looks in and sees this she can give you lots of advice.
I am currently reading 'Classical Schooling With The Horse In Mind' by Anja Beran. She has a bias toward Baroque horses, but it is a good book. I have another I will read next, 'Tug Of War: Classical Versus "Modern Dressage" by Dr. Gerd Heuschmann. Jean, where are you!
Such a great lesson! Your trainer sounds terrific. I have been told to use this technique also. You are right - regular lessons will be a help - especially when you have such a bright and busy stallion. I am glad that it seems like a training issue and you are getting to the bottom of it.
Brrr - it is so cold here today. I think I will shut the stable doors tonight.
He is terrific! And so different from any other I have used over the years. I try to go twice a month, but Bill is a judge and this is a very busy time for him, so he is gone most weekdays and we can't go on weekends. So, I'm catching him when I can! It does get expensive though. Makes me wish I had independent means. :)
I put the windows in the barn a week ago and have been closing the doors as well. It was 34 this morning, so I feel your pain.
Very interesting! I actually have a picture of him with his head up right at the beginning of the incident on Sunday: http://ftp.summersetstudio.com/files/IMG_7270.jpg
Shelley! Glad to see you here. I sort of thought it had something to do with his suppling exercises because he began to get carried away with it. Bill says it's fixable. Whew!
That is interesting. You are indeed lucky to have Bill as a resource.
I didn't know that about tails. I believe Sinclair carries his to the side, too.
Getting caught up on your blog, Sandra.
Great to have you back!
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