tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10401355769279748932024-03-13T10:22:53.969+01:00equestrian notebookNotes taken after riding by an old amateur horsemanoldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.comBlogger129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-25215814724058016862015-07-10T00:42:00.001+02:002015-08-01T19:05:02.081+02:00Solene - july 9, 2015I have not ridden Solene for two weeks. We were alone in the large covered arena, fairly warm but not as hot as during the latest heat wave we suffered here during the last week. The lady who rides Solene mentioned to me that she had found him rather lazy and not forward during the two last weeks. Also, he has got a little cut inside the lower lip which she assumed to have been caused by her double bridle curb. So I had to ride him with a Pelham instead of my double bridle on that assumption.<br />
I was concerned by this issue of lack of forwardness, and I remembered a quote from JC. Racinet who said that: 'you should retain a horse which retains himself'. As I mentioned before, I had observed that Solene sometimes would 'retain himself' at the beginning of the session, i.e. refusing to respond to the leg asking for more impulsion instead of projecting himself forward instantaneously. I understand Racinet's phrase as something like:it is of no use to increase leg's action (including spurs' one) with a horse that goes behind the bit or even rejects demands for speed/energy increase. Rather, you should bring him back into slower action, at lower gaits (walk if at trot, trot if at canter), and ask him for just restarting into the next upper gait for just a few strides, and downward transition again. All this being even more effective on the circle. Indeed, it worked effectively today with Solene, after a patient, lengthy sequence of this exercise interspersed with rest at walk on loose reins, low and long, and lots of compliments at each upward transition. We ended the last 15' with a strong, energetic working canter which delighted me, because I had recovered 'my brilliant Solene' at last. Good posting and sitting trot followed, long and low. We stopped there and went back to the stables with some comforting reassurance as far as i was concerned.<br />
I could not determine which was the root cause of this problem. There must be something latent in Solene about it, since I had noticed issues of that nature several times ago, but lighter and shorter. Stiffness in the right shoulder? But were there additional aggravations?: Very hot weather lately? Did the minor wound in the mouth played a role? And what about the fact that the lady who rides him tends to ride him (too?) softly and contents herself with a forwardness which she never brings to the 'vibrant' stage, letting it instead perhaps close to sluggish in my view?<br />
Well, here are a lot of food for thought and future investigation.<br />
Horsemanship is made of this sort of ups and downs, the latter being challenges, not deceptions or frustrations to the honest, persevering horseman...oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-44315868054864796082015-06-23T22:24:00.002+02:002015-06-23T22:33:07.181+02:00Solene - june 18, 2015Empty covered large arena. Started with walk, with variations of speed, halts and reining back. Solene was not really forward, so I worked him on circles of various diameters, looking for bringing him low and long. When a horse retains himself, working on the circle is a great remedy. After 10', I chose to put him into canter rather than trot. I thereby applied an interesting point made by Le Rolland, viz. that it is often easier to put a horse forward at canter than in trot at the beginning of the session: when there is stiffness in the horse, canter is more comfortable for him than trot, because walk and canter have more in common than walk and trot.<br />
It worked fine and we did a number of rounds on the large track, both leads, trying to increase impulsion with the seat, not the legs, going into circles each time the faintest resistance seemed to pop up and varying the speed until the canter became steady in pace and cadence showed up. We then interspersed canter with halts, transition to walk and back to canter on the four strides basis I mentioned earlier. This canter session took 15'. A rest followed at walk, loose reins but active strides.<br />
We went then into a trot session, and I could verify that Solene felt easier, both at posted and sitting trot. We went into a corner and worked on small circles (a horse's length diameter) changing hands, going on figures of eight, ending by getting out on the large track and asking increased speed with longer strides. The impulsion piled up in the corner work frees itself out in a lovely way.<br />
After a new rest at walk, we worked on the circle with shoulder-ins and haunches in or out, at walk. We then went into cadenced trot, low and long to get more elasticity in strides. Solene now enjoys working nose 'in the dust' and has acquired a better balance. He now longer stumbles, and knows how to lift his front feet to the level required.<br />
We started a new canter session, and went into the climax of the day, i.e. flying changes on the large side, not on the diagonal. We have been preparing for this for some weeks, mainly with the sequence walk-canter-walk, reducing the number of strides of walk down from four to..zero. It was a great achievement for Solene, and a deep satisfaction for me when we successfully performed three flying changes on the same large side. I felt this unique sense of rhythm that the horse will give you when being able to achieve this performance: it becomes wonderfully easy, just need to move slightly your weight from on ischion to the other, together with small rotation of shoulders and a slight sliding of the legs in opposite directions from each others at each change. Just delightful. I had in my mind at that time the superb videos of Oliveira chaining up flying changes; and I could understand why he did not attempt making his own body movements invisible, which of course he could have done, like most great Masters (Le Rolland was stunning in this respect): he surely wanted to enjoy dancing with his horse!<br />
We ended right there, with lots of compliments and pats to Solene, and a quiet minute or two sitting at rest before dismounting and enjoying a good grooming in the stables.oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-75420780939131921282015-06-04T23:34:00.000+02:002015-06-04T23:34:12.830+02:00Solene - Inspiration from the Masters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4NKAzHqnzwg/VWZD50CmZkI/AAAAAAAAALU/teUxqqjT6lI/s1600/cadre%2Bnoir%2Blerolland_cramique_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4NKAzHqnzwg/VWZD50CmZkI/AAAAAAAAALU/teUxqqjT6lI/s400/cadre%2Bnoir%2Blerolland_cramique_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In my research to further improve our work with Solene, I discovered a wealth of guidance especially relevant to him from a book by Patrick Le Rolland about his 'Principles for Dressage'. I have always admired this exceptional ecuyer - just look at this wonderful picture of the Master on his famous Cramique,TB!-but I had not read anything from him until I found his book 'Les Principes de dressage' written by JM. Vié, one of his disciples, and himself. His teaching placed an overriding emphasis on energy management in motion, constantly concerned with regularity, cadence, rhythm, speed, balance and their subtle interactions with a paramount, overarching search for relaxation and happiness for the horse. After his career at the Cadre Noir, and his impressive international competition successes, he had become a world known teacher, but as General Durand wrote in the book foreword, his writings are not easily accessible because of his exceptional riding gifts which enabled an 'instinctive' perfection in managing aids and an extraordinary tact.<br />
However, this warning should not be a deterrent for reading this book. The most interesting concept that I found in it is encapsulated in one of Le Rolland favorite phrase: ' keep what you have got'. My take on this somewhat sybilline expression is that any change in activity, horse position, degree of collection or bending within a given stride should not be done at the expense of a loss of 'propulsion', which I understand to be forward moving energy. One fall-out of this is that the rider shall never exceed what the horse can give at each stage of the training , even if this limit looks at times inferior to the rider's desire. Raising this sort of limit hence becomes the main objective of the dressage, through a well thought-out programme spanning over time, requiring both patience and determination from the trainer. Increasing speed, or pushing the horse beyond his comfort zone is never a solution for improving the situation. Another point which spoke to me is the search for relaxation through working with neck downward extension, nose in front of the vertical. I did found that this approach was quite effective with Solene for dealing with his shoulder stiffness/pain.<br />
Well, a lot more could be said about Le Rolland principles of dressage. I will stop here however, without though forgetting to mention than one way of learning from him is just to look and admire his pictures which tell so much as far as perfection is concerned...<br />
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<br />oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-13101359985886289672015-06-01T16:12:00.000+02:002015-06-01T16:12:18.421+02:00Pacha - memory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xPdrIjrAFXI/VUzu7LiOyYI/AAAAAAAAAK0/5FFhKitcLRU/s1600/entente.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xPdrIjrAFXI/VUzu7LiOyYI/AAAAAAAAAK0/5FFhKitcLRU/s400/entente.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
I learnt from his owner that Pacha passed away suddenly recently. He never recovered from the illness that he suffered in 2012, and was retired ever since.<br />
I shall keep a special memory from this little horse. He has been the only horse which I have worked in freedom, on ground, beside riding. The difficulties I had experienced in riding him at first prompted me to do this, in order to try and soothe down his anxiety which was a strong hindrance to get him calm and relaxed when mounted. It allowed me to get very close to him, and to build a kind of relationship which ethologists advocate for, very rightly I must say. We spent long sessions in the outdoor covered arena, working and playing in freedom. He was very keen to obey my vocal demands, and would stop, start, take whatever gait I requested. I particularly enjoyed him walking by my side, careful to keep at shoulder level, halting when I did, and adjusting his speed to mine. At that point, we could communicate in a manner that I would not have believed possible.<br />
I could measure the quality of our relationship the day when a storm broke out as he was free in the arena, with me standing in the middle: when the lightning flashed, he was afraid and came straight to me for shelter and reassurance.<br />
As I already wrote somewhere about Eole, my experience with Pacha has shown again that horsemanship is first and foremost a matter of sentiment.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman MT Extra Bold","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">'There is no secret so close as that between a rider and his horse'<span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
Robert S. Surtees<br />
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<!--EndFragment-->oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-11700496580451549622015-04-26T11:39:00.002+02:002015-04-26T14:22:46.055+02:00Solene - april 24, 2015We have been keeping focussing on cadence and impulsion. But last Friday's session has stressed even more than before how respecting his right shoulder aching is paramount, and that the intensity of pain might change from one day to the other. It convinced me that a very progressive warm-up was mandatory. Otherwise, if you ask him something that mobilizes his right shoulder too early in the session such as:<br />
- a bend on the right, he will show his pain by jerking his forehand,<br />
- a request to trot not gentle enough, he will go into canter, or try a sort of unrequested passage.<br />
- a request to speed up right lead canter, he will retain himself. Insisting may trigger attempts to defences such as kicking or bucking.<br />
As I mentioned earlier, all these observations clearly show that it is not bad will, but really stiffness and pain. I had taken great attention to this before but this time, I noted that he reacted more sensitively. Maybe it was due to the fact that he had spent the previous day resting in the paddock. And maybe also his hormones springtime surge may have diminished his patience.<br />
This pain problem seems akin to the one of Kelso, Mrs. E. Haillot's lovely grey that she mentions in her blog 'Connivence' referenced on my front page. This blog is a remarkable source of information, experience and education towards the'Belle Equitation' that I use much. I warmly encourage anyone dedicated to good horsemanship in reading and watching it as one of the best dressage diary that I ever found.<br />
Coming back to Solene, and following E.H method, I looked for descente d'encolure on very light contact, and walked him for ten minutes without any other request than a few halts, followed or not by three strides reining back, mainly on the main track, with a few voltes in the corners. I did the same in trot, trying to transition from walk to trot without change in his low head carriage. A few halts again, with a few reining back followed by reversing immediately into trot. This lasted 15 ' and worked beautifully. I could feel Solene relaxing while at the same time gaining rhythm and cadence as well as elasticity in his strides. I could then go into 'regular' work, with shoulder-ins at walk and trot, transition canter/walk/canter on both leads, La Gueriniere'square etc..and good speed variations at posting trot, nearing at times extended trot. We ended up with a canter half pirouette on the right lead, and a lovely doux passage and then a long free walk on looped reins and a several minutes quiet halt to finish.<br />
Lots of patting on the whithers and the croup, a few carrots and a good brushing in the stall after a lot of rolling in the straw were the reward of an excellent and instructive session.<br />
<br />oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-53339806522943684642015-04-10T19:22:00.002+02:002015-04-27T09:35:12.337+02:00Solene - april 10, 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Since the previous post, we have worked on improving cadence. The first point to recognize is that cadence requires impulsion, but is not a given once impulsion is here. In a way impulsion is raw energy, and cadence is the outcome of controlled, driven energy, as shown in a sketch I did from a Cadre Noir exhibition. With Solene, cadence needs to be established straight from the beginning of the session. Following S. advice (S. is the former national show-jumper who is a manager of the barn - I mentioned him previously on this blog, as an excellent advisor), I reduced the length of the walk initial section of the hour, looking only for energetic strides with a few flexions and descente d'encolure, and then I went straight into posting trot at a very brisk pace, with variations of speeds (accelerating on the large diagonal, slowering down on the short sides). At the start of this exercise, Solene speeded up with some precipitated strides, and sought for gaining speeds by 'knitting strides' multiplying them instead of extending them into longer, controlled strides. The latter is precisely what I want to get from him. Applying Oliveira's advice about the importance of the role of the rider's small of the back, I tried to use my back at each sitting in the saddle, making myself 'heavier' in the saddle at each sitting. 'Heavier' of course is not a proper word, just an image of sitting a tat longer, on a flat and deep seat, with a slight pressure from the calves. After a while, I felt a level of energy in Solene's pace which allowed me to let his head go lower, his neck longer on a soft contact and I felt like driving him with my seat only. And I suddenly felt his front legs extending more and his back limbs pushing harder - cadence was there! This is a delightful impression for the rider, especially on Iberians who are so often, and wrongly, taxed of being almost unable to deliver extended trot...<br />
The beauty with cadence is that it is not only a physical feature, but perhaps more importantly a psychological disposition adopted by the horse under impulsion and leading to the graal of the vibrating, brilliant animal that all horsemen are looking for. Once cadence is inside the horse's mind, everything becomes easier and more brilliant.<br />
I could verify this by asking him, after a delightful canter session, two pirouettes at each lead which were surprisingly successful, and a passage that was a dream compared to what he had already given me earlier. In both exercise, the big change was the rhythm of course, but also the wonderful willingness of the horse to go through the figure without slackening energy.<br />
S. was pleased with these results, I was just delighted, and I think that Solene, who ended up with an impeccable square halt after a long free walk, reins looping as a reward, was happy too.<br />
A bunch of carrot was the prize for him back in the stable, with lot of kind, soft compliments from me and scratching on the whithers and patting on the croup which are his favorite treats.oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-67146554307786908822015-04-01T23:18:00.001+02:002015-04-01T23:18:36.964+02:00Solene - march 27, 2015Large indoor arena, empty. Focus of the day was cadence. Like many Iberian horses I believe, Solene can easily loose or miss cadence. It is necessary to mobilize him at the beginning of the session, building up impulsion and ensuring contact with the mouth. We started the walk session with energetic strides, horizontal neck and dialog between fingers and mouth, with lateral neck flexions from time to time, then seeking neck extension. Shoulder-ins on the left, and very light and moderate on the right which is his 'painful side'. At the beginning, he shows that any movement involving bending on the right is aching by a little jerk of the shoulder. It is clearly not bad will or defense, pain instead which soothes only after warm-up.<br />
Then, 10' posting trot at rather brisk speed, with variations and change of leads. Progressively I try to let his neck stretch out and down, with light contact and nose far out, not in the dust. I keep an eye on his stability, regarding the risk of stumbling that he showed when we first met. This seems to improve clearly, and he keeps his balance on this type of attitude much better know.<br />
Then some reining backs between sitting trot and walk sequence. Still not perfect: his first response is too often raising his head. I try to work this with asking reining back immediately after very slow walk, which seems to produce some effect.<br />
Canter is as ever very good. Sequences of walk (4 strides) and canter (4 strides) around several rounds of the arena, with change of leads at each canter strike, works very well. Solene seems to enjoy this part as a recreation, and as a result, my aids become almost intangible, thanks to his willingness to play the game. For sure, a most enjoyable part of the hour.At the end, I asked him a flying change on the large length from counter canter to straight which was still a little fuzzy, but better than before. He has been used to flying lead changes on diagonals which invites the horse to change. But changing on the straight, long side of the arena requires more from his mind. The good thing with Solene is his straightness: even when changing lead not perfectly well, he will not carry himself sideways at once. I think it is me who need to work the flying change by a more precise, more delicate request.<br />
Then a few spirals at canter, which prepares him to pirouette. He is quite willing to do it, but his hindquarters need some more strengthening before he can keep sufficient impulsion and bounce till the spirals reduces to the pirouette itself.<br />
A few minutes at sitting trot after this session which has piled up impulsion, and a lovely passage over a few strides in lightness (mouth beginning to talk) as a delightful reward - cadence was there indeed!. We end with walk on looped rein, and square halt.oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-65584679768304037692015-02-23T23:53:00.001+01:002015-02-24T00:34:36.989+01:00Solene - february 20, 2015<br />
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Reining back is a difficult exercise. First, the English term is somewhat misleading, since it seems to imply hands moving back, which is not the solution. The French 'reculer' is more neutral and hence more appropriate. Many authors have written on this gait, with considerable divergences in views. Some will advise using hands and no legs, others the contrary, others combinations of alternate use of legs and hands, each side in succession etc..Even within the Baucherist chapel, opposite views can be found between masters. The issue becomes so confused at times that some authors go as far as banning 'reculer' by fear of 'acculement' (putting the horse behind the hand forever)<br />
With most horses, many riders manage a way to get reculer by 'trial and error' approach, fiddling with hands and heels, with no guarantee of correctness however. Correctness here means diagonalization, legerete, head carriage at 'ramener', no resistance, straightness and symmetry - all this leading to a fluid, supple motion with the horse's back not hollow and with regular strides which can revert immediately into a decided forward movement when requested.<br />
With Solene, reculer requires careful training. Maybe it is due to his right shoulder stiffness. At first, it was difficult for me to ask it from halt; he was raising his neck, opening his head/neck angle and getting his back hollow. The result was stiff and poor.<br />
So I worked this issue starting from walk, shortening and slowing down the walk to the minimum achievable while maintaining impulsion with vigilant legs, then without stopping, increasing the contact on the right rein ('demi tension') and at the same time pushing my right leg slightly backwards with a soft stroke, and a light touch of the stick behind the boot. Once the first backward diagonal movement was obtained, I loosened reins, sent him forward again and patted his neck with much compliments. After several days of this, we added a repeat of the right aids action, but even more lighter. I thus obtained two then three strides, controlling the left hindquarter side with the left leg at contact and if necessary the left rein lightly controlling the external shoulder.<br />
This method inspired from Fillis works quite well with Solene. He is improving by the day, and we can see the point where we attempt getting the reculer from halt at standstill.<br />
It is not the first time that I find Fillis' advice pertinent. I have to confess though that for many years I did not have much time for him because I was somewhat put off by his weird position shown on many pictures of him riding his favorites Germinal and Markir, and some seemingly harsh aspects of his horsemanship. I wrongly considered him as a curiosity rather than a Master. On the positive side, I was impressed though by his boldness and 'perçant', and by his love of Thoroughbreds which I share. I should also have given more thought on his influence on the Russian Dressage school.<br />
His book 'Principes de Dressage et d'Equitation' is in all cases quite pleasant to read. It is well written (thanks to the help of his friend Clemenceau) and full of practical, pragmatic experience displayed openly and honestly. And this little post proves that it can be most useful in practice! It is clearly worth having in one's library.oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-38424192505625078312014-12-22T23:19:00.000+01:002014-12-22T23:19:57.063+01:00Solene - december 22, 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Work with Solene is progressing well. It is time to make a first assessment of Solene's performance, in order to shape up his training programme over the next months. Our mutual understanding is developing nicely. He is eager to please his rider. His impulsion needs to be mobilized at the beginning of the session, after which his sensitivity and responsiveness is fully available, with a fine degree of subtlety. He needs very light aids, and responds to the slightest touch of the boot. Regarding the mouth, he still needs to get more used to lightness. He has been allowed/encouraged by his previous riders to lean on the bit, and keep a high head carriage. Consequently he can be still disoriented, and clumsy at 'descente d'encolure'. It is clear that he likes it, but he does not completely control his balance when his nose is down to the ground and can stumble slightly at times. I think I will have to go slowly in this process, and understand why it is so. The obvious mechanistic answers such as lack of impulsion, and too much weight on the shoulders do not seem to apply satisfactorily in his case. I tend to suspect that it is more a matter of getting used to it, even getting educated to it; he has to actually learn how to move forward without the 'support' of the rider's hand.<br />
His walk is getting much better, more energetic and he begins to be able to extend it slightly. His trot has always been fine since I have known him. His canter is a joy now: no more any four beats, lovely, light and happy strokes into canter, upon extra light aids: open inside hand fingers, touch with inside leg at girth, outside leg slightly behind, quiet and relaxed seat and.. he gets at once into a supple, light, comfortable, neat canter.<br />
His instant of glory stays with 'doux passage' which I can get now in 'descente de main'. Piaffer on the contrary seems beyond reach at this point.<br />
Solene can give nice square halts, but the rider must coordinate his aids very carefully: legs, pressure on the reins, belly navel forward on a deeper seat. Here, the improvement stays with the rider, not him!<br />
I have started a study on reining back which I will develop in a further post.<br />
To sum up, I can say that Solene is going to rank about the best horses I ever rode - a dream horse!oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-39812310572304791362014-10-29T23:28:00.001+01:002014-10-29T23:28:33.720+01:00Solene - october 17, 2014We were alone in the large indoor arena. Solene was quiet. We started by a long (15') session at walk. I am impressed so much by a video of Nuno Oliveira ('In His Words') riding a grey at walk, and 'twisting' his horse in a relaxed, apparently improvised way, in a wonderful fluid manner, that I thought a good idea to apply it with Solene. So, we worked shoulder-ins on both leads, yield to the external leg, with external bend, half-pass, pirouette on the haunches and on the shoulders - all this in a loose set of sequences, aiming at taking advantage of the instant rather than sticking to a schedule, looking for relaxing neck, poll and above all mouth. I was pleased with the outcome, since Solene adhered to this sort of play without resistance nor impatience. No more stiffness on shoulder-ins on neither side. Jaws became more mobile, although not yet chewing the bit as one can see on Oliveira's horses. This 'conversation' with the horse is something which I look for with all horses, but which is not easy to get with several and requires time and patience, especially when you are not the only rider of the horse. This is the case with Solene, who is also ridden by a young lady - a good rider, but more interested in 'modern' dressage than me, and hence less haunted by 'legerete'.<br />
A good rest at brisk walk with extended neck and head down on loose reins. Then, after a posting trot energetic and piling up impulsion, we spend the rest of the time working the canter. His canter is good at both leads now, and shows four beats strides no more. After 10' of straight canter with change in speed and circles of various diameters we focussed on counter-canter. He masters it quite well on both leads: we worked the following sequence: starting from walk, strike off on straight canters five strides, walk two strides, strike off counter canter five strides and again. We did this on both rotation rounds on the arena. He never lost his calm, keeping good head carriage and lightness. I was delighted. We ended it there, with a long walk on loose reins, lots of murmured gentle compliments and scratches on the withers, then a good grooming in the stables.oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-71426747644127872472014-10-19T17:11:00.002+02:002014-10-20T14:16:50.607+02:00Solene - august 29, 2014Last week session's stiffness aches, due to my body's inactivity, were quickly gone and I was eager to enjoy a new exercise time with Solene again. I was not disappointed indeed. We were alone again in the large arena, and Stephane was there to supervise our work. We started with relaxing at walk: frequent halts, variations of speed looking for extending the pace gradually. Extended walk is not Solene's strongest point, as indeed for many Iberian horses, but I was pleased to notice that he did opened his compasses without hasty or disorderly steps. We also worked some shoulder-ins, taking special precautions on the right hand in order to avoid provoking a resistance. This one is incidentally more apparent when doing the haunches at the same hand. No tension at all on the inside rein is of course necessary. But furthermore, it is good not to ask this lateral work with elevated neck. Starting with neck only slightly above horizontal is helpful. We did some halt followed by reining back. without legs. Good response.<br />
Then the work at trot went well. First posting trot during 10". I applied a recommendation I read in a book by V. Laurent, a reputable instructor who taught in Paris in the early XXth century. A retired 'sous-maître' of the Cadre Noir, he wrote an excellent manual for practical use, without detailed analysis or reflections, but simply aiming at providing simple and efficient tips for riding the French horsemanship. It is both unpretending, and yet full of solid culture: there is clearly a lot of measured Baucherism in the background. This particular recommendation is about swapping the diagonal of the posting trot every four strides as a means for straightening up a horse. It looks sensible and should be helpful I guess after some time. The sitting trot was devoted to circles of various radius length, spirales, changes of speed, transition to walk over three or for strides, halts followed by reining back and rebounding into trot at once. Stephane told me that I was asking too much bending. I reduced the bend and tried to keep it slight, but regular across the whole body. It worked well and I could notice that Solene's shoulders were light, and responded well to neck rein.<br />
The canter session showed a correct three beats tempo, with a tendency to speed up on the left lead. This could be easily controlled by seating deeper in the saddle, and some light demi-arrets. We did work at both hands on various figures, with circles of small diameters at the end, in the corners. As we were reducing the diameter of the circles, Stephane observed that Solene was probably not far away from the premises to the pirouette. Sequences canter-walk-canter were smooth, and the head carriage was stable and already clearly above the horizontal. Long session at walk followed to come down, very enjoyable with Solene bringing his nose in the dust, on a very light contact with loose reins, and yet keeping a good, energetic pace.<br />
As a now usual bonus, I asked him a short passage sequence, which he offered quite freely - a journey to the sky!<br />
We went back to the stables, where he enjoyed a good rolling on the ground, followed by a careful brushing and caring by me. As he is a stallion, it is not necessarily a good idea to pat him too much, because of the need to keep a 'dominant' rank vs. him. But grooming is a good surrogate for proximity and friendship building, and he likes it!<br />
<br />oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-81092972151681409692014-08-30T09:59:00.000+02:002014-10-19T16:53:24.269+02:00Solene - august 22, 2014I am back again in riding Solene today, after another year away from horses because of health hitches by me.<br />
Anyway, what a joy to be able to ride again! Riding must be an addiction indeed, and the want of it is definitely depressing.<br />
Over these past months, Solene was ridden by a few young people, all reasonably experienced. I found him quite receptive, and less cold than before. We were alone in the large arena, and could enjoy a quiet environment. After such an absence, it is difficult to measure the changes in the horse training and behavior, because of the impact of the rider's lack of activity and hence erosion of skills. Under this cautionary point about my own current judgement, I found more stamina on the positive side, and a stiffness on the left side on the negative one. This stiffness showed in shoulder-in on the right, when he resisted with a little jerk from the forelegs. Series of circles and spirales with a very soft hand gave a good result. His mouth has also improved, being less mute and in fact beginning to talk now and then. Last but not least, his canter is now no longer four beats, and begins to show a nice cadence.<br />
At the end, I could not resist asking him whether he would go for little passage - and he did it quite nicely, without leaning on the bit and with regularity. A wonderful way to reconnect with the joys of riding which I missed so much this past year!oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-82603715122721467532013-09-09T21:25:00.001+02:002013-09-09T21:54:47.662+02:00Solene - september 08, 2013<br />
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Solene has a brilliant pedigree. Above is his father, Licor, AR, full of stamina. Among his ancestors was Euclides, Nuno Oliveira's famous grey. Quite a reference and pride!<br />
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<br />oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-25163111814328413812013-08-30T22:41:00.000+02:002013-08-31T01:09:34.001+02:00Solene - august 30, 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have been obliged to stop riding for a several months. Since the last post, I could ride Solene only twice before this (too) long break. I kept visting him as often as I could, and have seen him changing and adapting to his environment. He was ridden by three ladies during that time, in a soft, and not too demanding way; He is in good physical shape, and his stallion temper is showing more openly. He has been stabled with no discrimination from other horses (geldings) and mares, which is good for his socializing and mood. However, although quite a nice character, one must be exert due care as with most stallions over his hormonal temper especially when walking him along in-hands.<br />
Under the saddle, he is quite supple and has no issue with lateral work. He is relatively cold, and one must concentrate on building up impulsion at the beginning of the working session before any attempt to collect him because he can give a false ramener easily while letting his hind limbs far behind. His trot is very comfortable, his walk needs impulsion to be encouraged, and his canter definitely needs collection because it is prone to fall into a four beats tempo.<br />
Currently, I ride him with advices given by S., the owner of the barn who is also Solene's owner. As I have perhaps already written earlier, S. is a professional, national level show jumper. An excellent rider indeed, but quite on the German side as for the horse needing to lean on the bit. He does not recognizes the virtues of Baucher's search of lightness as a prerequisite to everything else, and wants the horse to be first 'sent on the bit' and compressed before allowing lightness to be allowed as a consequence, a fall-out - the never ending debate between Baucher and the German school.<br />
Today, we had a good session on the outdoor arena with a warm, wonderful weather. I did abide by S. request to push him forward on taut reins (at the three gaits, with changes of speed) during about half an hour, and then I could ride him in lightness, in a lovely attitude which ended up in a delicious opprtunity for piaffer which I was lucky enough to capture rather nicely: a joy after all these months of inaction!<br />
Of course, while taking full advantage of S. experience and knowledge, I do hope to instill some more Baucherist, lighter horsemanship as soon as possible..<br />
<br />oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-61331122492964530242013-02-09T00:43:00.000+01:002013-02-09T00:45:58.175+01:00Solene - february 8, 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P3veJoehOks/URWMtOgXR8I/AAAAAAAAAHA/iaC5QfBwxsM/s1600/DSC05393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P3veJoehOks/URWMtOgXR8I/AAAAAAAAAHA/iaC5QfBwxsM/s400/DSC05393.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Since the</span> last entry on this blog, a series of unfortunate events have occurred. Pacha has been badly ill with pneumonia in April 2012 which put him off during a month.. He was treated successfully, but the first time I sat in the saddle, he threw me off immediately, in spite of advice taken from the vet and some preparatory work over a few days before. The consequences have kept me away from riding until year's end. He has recovered but not completely, and remains prone to infections. Because of his unpredictability, I will not ride him any longer. It took me time to come to grips with this decision, because of the special relationship we had established beween us during more than 3years of working together. I still keep in touch with him via some ground work, which helps his owner as well.<br />
<br />
Now I have resumed riding with a new horse whom I have been invited to share with her owner. Solene is his name. He is a handsome pure bred Alter Real stallion, aged 13 years.He is quite gentle with man and other horses. <br />
<br />
For anyone loving Lusitanians, it his hard to dream of a better opportunity. As can be seen on the picture, he is just lovely to see. The first rides shows three good gaits, a slight tendency to go behind the vertical with a mouth which is rather 'mute' at the moment. He has had a fair elementary training, and his ability to lateral work is there. The first objectives will be to get a more frank contact with the mouth, and then begin lightness work. A good programme in perspective indeed!<br />
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oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-73936730494860425612012-03-16T22:00:00.001+01:002012-03-16T22:04:23.389+01:00Pacha - march 16, 2012Lovely weather, when you feel Spring is round the corner. Empty large arena. F. with Milha and I with Pacha.<br />
Walk with snaffle reins, with some light lateral work (alternating LY in 'fish bone' on the middle line). A few good halts. Then relaxation with loose draw reins only, low head and neck. Walk at constant speed, looking for straightness on the large side as well as on 12m circles, using bust only to direct the horse on the circle. Some LYs, low head. Then trot , making sure that the head and neck do not move up during the transition. Oliveira wrote ' horse's head and neck raising during transitions is the antithesis of horsemanship'. So true!<br />
Continuining trot session with low head both hands, varying speed, many transitions to walk and halts - a few rein-backs well accepted by Pach, low head on loose draw reins. After 15' of this work, canter strikes in that same spirit on loose draw reins. Despite hot, Pacha kept under control and downward transitions obtained with belly button moving towards fixed hand were OK.<br />
Taking snaffle reins again, progressive extended trot. Pacha did quite well, keeping steady horizontal neck set and increasing stride amplitude and hind legs rpm while maintaining cadence. F. and Milha followed us, and after a while, Pacha trot was so powerful that Milha fell into canter to keep up.<br />
Return to calm at walk, loose reins. Before returning to stables, first attempt to ask for a jambette mounted at halt with a stick. Pacha has always been very fidgety when feeling hands doing unusual thing when on his back, and it was the first time that I tried the stick. Went OK except when passing the stick from one hand to the other, when a hint of panic was shown by Pacha. I could calm him down with soothing words. Touching each foreleg knee did produce a begining of jambette at halt.<br />
We ended there and went back to stables, happy and relaxed. Pacha was dry, with nice lipstick on his mouth. He had had a soft mouth during most of the session - no lower lip flapping at all..<br />
A good day.oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-82575235887991558232012-03-13T22:52:00.006+01:002012-03-13T22:55:47.147+01:00Pacha - march 12, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OxvLQs4zGNk/T1_Byr3KNJI/AAAAAAAAAGk/QtCBWICFyHw/s1600/IMG_5528+agr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OxvLQs4zGNk/T1_Byr3KNJI/AAAAAAAAAGk/QtCBWICFyHw/s400/IMG_5528+agr.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>"<i>Cultivate his (the horse's) intellect - I use the word advisedly - even before you enter on the development of his physical powers. Before a roller has been put on his back, or a snaffle in his mouth, he should be convinced that everything you do to him is right, and that it is impossible for you , his best friend, to cause him the least uneasiness or harm.</i><br />
<i>The first and most important step is surely gained when we have succeeded in winning that <b>affection</b> which nurses and children call 'cupboard love'.</i><br />
<i>Likely many amiable characters on two legs, the horse is shy of acquaintances but genial with friend. Make him understand that you are his best and wisest, that all you do conduces to his comfort and happiness, be careful at first not to deceive or disappoint him <b>and you will find his reasoning powers quite strong enough to grasp the relation of cause and effect.</b>"</i><br />
GJ. Whyte Melville, Riding Recollections,London 1875<br />
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This most interesting text could have been written by Commandant Rousselet, or by Frédéric Pignon or any modern ethologist adept of kindness and psychology in dressage. But it is not so: it was in fact authored by one of the most famous English fox-hunters in the XIXth century, and published in a remarkable book in 1875 in which he relates his experience in dealing with horses. It shows that equestrian culture ought not to be limited to dressage masters, and that extremely valuable learnings can be found from all great horsemen regardless of their specialty. Fox-hunting horsemanship is often regarded by 'dressage people' with a hint of contempt as a rough and ready sort of equitation. Whyte-Melville demonstrates that instead it can be founded on the same sound and subtle principles as any other equestrian activity, and that affection between man and his companion is the key of everything in horse-riding<br />
I particularly like the way he beautifully establishes the relationship between trust and comfort of the horse and his ability to understand the requests of his rider.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This reading is a great encouragement to me in the process I am engaged with in Pacha's training.oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-89271155105241581952012-02-27T21:40:00.007+01:002012-02-28T22:53:46.723+01:00Pacha - february 20, 2012Silk-ribbon reins - hitherto, I considered those exploits performed by Rousselet, de la Bigne and other famous Masters as sheer proof of their superior riding skills. The work I am doing with Pacha with the 'lose draw-reins only' opens my eyes about a quite different, and much deeper understanding of a key principle that I would formulate as:<b>'There is no limit to the lightness of the hand'</b>. Even the lightest hand can be made even more light, for example when using a silk ribbon which has no self-weight, that the hand must treat with extreme care not to break it. Similarly, the lose draw reins seems to leave you without any means of action - and yet, it works so well with Pacha! I am convinced that in both cases, this ultra light and fragile contact with the mouth forces the rider to substitute the seat/weight actions to the hands aid. The contact with the mouth is reduced to carry the messages from the horse to the hand, while there is alomost no reverse messages (or so tiny that they are restricted to fingers pressure on the 'rein'. The horse is then finding a comfort and a tranquillity commensurate with the extreme sensitivity of his mouth which is no longer affected by the hand actions.<br />
It strikes me that such a process produces each and every time a relaxation on Pacha, at the three gaits and even at the beginning of the session , when his hot temper could generate a legitimate apprehension to the rider.<br />
Going further in this line of thought, I now can understand the value of the bitless riding and even utimately the bridleless riding (with a neck collar only). Of course, measure and balance should be kept in envisaging these ideas. These processes should only be applied as a means of relaxation, on an educated horse that you know intimately (hence with which reciprocal confidence has been built over a long time), and as simply one of the exercises in a working session. I do not believe that those who claim that it could become a permanent way of riding, and schooling horses are neither realistic, nor achieving real dressage.I would go even further in dismissing the (weird) critics who would say that bitless riding is not deserving the attention of 'real horsemen' as long as it is practised together with conventional bridle/snaffle riding.<br />
To conclude, I suggest to learn from the example of outstanding ecuyeres such as Emilie Haillot or Alizée Froment who tactfully and cleverly incorporate this approach in the wonderful dressage of their respective horses. Here are two delightful video clips about each of them:<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoZ31XXvzcw&feature=player_embedded">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoZ31XXvzcw&feature=player_embedded</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwyHqmsAXRs">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwyHqmsAXRs</a>oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-69927998168551499442012-02-02T23:43:00.000+01:002012-02-02T23:50:51.659+01:00Pacha - january 30, 2012I have continued experimenting the work with draw reins only, in the manner described in the last post. It has just confirmed that it can create effective relaxation and calmness with Pacha. I start the session with 10' walk on the snaffles reins, with circles and a few leg yield and shoulder-ins, interspersed with halts with prolonged immobility (1') and a few reining back.Then, I let the snaffles reins looped, resting on the saddle pommel and and I ride with the draw reins, at walk first. I let Pacha's neck go down, nose in dust, keeping a very light but constant contact. The walk is energetic. Halts are easily obtained by stiffening the small of the back, letting the legs getting even longer, and pressing the fingers on the reins with a fixes hand. Circles and leg yields are obtained by my seat, legs and shoulders. Work at trot is producing an elastic bounce that I do not remember having got so far. Easy transitions to walk and halts. Canter strike-offs are just smooth. Downwards transitions to trot are also excellent and fluid, in a manner not met before.<br />
This lasts for 20'. Then I take the snaffles reins again and resume more classical work. Currently it includes the 'carré de la Guérinière': walk along a square (8m side), with a quarter pirouette at each angle. The bend is slightly inward just before the turn (shoulder fore), and is kept during the turn. The outside rein pushes the forehand into the new direction, while the outside leg controls the quarters. The inside hand is quiet, on a very light contact-may give a few vibrations with the fingers if resistance is felt. The inside leg is at girth, vigilant vs. impulsion. This exercise is done at both hands. It seems to suit Pacha well. It is worth stressing that this change of direction at each corner is described by Baucher in similar words in his chapter about 'doubler'.<br />
We also work another of la Gueriniere's movement, namely shoulder-in on the large side followed by a half pirouette at the end, and coming back 'croupe au mur'. We do it at walk and start doing it at trot. These two exercises seem to be good for bending Pacha laterally both hands. Lipstick is showing almost every time.<br />
We also begin to work on diagonalisation: starting from a square halt on the large side, four strides rein back followed by four strides forward, halt and again. The whole sequence is repeated two or three times.Straightness and calm are essential here. The aids must be exceedingly smooth, in order to avoid excitement which may show when inverting the movement from forward to backward.<br />
Finally, canter work is focussed on working on circles of small diameter, in a corner, and on spirals.<br />
The programme is thus progressively gaining in substance, and moving into more advanced steps.oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-42928950461560945962012-01-10T21:57:00.000+01:002012-01-10T23:08:45.467+01:00Pacha - january 9, 2012In seeking to stretch Pacha's back, I have been experimenting a new way with draw reins. I know, it might raise some eyebrows with purists, but it... produces quite interesting effects. It consists in riding him with draw reins <i>only( </i>snaffles reins<i> </i>looping, resting on the withers), in complete descente d'encolure (nose in the dust). Of course, nothing to do with hyperflexion. Here the draw reins are not taut, they are just maintaining a very light, constant contact with the sole weight of the leather. For the rider, it feels like riding almost without reins , like those ethologists who ride with a hunting collar only. You are obliged to ride with your back and your legs only. The reins feel like spider web threads, which you can lightly raise or lower, without resistance, and the horse's nose remaining down, without coming behind the vertical.You cannot use them for direction, which you have to manage with seat weight and legs.<br />
This practice has a remarkable and quick effect on calmness and relaxation. The cadence becomes more bouncing at trot.Transitions to canter are noticeably smooth, without the neck coming up further than the horizontal.downward transitions from trot to walk, and walk to halt are achieved with the back only, and pressing the fingers on the leather.<br />
All this was a pleasant surprise. I would not have expected such an effect with a hot temper like Pacha's. over several sessions, and even when used at the beginning of the hour, I have not seen any attempt to run away or other undesirable initiative taken by the horse in applying this process.<br />
It certainly indicates a sensitivity of mouth in particular which is much greater than I thought.<br />
I will come back on these findings soon...oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-43985301914833615562011-11-15T21:34:00.000+01:002011-11-15T21:35:11.771+01:00Pacha - november 14, 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rfn0VVvrO7E/TsI1kkp6DWI/AAAAAAAAAGE/aUXmfu7bDBI/s1600/2011-11+galop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rfn0VVvrO7E/TsI1kkp6DWI/AAAAAAAAAGE/aUXmfu7bDBI/s320/2011-11+galop.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pacha was begnning to settle down today. Good work at walk, nose in the dust. Steady sitting trot. And orderly canter, full of impulsion and yet rather round. One enjoyable hour.</div>oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-85443771627295251942011-11-12T23:55:00.000+01:002011-11-12T23:58:59.136+01:00Pacha - november 12, 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kuXtZiT8jmM/Tr73sbsZSjI/AAAAAAAAAF8/rY9EhfPAi-A/s1600/2011-11+apuyer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kuXtZiT8jmM/Tr73sbsZSjI/AAAAAAAAAF8/rY9EhfPAi-A/s320/2011-11+apuyer.JPG" width="306" /></a></div><br />
Despite his current nervousness, Pacha remembers a few things he has learnt since last year, such as this study of half-pass. 'Se contenter de peu' is so true in equitation, that seeing him doing some basic lateral work, even not perfect, at a time where his mind is hard to focus is encouraging regardless.oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-59098080844464341792011-11-11T00:20:00.000+01:002011-11-12T01:22:06.545+01:00Pacha - november 9, 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kPZVGqz7mpM/Tr28BIn5ylI/AAAAAAAAAF0/z11wb00k5-I/s1600/descente2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kPZVGqz7mpM/Tr28BIn5ylI/AAAAAAAAAF0/z11wb00k5-I/s320/descente2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The turn of the season is always a difficult time for Pacha. It looks like the transition into Fall has a strong influence on his temper. He gets restless again, his nervous lower lip flapping comes back. He can hardly be kept at walk when other horses are cantering around in the arena. The best thing to do is to have long walk and trot sessions with lots of transitions, and looking for good, regular cadence in an empty arena. I am content when I get him relaxed and low as shown on the picture and I leave the more advanced work aside for the moment, until he settles in the new weather conditions.<br />
I increase also the amount of lunge work. Today, S. was with me, and showed me how to use the Gogue with more tension. As I said, I was not too keen, nor much experienced in using this reining . S. adjusts it tight, and gets the horse to stay on a rather small circle (6m.), always at trot, never at canter ( with rest period at walk of course). He does not use the driving whip, just the voice, and the loose part of the lunge, folded in his outer hand, that he gently moves with a tongue click to get the horse to go stronger. He wants the lunge to be taut, the horse to stay on horizontal placer and to 'take his bit'. Speed is not the objective. The cadence must be energetic, steady but not fast.<br />
I must say he suceeded extremely well. Pacha accepted the exercise, and worked seriously.<br />
At the end of the session, I walked him in hand with just the snaffles, asking him a few halts, rein-back, and jambette. He enjoys this and I think he took it as a recreation after the work, which is precisely what I wanted it to be.<br />
As an aside, I am a little concerned by some bumps he has on his back, near the whithers. He has had this sort of subcutaneous spots since I know him when he was five, but it seems that they have extended, all in the saddle pad area. They are not painful and the vet does not seem worried, although he proposed no treatment. I wonder it may be one of the 'grey's skin diseases' such as sarcoids. I hope they will stabilize during many years if it is the case. Until now they have seemed less visible in cold whether, and I will watch this winter.oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-59109437306691529762011-11-05T01:28:00.000+01:002011-11-06T21:03:06.542+01:00Pacha - november 4, 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xBmWYwn_MWY/TrR8k29mHBI/AAAAAAAAAFs/slgikB2MNmo/s1600/ridinger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xBmWYwn_MWY/TrR8k29mHBI/AAAAAAAAAFs/slgikB2MNmo/s320/ridinger.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>This print shows the way that some old masters (Newcastle for example) were dealing with some resistances 'de force'. I realize that I have been unconsciously inspired by this beautiful Ridinger's etching...<br />
Pacha always has had a resistance on the right handside against relaxing his right mouth corner. I do not use the cavesson like in here, but I still find that the best way to fight it is using the right drawing rein in isolation, in a mellow and very short action, like a discrete reminder to relax, extend and lower his neck. The mouth softens each and every time then. Although I use it few and far between, I find it more effective than fixing the right hand on the right snaffles rein only. Of course, the latter approach does increase momentarily the tension on the rein, and is followed by a counter action from the horse resulting in yielding. But this does not entail the lowering neck action from Pacha with the same delicate response from him, nor with the same magnitude of extension.<br />
I know that this is probably not politically correct with the purists of Lightness Horsemanship, but I find comfort in this picture as well as in Oliveira's comments about the use of draw reins. Horsemanship is decidedly not a science and finding effective practical solutions is part of the game and the fun!oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040135576927974893.post-63031153740611871882011-10-07T22:20:00.000+02:002011-10-07T22:20:23.788+02:00Pacha - october 7, 2011I have applied the learnings from D'Aure's text for a few weeks now, and I believe we are on the right track; Pacha becomes more connected, and improves in extended neck work: steadier and straighter. It shows especially in lateral work, with steadier contact in LY and SI, as well as ability to keep the bend over longer stretches. Of course, it does not please him all the time, and his lip flapping comes back more often, probably showing his nervousness vs. the incremental effort requested. Today, the mounted session had a long ( '20') walking part, with halts, transitions from pas d'ecole to extended walk, SI, haunches inside and an exercise which he does better and better i.e doing LY with outer bend on the middle line, changing lead every three or for strides while taking care that the overall progression stays straight and sticks to the middle line. Similar work at sitting trot (15') with shorter duration for each lateral work exercise. Then, good canter, slow and round on circles and then at large.<br />
Before going back to the stables, we did a little ground work at walk: walk, halt, reining back and to end up, 'jambette' at halt which I have taught him and that he now does fairly well (at voice 's request). He seems to have gone out of the confusion he had been in at first, when he would tend to do it when he was touched with the stick, regardless of the actual purpose.<br />
As for lungeing, we have two sessions per week. I was advised by S. to try a Gogue reining. I tried it, and Pacha accepted it without resistance. I am still unsure about the real benefit of this, which S. places very high for improving back muscles. I have read so many differing advices regarding this question of reining at lunge for musculation..I will carry on for a while, and test the effect.<br />
As for our relationship, it is very pleasant. When free, without halter, in the lungeing ring, he will obey me at voice, and when requested to halt, come near me and stay there. The other day, I was engaged in a conversation with a gentleman outside the pen fence, and it was a little funny to see Pacha sticking to me during this time, as if he too was engaged in the talking!oldhorsemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336436770208891889noreply@blogger.com0