OK Where to start? I'll start with Sundays ride -
I got to the paddock late so it was sort of jump on and go! Sam was very upset, Sarah was riding and so was the pony owner so it was a little crowded but we haven't worked with the pony before so he was very distracted. I tried a few different exercises, pushing him out and bring him back at the trot, leg yielding on the long side and on a circle, cantering (very bad idea) nothing really seemed to work and I was growing very impatient so I got off. This was probably a bad idea but it is no good training when you are getting really angry so I figured this was the next best thing.
Mondays ride - better, we were by ourselves and he was listening well. I was able to leg yield on the long sides and on a circle. I also tried walk trot transitions at the markers. I really found this helped with him listening to me and becoming a lot sharper on the aids. Sam is very sluggish with the aids. I didn't ride for long probably about 30min. I hosed him off and took him for a walk down the road to help dry him off.
Tuesdays ride - MY LESSON! I will give Jenny another go. I had to go to her place which is only 500m down the road anyway. Basically Sam scared the Sh#t out of me! He was very worked up at Jenny's. So much was going on, school ponies doing a lesson, a horse being lunged in the round yard that was bucking and carrying on, a horse who was very tense in the arena we had to work in. I lead Sam around the outside of the arena so he could have a look at everything (there were jump wings on the outside that he was spooking at) I took him into the arena and Jenny came over which was handy. We had a chat about Sam and all his illnesses and then on I got. Sam was very tense and looky. When I pushed him into a trot I think it all became too much and he did a rear, pigroot, buck sort of thing. Scared me to death but it didn't unseat me and we just kept going like nothing happened. Jenny was really good we just kept asking for more bend, tried for a regularity of the pace, we even started shoulder fore at the walk. Finally Sam started to settle because he really had to start to concentrate on what we were asking. I saw and felt some improvement even though we had tension, he showed us moments of really nice work. That sort of lateral work I have never done before so that was interesting. I could really feel it when he gave me a few steps and I think the smile on my face surprised Jenny. I will go back and have another lesson with Jenny. I think it did Sam the world of good having to work with all that going on. I have the comp in 3 weeks so he needs as much exposure as possible.
I think Sam may have diabetes insipidus. I am trying to find out more about it. I'll keep you posted!
Sam is going to have tomorrow off and we will try again on Thursday with some work. I am thinking of taking up the road a bit where there is a vacant block. Sam gets tense around there so maybe I can work him through it. Poor little Sam!
The blog of a worry wort owner and her wonderful horse Sam.
2 comments:
Hurrah for you - you did two very great things - you stopped riding when you were feeling like you were impatient or angry - nothing good would have come from keeping going unless you were able to calm down yourself, and you just kept riding during the lesson and ignored Sam's acting up, focussing on the positive things you wanted to accomplish instead! By doing both those things, I think you give Sam more confidence in you. He will settle down in those distracting environments, but it may take time. Thank you for your interesting posts!
Thank you for your support! I tell you I was so scared in the lesson when he played up. I nearly hyperventilated at one stage but I focused on my breathing and just had one, two, one, two going on in my head to help keep my rythmn. I have another lesson next Tuesday but it will be a shared lesson with Sarah. I am hoping this will help him focus a little more. I am glad you like my posts, I find it very theraputic for myself!
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