Sunday, May 3, 2015

Advancing through issues

I've been riding Delia every day, I not only need to get her in shape, but first I need to work through some of her issues.
1. She is green- but she learns fairly quickly; she is really making headway on the lateral work; today I was able to sidepass the box with her (5 steps forward, 5 steps right sidepass, 5 steps reverse, 5 steps left sidepass). Also got shoulder in and hip in.
2. When she is uncertain about something, she stops. A very quick stop. As in all 4 feet stop moving NOW.
In this video, she does that stop, and I ask her to keep going. It's a little discombobulated because she isn't ready for one hand on the reins yet.

When you are expecting forward momentum and she does this, I tend to tip forward, so this is where those big ole spurs of mine come into pay; a squeeze with my calf and spur and she carries on.
Those rowels are large and blunt, which gives a good area to diffuse the pressure.
3. Delia lacks confidence. I wanted to ride outside the pen to start with today, but she was giving everything the hairy eyeball. So back into the pen for our session, and then out at the end of it. We did some advance and retreat work, as well as incorporating the movements we had been working on in the pen. 
All in all, it was a satisfactory day. I got some nice soft work , barely had to touch the rein sometimes, and she is really light to my leg now; pretty much the only time I touched her with the spurs was on those sudden stops and at the beginning of our lateral work- she picked it up quickly and worked nicely off only leg.
I think tomorrow I'll do a bit more ground work and introduce her to everything she looked sideways at today; vehicles parked in the pole shed, a pile of timbers, in and out through all the parked vehicles, etc. She was much better on the trail the day I bought her than she is in my yard!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice boots! What brand are they? Really nice color too.

Shirley said...

They are custom made boots, made by Eddie Bigler of Eureka Montana- Blue Sky Boot co.

Montanagirl said...

Your Header Photo is fantastic!!

Anonymous said...

Love the new header photo!

Sounds like solid progress, and she seems to be a quick and responsive learner.

Linda said...

Your last statement is so true of all my horses--they do better on a trail than near home.

Your header is stunning.

Anonymous said...

Wow. He does nice work!!

CDH said...

Love your new header.
As you know, patience, practice and more patience.
And spurs are a wonderful aide.
The ponies seem to know before you even get on, if I have Spurs on or not! Lol! I think they do a once over of me! Haha! :)
Cheri

Buttons Thoughts said...

LOVE the header and it will work out they have to think it is their idea:) Hug B