Trailer Success at Last!

Trailer Success at Last!

What an amazing day! We played with Wendy's trailer.

The first two tries Dancer only put his front feet in, but on the third try he was in beside me.  I am so pleased!

We practiced walking on and off a few times then had a grass break.

I brought carrots and other treats in the trailer to help extend our time in the trailer.

I asked Dancer to go on the trailer by just pointing in the trailer. In he went and then he turned around and looked at me as if to say, ok I'm in, give me a treat! I got in and waited for Wendy and the campers. Dancer was content to hang out.

We practiced over and over, Dancer getting on the trailer by himself,  and just chilling inside.

Dancer enjoyed a great feed of grass as we watched the campers learn to load a horse.

The young campers were very impressive. Billy and Bailey were also patient with their charges as they played with the trailer, loading and unloading.  They learned how to load on both a step up trailer and a ramp trailer. The girls certainly have learned a lot about handling horses naturally!

While we didn't ride today, I certainly played many Parelli games with the trailer. What a successful day.

Practice Makes Perfect!

Plenty of Practice

The last three days have been awesome! Dancer and I are practising all the lessons Melanie has set out for us.

Tuesday we practiced for over 1/2 an hour and that was plenty! We were exhausted from Monday's lesson. We played with our Parelli games outside, waiting for the pony camp to finish up for lunch. Then it was ten minutes of trotting like a 17 hand Hanoverian before Dancer started to become supple. 

I was so pleased. His head came down and he was so smooth and responsive, riding was a dream. He enjoyed a bath following our practice and the camp girls came to help out. I needed a bath or shower as much as he did. We were both dripping g wet with sweat.

 Dancer was so attentive in both his Parelli practice and the dressage practice. I found that he responds well to my hands low on his withers. The contact and the rut gum came naturally. We spent some time working the trot to canter transitions, back and forth, in both directions. I was particularly pleased that he didn't try to slide to the wall on the right circle. Much easier now that I am understanding half halts.

Wednesday was very interesting. We worked outside for twenty minutes. That didn't include the Parelli games we started with and his cool down at the end. Some of the challenges were the wind, the linesmen cutting down the trees on the side of the road, the footing is different, no walls and the heat of the sun! Dancer and I still managed to find suppleness with his lowered head. He was trotting beautifully in the figure eights. 

Otherwise, I spent most of the day working on horsey bags for the campers. They were such fun. I was pleased that I had enough letters so they could put both their name and their horses on them. It was a great way to use up horse fabric!

My lesson had to be cancelled as Melanie was unwell. Dancer and I went on as though ah was there and had a terrific workout!

First I played on line with all the obstacles the campers were using. I was very impressed with their Parelli skills. We played with the zigzag poles, the backing up station and the serpentine pylons. The campers were having greater success getting their horses front feet in the tire than I did!

Next I gave each of the campers a wee ride on Dancer. Then I rode at a walk, to save energy for my lesson, and played with all the obstacles. It was a lot of fun watching the campers progress in their riding. 

We took a snack break then Dancer and I  went on as though we were having a lesson. I am so pleased to say that Dancer immediately came down on the bit beautifully at a walk trot and canter!

When I picked my reins up at the walk, I didn't have to ask for a nice horse walk, he was already eager! This is such an improvement over his pony walk! 

We worked at a trot doing figure eights and circles trying to keep off the wall at a nice rhythmic pace. I hardly had to ask him to pick up the pace he kept up a nice working trot. I was very careful to keep the rhythm   and suppleness as we changed direction. I had to constantly think about this because as soon as I lost any focus, so did he!

Part way through Dancer kept tripping up on his back feet. I was concerned and  gave him a rest and that helped. Melanie told me that he would need frequent rests as this is hard work.

 Keeping the dressage whip in my left hand certainly helped with steering. We worked for fifty minutes and then I cooled him off. What a drastic improvement! I am loving the lessons!

Belly Buttons Away!

Belly Buttons Away!

We were ready, early for our lesson today. 

Dancer and I played in the sand ring. He did an exceptional job on the circling game, the turn on the hind from 22 feet and the turn on the forehand from 22 feet. We practiced the porcupine game and also backing up using the head and then the chest. I was particularly pleased with the yo-yo game. Dancer has come to me in the field, head down ears up and he did that with the yo-yo game. This has been broken for a long time! Success! We walked from the pasture to the stable sideways down the fence, then back up for good measure. 

Melanie's lesson was fantastic. We worked on the transitions from working trot to working walk and back. We also worked on his later suppleness and his other one too... Can't remember what it is called!

Dancer came down into the bit beautifully travelling to the right. 

I had trouble turning on the circle to the right. Dancer wants to slip to the left every time I cross the arena. Since we are working in a circle a third of the arena in size we had this problem frequently. The solution is to keep your hands very low, right on the withers and do half halts with the outside hand and leg. We also kept the dressage whip in the left hand incase I had to use it on his shoulder. This worked perfectly at the trot!

Dancer is now trotting like a 17 hand Hanoverian, with much less effort!

We worked hard on his suppleness. I started to really feel it. To encourage it I am to squeeze my hands in the reins like a sponge.

We then worked on the figure eight.  I am to keep the suppleness as I change and that is harder.  Dancer and I eventually managed one well enough that Melanie was encouraging by saying good boy, good girl over and over! 

Something interesting was occurring, Dancer no longer was popping into the trot. He found this easier than a working trot. Melanie explained that when I ask for a faster trot I am to suck my belly button in. This makes it harder for him to canter. It really worked!

Finally we worked on our transitions from trot to working canter back to trot... Oh and keeping the suppleness. That is when steering went out the window! Melanie had a solution for that...she moved over so I would run her over if I didn't get the steering right. Next thing I knew, I had put it all together and we were cantering three strides and trotting three, keeping the suppleness! I couldn't believe how beautiful it was! All I had to do to move to the trot was suck in my belly button and we had a beautiful trot! The transitions were so smooth!

Need to remember rhythm, suppleness and contact, my new mantra!

So much to remember all at once! Half halts (all three stages with outside hand leg and whip), squeeze intermittently as the inside leg goes forward, keep hands low and closed at all times and ultimately use your belly button!

Sunday's Practice

Had a lovely practice today. We played some circling games then sideways games.

I was particularly pleased with the sideways game when I was facing Dancer. 

Our dressage practice was a hard work out. Both Dancer and I were drenched by the time we were done. We practiced walk trot transitions, trot to canter transitions and worked on our rhythm and fluidity of the gaits. Oh and I can't forget  steering using half halts,  after half an hour of practice, Dancer was moving beautifully. I have so much to learn.

I am to keep asking him to move the ribs to also build his stifle muscles. They arecovered in sweat, even more than his whole body, which had sweat on it. Melanie says you want this in order to develop the muscle. We will be working on other muscles as we go.

I gave Dancer a bath to cool him off. Then I took him out to eat lots of grass

Things to remember from the last lesson:
1. At the canter sit on the hip on the outside of the circle
2. When giving pressure to move the rib cage, don't do it all the time, just do it occassionally to remind him to move it.
3. Do not ride on the rail. Bring him in about two feet. Remember to steer the horse using the outside leg and half halts.
4. Previous lesson, remember to keep moving the trot to a much faster trot. If he canters, work the canter before asking for thetrot again!
5. Remember to break up the ride with rests for both you and the horse giving a long rein.

Tomorrow noon is our next lesson!

Trailer Practice!

Trailer practice, means practice loading on and off a trailer.

Today we played with the trailer.  Before I went away, he was willingly putting two feet into the trailer and moving forward bringing in one back leg. It has been over a month and we are at it again.

I spent a long time playing the circling game and showing him the opening of the trailer.  He would sometimes put one or two feet. in.

It then tried leading him to the trailer and using the yo-yo game asked him to come in the trailer.  Again, I was only getting two feet in.

I also tried trotting him to the trailer and asking him to come in verbally keeping a light hand on the rope.  Again, Dancer only put two feet in.

One of the visitors to the barn came over and suggested I take a broom to him.  I laughed and said no.  I wanted him to like getting in the trailer.

Once I was on my own again I trotted him to the trailer.  He stopped.  I went in and kept asking him to come forward.  He did, and he came fully in, all four feet.  He relaxed for a few moments and I gave him a peppermint treat. Then I a asked him to back out.  He did it quietly without rushing.  I sent him to eat the grass as I was very satisfied.

Next time we I hope to get Dancer in the trailer sooner and for a longer length of time!

This is what Dancer would prefer to be doing!

Dressage Lessons!

Dancer and I had a great time this week. We have been practicing all of the lessons from Todd. Dancer is very responsive to the sideways game when I face him and have him go across the arena to the pylons.

We had our first dressage lesson with Melanie Thomson. I met her at the RR Horse camp. Dancer is loving it and so am I. I can't believe the difference in his gait and the suppleness that has developed, just from a few lessons. I hope to ride some dressage tests next year with Melanie!

Things I need to remember from Melanie's lesson:
1. keep hands closed and still.
2. Always give a bit of pressure with inside leg as Dancer's inside leg goes forward.
3. Push on the trot to a big warmblood trot.
4. If Dancer breaks into a canter, sit back, ride in a smll circle and work the canter, before pushing him into a trot. He will prefer the trot as he won't want the canter work as much.
5. Do lots of walk trot transitions to develop his muscles.
6. Make sure he is doing a good working walk when you make the transitions.
7. When transitioning to the canter sit back to prevent him from pulling you forward. This also causes him to use his hind quarters.
8. Use the dressage whip to move him on, first on the shoulder, then on the rump, and yes it reaches.
9. When it feels like a buck, it is Dancer figuring out where his feet are.
10. Use a third of the arena, the whole arena will put him to sleep!
11. Half halt to prevent slipping from circle.
12. There are three stages to the half halt, squeeze outside rein, then move to a small pull back of about 4-6 inches, finally a full pull back.
Remember with the half halt, use the first one, if it does not work escalate immediately to the next stage and so in.
13. Always sit leaning back at the canter, it really improves the ride.
14. Hold the reins between the second and third nub from the bit.

I had such a great lesson, we practiced it yesterday with great success. Next lesson is tomorrow!