Much time has again passed since i last blogged here. I have offered a number of tit-bits through Facebook but not properly discussed our progress. As i noted at the end of the last note, i now understand what non domination, non conflict really means. I have begun to appreciate the challenge. And how that impacts life with Ernie.
I want to start with a discussion of what constitutes progress. Our relationship has been one of targets and goals, effective canter transition for example, and of course those have always been mine. I find myself now asking what those targets and goals mean in the mind of my horse. And i don't know. I do believe he appreciated the removal of the bit. That side the removal of a bit should not in itself be interpreted as a motivator, it is a small gesture of consideration.
And then as i try to position my aspirations in his worldview they seem to fade slightly, which in turn limits any effective instruction. Which reduces performance. I sympathsize, if I am am not convinced of the direction how can my horse be expected to travel it.
I have to think again. Not wishing to engage "the don't ride" argument at this time i have to think about what i want when in the saddle, i want him strong enough through the back to avoid injury in carrying me and i want to ensure that we coexist in a safe place. I want to hack him and take him out, i am indifferent to the competition world, this is no benefit to him and establishes purely anthropocentric expectations and behaviour models, but even the hack is "my wish".
This year has developed my love of un-pressured groudwork and play, i do believe Ernie appreciates the latter at least. This goes hand in hand with my Leadchange activities which have brought me further in my closeness to and awareness of horses on the ground. More to the point i am convinced that this work on the ground so strengthens that relationship far beyond the ridden. Closeness comes from the subtle eye contact, from observation of the entire physical being, from mirrored and reflected movements.
I am working out the stress of leaving my current job and this has developed some poor focus, tempestuousness and anxieties in me, my horse is aware of these, the horses on Leadchange training also saw it. On the course I had the opportunity to work out a solution. I can see that I need to bring that solution home.
Getting off and getting beside my horse helps me to see, it also helps me to see the problems that are invisible in the saddle. Ernie has been trying to tell me for a few weeks, at last i hear the message. To that end i have tried to just be with him, just to enjoy each other this weekend - i hope. I think it has worked. I think that I may have stopped the rot at least so to speak but i believe the challenge is still ahead. I need to remain present, i need to clear the mind and soul before I engage.
For me i want this to be something that we will continue to share.
The continuing learning curve that is my life with Ernie
Sunday 21 October 2012
Tuesday 24 April 2012
It's been too long ..... but what a story!
It has been a long time dear friends since I have visited my blog to share things horsey. Notwithstanding titbits and comments thrown out into FB of course. In the down time there are so many things that I need to update.
When we last met in september I think we had just taught Ernie to load and he had started to go out visit some affiliated shows (not with me in the saddle I add) and a sponsored ride round Knowle park in Kent. All with much pleasure and good nature.
Ernie then sustained injury to his digital sheath around the tendons on his offside hind fetlock. In getting him back to work after 2 months I sustained a broken wrist (9 places) which kept me off him for 12 weeks. Wow what a time. But on reflection the cup is half full (apart from the permanent pain in my hand and wrist of course!), Ernie and I are in a stronger place than we have been before. Though perhaps we do not look such a fine pair through the purest equestrian goggles.
In not being able to ride him I found myself driven back to ground work and free schooling because I could do nothing else. This has changed things. It has recast the way in which we look at each other.
How do I justify such a statement?
These are a few observations:
- His constantly relaxed mood in my presence
- When I leave his stable - and he is not mid snack - he moves to join me.
- He never resists or evades his tack.
- When we walk out he is never anywhere but at my side.
- When we work on the ground together he will mirror my gait and balance.
He is obliged to do none of the above so one must assume he acts through out of choice.
So what has happened?
My sustained injury meant groundwork or no work. And I could not cope without sharing that time with him. This found me reaching back to those natural horseman tendancies, previously espoused but perhaps less than rigidly pursued - see some earlier blogs.
So I started a series of visits to the round pen at Slades. Commencing with a revisit to the theatrical event that is join up and moved onto more subtle work together towards our own rather clumsy version of lunging which we perform as a shared event, ideally free in a round pen or or a loose rope if we only have a big school. By together I mean, you trot, I trot, you canter lead left, I canter lead left etc.
The spirit of the horse at these times seems to expand and draw you in. It becomes truly shared event. It is not what the I believe the good horsemen around would recommend or perhaps approve of but I am increasingly doing what feels right between us.
I am also find it increasingly difficult to be taught - I work better taking my lead from the moment and the feeling. Responding to what Ernie offers. The groundwork made me realise his willingness to work with me. And I have become increasingly convinced that 'disobediance' was more confusion. Simply pausing to await an instruction that was understood. I forever question any ignored instruction. His sensitivity to my body positioning becomes increasingly clear - and lets face it I am no yoga grand-master!
I spend a lot of time dipping into favourite dialectic writers/trainers such as: Hempfling and Nevzerov, as well as more practical ones such as Mark Rashid and Richard Maxwell, taking what feels can work or at least be applied by my naive state of mind and awareness. I cannot say that there is one credo, and at the end my modest talents do not stretch to theirs so one has to take what one understands and only move forward as the lesson is learned.
We are now moving into riding bitless - my reading matter would always risk this influence - because at the end it feels right. Philosophically I cannot knowingly dominate through pain. I do not in other relationship, so why with my closest friend. Ernie is headstrong but also just, opinionated but listening. Ernie only fights to defend or retaliate (nothwithstanding his reflection which annoys him when it doesn't politely wait its turn to eat!). Currently we are riding on his training head collar which is not a solution, its too clumsy, and its steering is too close to its breaks, but it is an effective stop gap. Ernie is slowly establishing a better self-carriage now not having a forehand to lean on as he did with his bit. As for me I have to use more seat control than I had previously being slightly heavy handed by nature.
It is difficult sometimes as this takes us away from the equestrian norms of show and competition, rosettes and awards, but I am reconciling to that. I am happy to continue the foregoing, but it has ceased to be the motivator.
I think the more you work your horse on the ground it changes you view of the horse .... standard lunging excepted where your horse is forever pushed away .... It ceases to be some beast burden, a means to some end, but becomes the end in itself. And then your world is changed forever. The long road now seems longer for sure, and the speed we are travelling is slower, but the journey becomes ever more fulfilling and rewarding.
When I started this I said no confrontation, no dominance. One and a quarter years in and I'm beginning to understand what I meant.
Saturday 24 September 2011
Boxing for beginners
So next weekend we're off to Knole, sponsored ride.
Now this all well and good but this is our first day out. Taken a while to get round to it, this getting him out. Now is the time. So I realised I need to get him into a box and all these years of looking at the Monty Roberts' world seems to suggest that boxing is a traumatic event, or at least one that makes great videos for you tube.
So the question, what will my boy do?
I booked the Mascals lorry one evening this week. I eventually get there and its almost dark, still got to have a go. I open up the lorry and go and get my horse. I put the dually on him and took a lunge line, and off... We walk to the lorry which is crouching in the dark shadows of the woods at night time. Ernie walks to the van and stops at the ramp. He's not sure.
I reverse him a few steps, walk him back to the ramp, puts his foot on the ramp and another. We stop. I pat his forehead. Then back him off. We repeat this. Then I walk him half way up the ramp. He decides to keep walking so I take him on, these are Bambi's first steps.
We get him on the van and the suspension wobbles and totters like a fairground attraction, I'm a little surprised, Ernie is alarmed. He doesn't like this. But he stays with me. We turn, we admire the view for a few seconds (or what would be the view) and then I invite him off.... he leaps down the ramp.
So its time to do it again. This time Ernie really plants his feet. He raises his head, I remind him that, not doing as asked means pressure throught the dually, we stand for a while like this. Then we reverse and return, he plants - more dually pressure. I learn from the napping and weave his body, he is going to move, not straight but we turn - importantly we're not stuck. We weave our way half way up the ramp, I rub his forehead and then let him leave the ramp again. He plants again when I ask him foreward, so we repeat the exercise. This time he loads - friends offering gently vocal encouragement. Lots of praise. Stop. Turn. Admire the view. I ask him down slowly, keeping a tight hand on the dually I regulate his descent, he learns quickly walking slowly at my side.
Now he will come and go with me without complaint.
We do this half a dozen times, better each time, better again.
Then being me I have to consider showing off. I stand Ernie at the base of the ramp and mount the van myself, playing out the lunge line as walk away. I gently apply pressure, Ernie tentatively loads himself. Can we do it the other way around, we try. Bless him he does, albeit again tentatively.
We repeat this three or four times. He gets better and better. Now we have one happy boy. The lorry is just another home from home.
This 30 minutes has moved me closer to Ernie. Working this way touches the soul, it moves me, in my heart I smile an intoxicated smile, an intoxicated smile that seems to continue for days.
It must be love....
We still have to teach him to position his very large body in the van partitions but lets celebrate our victories.
Now this all well and good but this is our first day out. Taken a while to get round to it, this getting him out. Now is the time. So I realised I need to get him into a box and all these years of looking at the Monty Roberts' world seems to suggest that boxing is a traumatic event, or at least one that makes great videos for you tube.
So the question, what will my boy do?
I booked the Mascals lorry one evening this week. I eventually get there and its almost dark, still got to have a go. I open up the lorry and go and get my horse. I put the dually on him and took a lunge line, and off... We walk to the lorry which is crouching in the dark shadows of the woods at night time. Ernie walks to the van and stops at the ramp. He's not sure.
I reverse him a few steps, walk him back to the ramp, puts his foot on the ramp and another. We stop. I pat his forehead. Then back him off. We repeat this. Then I walk him half way up the ramp. He decides to keep walking so I take him on, these are Bambi's first steps.
We get him on the van and the suspension wobbles and totters like a fairground attraction, I'm a little surprised, Ernie is alarmed. He doesn't like this. But he stays with me. We turn, we admire the view for a few seconds (or what would be the view) and then I invite him off.... he leaps down the ramp.
So its time to do it again. This time Ernie really plants his feet. He raises his head, I remind him that, not doing as asked means pressure throught the dually, we stand for a while like this. Then we reverse and return, he plants - more dually pressure. I learn from the napping and weave his body, he is going to move, not straight but we turn - importantly we're not stuck. We weave our way half way up the ramp, I rub his forehead and then let him leave the ramp again. He plants again when I ask him foreward, so we repeat the exercise. This time he loads - friends offering gently vocal encouragement. Lots of praise. Stop. Turn. Admire the view. I ask him down slowly, keeping a tight hand on the dually I regulate his descent, he learns quickly walking slowly at my side.
Now he will come and go with me without complaint.
We do this half a dozen times, better each time, better again.
Then being me I have to consider showing off. I stand Ernie at the base of the ramp and mount the van myself, playing out the lunge line as walk away. I gently apply pressure, Ernie tentatively loads himself. Can we do it the other way around, we try. Bless him he does, albeit again tentatively.
We repeat this three or four times. He gets better and better. Now we have one happy boy. The lorry is just another home from home.
This 30 minutes has moved me closer to Ernie. Working this way touches the soul, it moves me, in my heart I smile an intoxicated smile, an intoxicated smile that seems to continue for days.
It must be love....
We still have to teach him to position his very large body in the van partitions but lets celebrate our victories.
Friday 2 September 2011
Echoes of a whisper
So one week on from my session with Rosie Jones, how have things gone?
Ernie is learning quickly to work with his dually - probably quicker than me - and his ground manners are improving again. He will reverse in hand without protest, albeit in small "bites", which makes a big difference because this means that reversing is now what he does when I ask and not what he does to protest. I've schooled him in his dually too, if honest he responds better than to a bit, in all gaits. Am seriously thinking about this as a more permanent option. The key is me learning more about it. It is really a very delicate tool, but this what he is always asking for, less always being more.
We are making fantastic hacking progress. He is definitely still napping and quite a lot as we leave home, particularly as we move up into the woods. But is has ceased to an impasse. And certainly no more 30 mins in the bushes!
I have hacked alone twice this week and never got close to being stuck. He was quite a pain when we went out with Nero on Saturday, but that was partly me settling too I think. The short rein 'weaving' is proving excellent, we just don't get stuck or locked in conflict. I also now have my own shaker (a tic tac box with stones in it) which is great if a last resort really required, and it works, give him the rein and he certainly jumps forward after a quick shake.
I think the one thing at the moment is that it takes a while for him to settle once he's broken from the nap so its about waiting to feel that before asking for too much, too much leg, too early seems to cause another nap.
I even managed to get him two thirds of the around the woods, turn him and after a little weaving, but no shaker, he walked forward. I stopped after about 15m, patted him, and turned him for home.
We've also changed farrier this week - less said the better here. Am waiting for the 'ripples' but hey, I pay, I am happier and horse seems better shod! Sadly mine being too busy the week I asked him to do it.
The downside this weekend was the loss of show just before MM summer show, damn and blast. This premeditated the above change, but perhaps it's all for the best. That said I was dissappointed at not competing. Still we have the MMRC dressage event this Sunday and we're up for an Intro B and Prelim 7, haven't done any practice, and won't get the opportunity tomorrow so as ever we'll wing it! I suppose there has to be a time when I stop saying, this is just for the experience!
Ernie is learning quickly to work with his dually - probably quicker than me - and his ground manners are improving again. He will reverse in hand without protest, albeit in small "bites", which makes a big difference because this means that reversing is now what he does when I ask and not what he does to protest. I've schooled him in his dually too, if honest he responds better than to a bit, in all gaits. Am seriously thinking about this as a more permanent option. The key is me learning more about it. It is really a very delicate tool, but this what he is always asking for, less always being more.
We are making fantastic hacking progress. He is definitely still napping and quite a lot as we leave home, particularly as we move up into the woods. But is has ceased to an impasse. And certainly no more 30 mins in the bushes!
I have hacked alone twice this week and never got close to being stuck. He was quite a pain when we went out with Nero on Saturday, but that was partly me settling too I think. The short rein 'weaving' is proving excellent, we just don't get stuck or locked in conflict. I also now have my own shaker (a tic tac box with stones in it) which is great if a last resort really required, and it works, give him the rein and he certainly jumps forward after a quick shake.
I think the one thing at the moment is that it takes a while for him to settle once he's broken from the nap so its about waiting to feel that before asking for too much, too much leg, too early seems to cause another nap.
I even managed to get him two thirds of the around the woods, turn him and after a little weaving, but no shaker, he walked forward. I stopped after about 15m, patted him, and turned him for home.
We've also changed farrier this week - less said the better here. Am waiting for the 'ripples' but hey, I pay, I am happier and horse seems better shod! Sadly mine being too busy the week I asked him to do it.
The downside this weekend was the loss of show just before MM summer show, damn and blast. This premeditated the above change, but perhaps it's all for the best. That said I was dissappointed at not competing. Still we have the MMRC dressage event this Sunday and we're up for an Intro B and Prelim 7, haven't done any practice, and won't get the opportunity tomorrow so as ever we'll wing it! I suppose there has to be a time when I stop saying, this is just for the experience!
Friday 26 August 2011
Alternative therapy
So Ernie and I had the pleasure of spending half a day yesterday 1-2-1 with Rosie Jones, one of Kelly Marks' IH recommended associated. Rosie is an expert on backed issues, in particular napping.
Ernie enjoyed his summer rest quite a lot and has been a bit bolshy since my return so this was definitely perfect timing. I think the problem started when I took him on a 3 hr plus hack!
Anyway so Rosie came down to Mascal's.
First we took Ernie up to Taylors to do some groundwork and generally acquaint ourselves (and get quite wet!). And have a go at one of his favourite naps, re-entering the gate. Firstly, we put him in his new Dually and started getting the back up. Rosie showed me how to work the pressure/release process more effectively, the key being both strength and then the speed of release once willingness shown, though quite often I just wound him up at first, but we achieved more willing reverses than I've ever seen him do.
Once we had achieved some willingness and acceptance of the halter Rosie suggested long-lining him with two lunge reins. This is driving him from behind, almost as driven a cart, but from the ground. After a little sensitising of his hocks to the lines via turns on the ground, he reacted very very well to Rosie's commands. We did figure of eights, forward and back, and in/out of the gates. Me too! Rosie then tried out the shaker, a nice piece of high-tech for driving nappers forward, a plastic coke bottle with stones in. One shake and he does his bat out of hell with Rosie attached. Use sparingly! I have to say I really enjoyed long-lining, think I will defo do more.
Then Rosie got on him with a normal bridle, he was much less responsive to directional command, particularly "go back" so we attached the reins to the dually and "hey presto". Maybe its the riding school years, maybe Daddy's concrete mittens, but is overly definitely desensitised to his bit.
Next we took him to the woods - still in his dually I add - his bit unattached to reins. Rosie backed him from MM car park. We managed to get to the gate, before he showed his colours, think we took about 10 mns here, then we took him up to the top of the first fill where he has been particularly naughty over last week.
This was a long session much to the surprise of passing riders. Anyway Rosie slowly establish a weaving exercise. So when he naps, we stand and calm, then with one hand lead a tight turn, at least 90 degrees, once achieved do the opposite - very exaggerated movement, leaning motor-bike like with the turn - nominal if any leg, only to support the bend. Keep this up until he offers straight, stop and praise him. Do it again. Then let him start moving forward. We also carried the shaker here and if got really stubbon then shook it, first following from ground, then in the hand of the rider - both of us. Always remembering to be balanced and let him go when he ran.
I think we spent an hour in about 100m of joydens, stopping, turning weaving, shaking, trotting away, repeating etc. Ernie engaged with relative honesty, and by the last few times he was almost walking straight out of the weave and moving forward. :). I had the pleasure of doing it myself as well. Rosie has left me a lot of tips and I'm looking forward to working, both on ground and on saddle.
I am going to try and ride him more on dually at least for schooling - until I've achieved a better "stop" - which worked ok away from home in the woods but towards it was a lot more difficult.
A technical observation too, his saddle needs refitting. I felt good here having worked this out myself and already sorted and booked. Rosie thinks this will help his mind too.
Tips
1. break it down into things you can win - therefore avoid the fight
2. praise
3. variation and more leading, even with hack
4. school sometimes in the dually
5. it is ok to get off to pass points of stress when riding out
6. hack in company, but lead
7. when he naps, no legs, right now he reacts against them
8. when weaving only focus on the turn
9. release has to be exaggerated and immediate
We haven't cured things but we have an opportunity to train them out without conflict. This is central to my first promise on taking Ernie so I'm happy. I have always wanted to do some proper instructed horsemanship, long before I had my own horse, and now I have. In fact it was my http://www.leadchange.com/ experiences that told me horses had to come back to my life. I can't express how much I enjoyed that morning. This is why I ride, this is why I so wanted Ernie. It is worth all the misbehavior to be able to experience days such as these! (Though we now move on of course).
Happy days....
Ernie enjoyed his summer rest quite a lot and has been a bit bolshy since my return so this was definitely perfect timing. I think the problem started when I took him on a 3 hr plus hack!
Anyway so Rosie came down to Mascal's.
First we took Ernie up to Taylors to do some groundwork and generally acquaint ourselves (and get quite wet!). And have a go at one of his favourite naps, re-entering the gate. Firstly, we put him in his new Dually and started getting the back up. Rosie showed me how to work the pressure/release process more effectively, the key being both strength and then the speed of release once willingness shown, though quite often I just wound him up at first, but we achieved more willing reverses than I've ever seen him do.
Once we had achieved some willingness and acceptance of the halter Rosie suggested long-lining him with two lunge reins. This is driving him from behind, almost as driven a cart, but from the ground. After a little sensitising of his hocks to the lines via turns on the ground, he reacted very very well to Rosie's commands. We did figure of eights, forward and back, and in/out of the gates. Me too! Rosie then tried out the shaker, a nice piece of high-tech for driving nappers forward, a plastic coke bottle with stones in. One shake and he does his bat out of hell with Rosie attached. Use sparingly! I have to say I really enjoyed long-lining, think I will defo do more.
Then Rosie got on him with a normal bridle, he was much less responsive to directional command, particularly "go back" so we attached the reins to the dually and "hey presto". Maybe its the riding school years, maybe Daddy's concrete mittens, but is overly definitely desensitised to his bit.
Next we took him to the woods - still in his dually I add - his bit unattached to reins. Rosie backed him from MM car park. We managed to get to the gate, before he showed his colours, think we took about 10 mns here, then we took him up to the top of the first fill where he has been particularly naughty over last week.
This was a long session much to the surprise of passing riders. Anyway Rosie slowly establish a weaving exercise. So when he naps, we stand and calm, then with one hand lead a tight turn, at least 90 degrees, once achieved do the opposite - very exaggerated movement, leaning motor-bike like with the turn - nominal if any leg, only to support the bend. Keep this up until he offers straight, stop and praise him. Do it again. Then let him start moving forward. We also carried the shaker here and if got really stubbon then shook it, first following from ground, then in the hand of the rider - both of us. Always remembering to be balanced and let him go when he ran.
I think we spent an hour in about 100m of joydens, stopping, turning weaving, shaking, trotting away, repeating etc. Ernie engaged with relative honesty, and by the last few times he was almost walking straight out of the weave and moving forward. :). I had the pleasure of doing it myself as well. Rosie has left me a lot of tips and I'm looking forward to working, both on ground and on saddle.
I am going to try and ride him more on dually at least for schooling - until I've achieved a better "stop" - which worked ok away from home in the woods but towards it was a lot more difficult.
A technical observation too, his saddle needs refitting. I felt good here having worked this out myself and already sorted and booked. Rosie thinks this will help his mind too.
Tips
1. break it down into things you can win - therefore avoid the fight
2. praise
3. variation and more leading, even with hack
4. school sometimes in the dually
5. it is ok to get off to pass points of stress when riding out
6. hack in company, but lead
7. when he naps, no legs, right now he reacts against them
8. when weaving only focus on the turn
9. release has to be exaggerated and immediate
We haven't cured things but we have an opportunity to train them out without conflict. This is central to my first promise on taking Ernie so I'm happy. I have always wanted to do some proper instructed horsemanship, long before I had my own horse, and now I have. In fact it was my http://www.leadchange.com/ experiences that told me horses had to come back to my life. I can't express how much I enjoyed that morning. This is why I ride, this is why I so wanted Ernie. It is worth all the misbehavior to be able to experience days such as these! (Though we now move on of course).
Happy days....
Sunday 14 August 2011
The good, the (slightly) bad and the dreamy ...
It's been a while.... and lot's to tell. We have some real progress, an illness scare and my first absence.
So I've just been on holiday. The emotional envelope to that first concerned-owner absence was the dreaded strangles. Thankfully full symptoms never manifesting (limited to lymph swelling beneath the jaw), and cleared my vets both before and after holidays, but some hairy moments in between. The lowest moment was definitely arriving back a Stansted and fearing the worst, noting his swelling had burst two days before. But all said and done, we're good. God knows what caused it, but it wasn't as bad as it might have been and he confirmed non-contagious. All breathe long sigh of relief.
Notwithstanding this, he seems to have "happily" managed his couple of weeks between turn-out, horse-walker and staff lunging. In fact he seems to have relished the rest.
Anyway back to the good stuff....
About 10 days before going away we suddenly worked out how to establish and maintain a proper school canter. Ok it needs refining, but it is now there, and it is there whenever asked for. Can't believe it. He has such a light canter (which I knew from hacking) which sometimes feels like flight as he covers so much distance with one stride. So we quickly dropped in a Prelim 18 and interdressage WTC test before we went away, all video'd for posterity, lest it all dissappear or be forgotten in my absence (by me I hasten to add not the big E). See youtube. But no.... Today my teacher noted the best canter she had ever seen him do, both on the straight track and 20m circle. It seems so common place to state it here, but we have to remember this has seemed some holy grail for what seems so long. And we've done it our way, gently and smoothly, without a fight, domination or coercion... this why I got my own horse. And as if by magic the bucking has almost completely dissappeared too. I am smiling a lot these days.
I rode when away in France, three very different horses which I have ridden before and loved, still loved them but they really weren't my Ernie and they seemed hard work by comparison. That is the school horse, I should note they are very capable talented animals. In the last weekend I taught myself to leg-yield in canter and whilst this was quite a feeling in itself it had the interesting side effect of so engaging the horse's hind quarters that I felt an unbelievable strong impulsion that I have never felt before (really like there was a force behind me, lifting me and driving us forward, I've read about this but what a feeling).
Having got over the sickness scare I'm pleased to say we're back on the road: I was pleased to discover our progress remained fresh on my return, Sophie has been around to ride him which is really good for him, and he has been treated to a three-and-a-quarter hour hack (mascals, tile kiln lane, piggeries, cabbage farm, golf-course, joydens, chalk woods and then the whole thing in reverse). It should be noted he was very tired and I think his muscles a little sore this morning, though he (very honestly) still carried around my lesson up at Taylors.
He remains a source of wonderment to me, as I have said before he is waiting for me to work out how to ask. That said, I think I can see how we will start to focus on improving through this winter, however for now the rest of this summer is for enjoying!
One small cloud, he rather hurt a small boy's finger this morning - bruised and broke skin I think. I felt terrible, especially when the boy was still crying very loudly 20mins later... needless to say I apologised quite a lot (perhaps a bit much) though I have to say I don't really think it was Ernie's fault particularly. I think he'd been trying to give him a polo whilst I was talking to the mother. I have to say she was very understanding and supportive. That can be trouble with a busy and very public yard.
We have some great highlights ahead, the MM summer show, definitely some jumping there are probably some "handsome gelding" again, so need to do some more in-hand. Also the MMRC dressage the next weekend where we're booked for Intro B and Premin 7.
I am going to have a session with Kelly Marks' reps too to try and find a route through the napping - which to be honest is really really reduced, but I want to do this with them. I promised myself. Rosie Jones coming on the 26th, so lets see.
So bring it all on. Watch the big E take on the world! For he can for sure.
So I've just been on holiday. The emotional envelope to that first concerned-owner absence was the dreaded strangles. Thankfully full symptoms never manifesting (limited to lymph swelling beneath the jaw), and cleared my vets both before and after holidays, but some hairy moments in between. The lowest moment was definitely arriving back a Stansted and fearing the worst, noting his swelling had burst two days before. But all said and done, we're good. God knows what caused it, but it wasn't as bad as it might have been and he confirmed non-contagious. All breathe long sigh of relief.
Notwithstanding this, he seems to have "happily" managed his couple of weeks between turn-out, horse-walker and staff lunging. In fact he seems to have relished the rest.
Anyway back to the good stuff....
About 10 days before going away we suddenly worked out how to establish and maintain a proper school canter. Ok it needs refining, but it is now there, and it is there whenever asked for. Can't believe it. He has such a light canter (which I knew from hacking) which sometimes feels like flight as he covers so much distance with one stride. So we quickly dropped in a Prelim 18 and interdressage WTC test before we went away, all video'd for posterity, lest it all dissappear or be forgotten in my absence (by me I hasten to add not the big E). See youtube. But no.... Today my teacher noted the best canter she had ever seen him do, both on the straight track and 20m circle. It seems so common place to state it here, but we have to remember this has seemed some holy grail for what seems so long. And we've done it our way, gently and smoothly, without a fight, domination or coercion... this why I got my own horse. And as if by magic the bucking has almost completely dissappeared too. I am smiling a lot these days.
I rode when away in France, three very different horses which I have ridden before and loved, still loved them but they really weren't my Ernie and they seemed hard work by comparison. That is the school horse, I should note they are very capable talented animals. In the last weekend I taught myself to leg-yield in canter and whilst this was quite a feeling in itself it had the interesting side effect of so engaging the horse's hind quarters that I felt an unbelievable strong impulsion that I have never felt before (really like there was a force behind me, lifting me and driving us forward, I've read about this but what a feeling).
Having got over the sickness scare I'm pleased to say we're back on the road: I was pleased to discover our progress remained fresh on my return, Sophie has been around to ride him which is really good for him, and he has been treated to a three-and-a-quarter hour hack (mascals, tile kiln lane, piggeries, cabbage farm, golf-course, joydens, chalk woods and then the whole thing in reverse). It should be noted he was very tired and I think his muscles a little sore this morning, though he (very honestly) still carried around my lesson up at Taylors.
He remains a source of wonderment to me, as I have said before he is waiting for me to work out how to ask. That said, I think I can see how we will start to focus on improving through this winter, however for now the rest of this summer is for enjoying!
One small cloud, he rather hurt a small boy's finger this morning - bruised and broke skin I think. I felt terrible, especially when the boy was still crying very loudly 20mins later... needless to say I apologised quite a lot (perhaps a bit much) though I have to say I don't really think it was Ernie's fault particularly. I think he'd been trying to give him a polo whilst I was talking to the mother. I have to say she was very understanding and supportive. That can be trouble with a busy and very public yard.
We have some great highlights ahead, the MM summer show, definitely some jumping there are probably some "handsome gelding" again, so need to do some more in-hand. Also the MMRC dressage the next weekend where we're booked for Intro B and Premin 7.
I am going to have a session with Kelly Marks' reps too to try and find a route through the napping - which to be honest is really really reduced, but I want to do this with them. I promised myself. Rosie Jones coming on the 26th, so lets see.
So bring it all on. Watch the big E take on the world! For he can for sure.
Tuesday 12 July 2011
A join-up and the honesty of children ....
Had a wonderful chat with a young girl at Mascal's this weekend who advised me that I really had brought the right horse, and why .... beautiful synchronity of movement as we are schooling? a easy willingnwess of horse to submit to rider request? effortless appearance of rider in action? .... no, we actually look the same! .... my beard is the same colour as his coat and my too long salt n pepper hair the same as his mane ... so apparantly we're twins!! Don't the humourists always suggest that owners end up mirroring their pets. It was a lovely observation, one delivered with the honesty and simple innocence of childhood
Have finally achieved join-up with Ernie, ironically by accident but hey, we got there. After some rather clumsy, slightly over-assertive, body language on my part during a lunging session down at Slades, Ernie decides that we're gonna do join-up, and so proceeds to come-in and stand at my shoulder ..... thankfully I spot the offer and exploit, 15 minutes of free walking and following me around the pen in great sweeping arcs ensues. How many years have I wanted to do that with a horse? I could have cried. Aaah, me and my luvverly pony! This is another example of my increasingly over-used phrase, "Ernie has all the answers and he's just waiting for me to ask the right questions".
So I'm trying to do a lot more jumping with him - lessons and on my own. I intend to have a bash at the August show - probably minimus at least. All this regular jumping is definitely making the big lad happy; this is something that is very close to Ernie's heart you can tell, be it from the interest with which he watches others jump, his willingness to stand quietly in the school while I potter around erecting fences, or to the surge of excitement you feel in his muscles as he locks on to a jump during approach.
At the moment I'm preparing for dressage tests, the last of the MM summer series. Am only doing Intro class at the moment as the Prelims just have too much canter work; we would be setting ourselves up for "a fall" (never a good metaphor in Equestrian circles to which my ongoing physio bares testement). We are definitely making progress, but the competition quality is rising with increasing numbers registering so the rosettes not so forthcoming. Not in all cases what I'd call intro level partnerships, but there you go. Also doing some more Internet dressage courtesy of http://www.interdressage.com/ - my last attempt available for view on my youtube page, going to restrict us too walk and trot.
So I have a very undisciplined approach to a very disciplined sport, I do not do lots of practise runs, just learn it in my head then do it. Could certainly do with some more exactitude around the guide letters and transitions - dressage judges don't seem to be at home to Captain Approximate. Not exactly the Carl Hester way I suspect! Still it keeps Ernie interested and if honest I think he does enjoy it - I just want him to keep moving forward. We need to work on suppleness and I need to focus a little more on contact.
Been getting him out hacking a bit more again - making new friends. In so doing I have decided he really needs to learn some manners! His competitiveness is back in spades with some very high bucking should anyone overtake where he thinks its time for a canter, or should they actually try and lead in the canter. We tried cantering side by side with Nero this weekend, that's shows promise, but first of all you have to stay on through the transition!
Methinks perhaps I let him stretch to the gallop a little too frequently.
Have finally achieved join-up with Ernie, ironically by accident but hey, we got there. After some rather clumsy, slightly over-assertive, body language on my part during a lunging session down at Slades, Ernie decides that we're gonna do join-up, and so proceeds to come-in and stand at my shoulder ..... thankfully I spot the offer and exploit, 15 minutes of free walking and following me around the pen in great sweeping arcs ensues. How many years have I wanted to do that with a horse? I could have cried. Aaah, me and my luvverly pony! This is another example of my increasingly over-used phrase, "Ernie has all the answers and he's just waiting for me to ask the right questions".
So I'm trying to do a lot more jumping with him - lessons and on my own. I intend to have a bash at the August show - probably minimus at least. All this regular jumping is definitely making the big lad happy; this is something that is very close to Ernie's heart you can tell, be it from the interest with which he watches others jump, his willingness to stand quietly in the school while I potter around erecting fences, or to the surge of excitement you feel in his muscles as he locks on to a jump during approach.
At the moment I'm preparing for dressage tests, the last of the MM summer series. Am only doing Intro class at the moment as the Prelims just have too much canter work; we would be setting ourselves up for "a fall" (never a good metaphor in Equestrian circles to which my ongoing physio bares testement). We are definitely making progress, but the competition quality is rising with increasing numbers registering so the rosettes not so forthcoming. Not in all cases what I'd call intro level partnerships, but there you go. Also doing some more Internet dressage courtesy of http://www.interdressage.com/ - my last attempt available for view on my youtube page, going to restrict us too walk and trot.
So I have a very undisciplined approach to a very disciplined sport, I do not do lots of practise runs, just learn it in my head then do it. Could certainly do with some more exactitude around the guide letters and transitions - dressage judges don't seem to be at home to Captain Approximate. Not exactly the Carl Hester way I suspect! Still it keeps Ernie interested and if honest I think he does enjoy it - I just want him to keep moving forward. We need to work on suppleness and I need to focus a little more on contact.
Been getting him out hacking a bit more again - making new friends. In so doing I have decided he really needs to learn some manners! His competitiveness is back in spades with some very high bucking should anyone overtake where he thinks its time for a canter, or should they actually try and lead in the canter. We tried cantering side by side with Nero this weekend, that's shows promise, but first of all you have to stay on through the transition!
Methinks perhaps I let him stretch to the gallop a little too frequently.
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