Now for sure these would be more exciting if I (or anyone, really) was in the saddle, but here they are!! (All photos by
horselessinhalifax)
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| First jump on the line. Learning to use his neck, yay! |
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| Slightly bigger jump. Starting to jump across instead of up. |
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| Pats for being a good boy |
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| Working on landing over a BN jump. It's not perfect, but not a deer leap. |
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| Possibly the sexiest picture ever taken. Scope much? |
We'll get there. We've knocked out a couple of educational flat rides
this week and we'll incorporate more lunging over fences today. It's not my favorite concept ever, but it's obviously helping out the little dude. What more could a girl want?
That last photo is goooorgeous :)
ReplyDeleteYes it is a sexy picture!
ReplyDeleteThese are AWESOME! I love the pics :)
ReplyDeletedreamboat in the last photo....what??!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOhhh the last one! He looks great!
ReplyDeleteLunging over fences can be such a great tool, I know Sinead Halpin did this to my friends horse too. He looks fab.
ReplyDeleteIn hand jumping pictures always look so cool.
ReplyDeleteHe definitely has some serious talent!
ReplyDeleteLongeing and free-jumping can be such a great tool to help them figure out their body! (although remove sticky-uppy standards, heh)
ReplyDeleteUsing placing poles to help him center his bascule over a jump in a little chute, just rinse and repeat. Hey, I made a rednecky chute out of barrels and poles, LOL.
You did the right thing!!! He's clearly said in the last couple sessions that he is feeling a little overfaced and doesn't really understand the questions. As David tells me over and over, that's when we full stop and go back to tiny and slow slow slow. "Horses react very quickly, but they think very slowly." He is so brilliant at breaking things down! I was going back through those videos the other day, from our last XC school last fall, I wish I could take him everywhere with me!
Great pictures!
ReplyDeleteHe looks lovely when he uses himself like that. The free jumping is great for him....but I agree with eventer79 about the jump standards on the sides. You can put a slide pole up on either side to the line can slide up (set one end on the top of the standard and angle it down to the ground...acts like a wing and also allows the lunge line to slide up and over without catching on the standard).
ReplyDeleteVery often we don't realize how much our riding interferes with the horse's natural balance and abilities. It's up to us to figure that out and structure our riding accordingly. It's never really easy.
He looks awesome... go Courage!
ReplyDeleteOoooohhhhh I like the pic's!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking at the lunging over fences work, like I look at long line work form my pony and my mares. The basic concept is the same. Let the horse work out their own issues without us getting in their way. They learn how to use their body properly, balance and everything else, then when we get on, we just need to go with it. Stay on them, but not inhibit them.
Believe me, when I started doing long line work- I was not a fan, not happy about it and didn't look forward to it much. It was just one of those things I had to do. I looked at it much the same way you are looking at lunging over fences. Sometimes we have to back up and get off the horse, to help them improve for when we get back on.
Love the last photo!
ReplyDeleteHe looks good. Looks like lunging jumps should be part of the new routine!
ReplyDeleteC-rage looks SO so good on the lunge! I know it sucks to not be riding him over the jumps, but it's obviously something he needs to be doing right now, judging by those awesome pictures.
ReplyDeleteHe looks amazeballs!!! He's absolutely spectacular in that last photo!
ReplyDeleteClearly its the right way of attacking training, cause that last picture looks great! Lunging isn't as fun, but really helps them figure it out without us distracting them.
ReplyDeleteHe looks great!! Progress! ;)
ReplyDeleteLove that last pic!
ReplyDeleteHe looks great!
ReplyDeleteOh Papa, you sexy beast. Friend, let me know if you want to have some lunging fun!
ReplyDeleteYay! LOVE the last pic!
ReplyDeleteAdorable! And again I'm totallya fan on lunging over all the things. Gives the guy a chance to figure out all his body parts without us up there messing things up lol
ReplyDelete***DROOL***
ReplyDeleteI always love the XC pics!
There is nothing wrong with letting him figure it out on the longe. There's less for him to worry about so he doesn't stress so much about the fences. He's definitely looking awesome!
ReplyDeleteHe looks fantastic!
ReplyDelete