2013-2014 Horsemanship Journey

Kathy's notes on my notes from the last lesson:

1.      Try was sluggish in the beginning and we went ahead and cantered at 2 point to gain some energy. 

(Whenever a horse feels behind the leg and in asking them to become more engaged and forward, they do not respond or become more sucked back, going to a canter will often help loosen them up and build more energy.  It may also blow off emotion or anxiety the horse may have.  Then we try to keep the energy of the canter and let it drive the trot.  Sometimes this may have to be done a couple of times before the horse is willing to give the energy willingly.)

Friday Try was raring to go, had more energy than usual in the beginning.

2. Then we did walk then 1/4 turns on both HQ and FQ and KEEP walking on both sides. A new pattern as we generally do them in place from a halt. 

( one side is going to be easier than the other, so we work both sides to build muscle so we can help the horse develop more symmetry carrying a rider and learning to move more fluidly. Eventually you can do 1/2 turns at W-T-C)

I was amazed that Try had this right off the bat at the walk. At the trot we needed more swing of the shoulders and Try heavy on the reins. I was my cueing to be lighter.

3.      Then we repeated that at a trot as a turn on the HQ to lift the FQ.

(This is also known as squaring the corners of a circle and helps the horse lift the FH and swing the shoulders in the direction you are traveling.  Eventually this is an exercise that can lead to pirouette.  In jumping, riders use this to lift shoulders and swing into a turn in a more balanced way.  So many riders allow the horse to fall in with head & neck turning out and rider falling in.  This makes the horse  unbalanced and not ready for a proper take off from HQ engaged and pushing & lifting the horse over the jump.  In jumping it is called a poor man's pirouette))

4. We used partial displacement of the HQ to slow a choppy trot when going downhill especially. 

(Rather than slow & steady the trot with half halts in the reins, we used the partial displacement to ask Try to slow & steady the trot as she was falling out of self-carriage.  A week or so ago, you were lifting the rein to try and hold her up in balance.  It was not comfortable for Try, same with a half halt with the outside rein.  So as Try was taking direction but was above her happy rhythm, I suggested you use a partial displacement.  You had some trouble with it but was more successful this week :-) )  We are moving forward and exploring what helps Try the most in understanding what we want.

I used this once going downhill and it was effective.

5. We used cueing the outside shoulder: ??to steady her in her gait.

(When Try tightened in the outside shoulder, it changed her stride (shortening it)  I had you tap her shoulder to encourage her to reach and swing the shoulder again lengthening the stride and evening the

stride.)

I need help in identifying the problem so I can correct.

6. We used cueing with the outside leg for ?? more energy and to ?? 

(The inside leg is generally used to ask the horse to shape around that leg.  It is also used to cue lateral movement and to help move the horse's balance to the outside aides and stand up balanced.  The inside leg can also move forward to correct an inside shoulder falling in or moving shorter_ locking shoulder.  The outside leg is more about going forward and helping the horse get comfortable in moving in a stand up balance.  It can stop the horse from using drift or lateral movement as an escape. It also helps shape the horse around the inside leg by influencing the shoulder or HQ as needed.  Of course all must maintain forward attitude.

7. Try and I stretched in the canter for the first time and it helped so much to find a nice rhythm.

A horse should be stretched in all 3 gaits as it helps build topline and lets the horse explore balance in motion.  As a relaxed horse naturally carries it head a bit forward and neck out stretching the horse forward & down in all 3 gaits Helps them relax. After we used combing the reins, I asked you to begin to offer her an inch of rein to see if she was willing to follow the bit down and forward as you gave.  Eventually, you can stretch the horse to the ends of the reins, BUT,the more you stretch the horse down, the more engagement you need to help the horse maintain their self carriage and lift in the topine.  The power you get can be a bit intimidating to some folks not used to the feel of  real engagement.

I remembered to get a good trot--shaped--before asking for the canter. I was able to ask her to stretch a bit and also loosen the rein a bit and maintain gait/self-carriage--briefly.

8. I do not need to use the big exaggerated fluid rein to ask her to stretch.

(No, but if the horse is blocking the energy at the withers, it is a good tool to use to loosen them up again.  We have actually done this before with Try and very successfully with Key.)

 9. When she begins to stretch in the canter, I can feed her just a big of rein to see if she will maintain self-carriage.

(Offering rein, a bit at a time, to stretch the horse, OR offering your inside rein by pushing it quietly forward, like a release, is a test for throughness of the energy and self-carriage.  If the horse maintains the gait & tempo without change, you've got it!!!  If the horse changes anything of falls out...start over.