Today was special. I had the pleasure of the visit of my old Master and his wife who wanted to see Pacha's work which I had told them of recently. They actually provided me with their advices and recommendations during a whole hour - a wonderful , unexpected clinic!
They like the horse: sensitive and intelligent they say, with a lovely eyesight which is a key criterion not enough put forward when appreciating a horse.
We were alone in the large indoor arena with F. on Milha.Pacha had draw reins, no stick, no spurs.
We were alone in the large indoor arena with F. on Milha.Pacha had draw reins, no stick, no spurs.
We walked for 10', nose in the dust. My Master considers that for young/green horses, stretching the back, long neck out is essential. Pacha was quite warm, but did it well.
Then, sitting trot: cadence was OK, but head carriage slightly above horizontal. I should seek to get it lower, 'like a hunter on the way back from the day's hunting'
Canter was under control and steady. Here again, I should look for a lower placer, horizontal or even lower, with nose always in front of the vertical though-of course. 'In Pacha's case, the main issue at this stage of training is NOT to sit him on the haunches, (he is prepared to this by breed and genes) but on the contrary to stretch him long and get him looking by himself to a constant and gentle contact. Search for complete lightness should be momentarily put aside, in order to come back to it later with maximum benefit. He is too prone to give a 'faux placer', and curl upon himself. I was pleased to hear this from him, since it comforts my own appreciation of where Pacha stands on the training scale.
On circle on the right lead, Pacha leans inside (it is his con vex side). "Avoid opening the arm on the inside (right rein) when wanting to bend the horse on his convex side.No tension on the right rein. The bend must be obtained by the outer rein, acting as 'rene d'appui' on the neck pushing weight on the inside shoulder, and thereby preventing the leaning on the inside" (this is pure Baucherist view as expressed by Faverot). It worked well with Pacha, although a few gentle finger action on the right draw rein was necessary, and approved, in order to prevent his head carriage to go up too much.
Then we did lateral work at walk. "LY with outside bend is the mother exercise to all lateral work". I ask too much of Pacha, who is not advanced enough for large angle oblique. I should work on lower angle oblique, and ask LY on four strides only, very gently with the calf. "Do not bother at crossover and engagement magnitude. Just look at moving forward with impulsion, and deviating sideways, shoulders in front of quarters with bend in a quiet, relaxed manner. Move straight, reward a lot with loud enough voice - People today no longer congratulate their horse with audible voice".
Once these LY steps are OK, play with various sequence of two tracks exercises, losely and quietly accomplished as per the horse instant disposition/readiness/desire: HP on opposite side to LY (thus keeping the same bend, pirouette at walk, canter strike-offs, SI with HP following etc...
I realised that Pacha could actually do all this in a quiet way. The key is "Never ask too much -be happy with the slightest result and move then to something else -a lot of people bore or even upset their horse because they want too much, too quickly of the same exercise"
This sequence on lateral work reminded me of Oliveira's philosophy so nicely displayed on his videos where he moves his horse in all sorts of lines, directions, bends, gaits without any effort, nor resistance, man and horse fully relaxed and PLAYING together.
The last 15' were devoted to posting trot. My Master liked Pacha's attitude here, a good horizontal placer, finding his bit gently,without leaning but providing a 'mayonnaise' delicate contact. Pacha was quite good in fact today at this, and me very plesaed indeed!
As for the rider's position, "the key is to always keep in mind that the hand starts at the shoulder. The fingers can play on the leather, the thumb presses over the forefinger always, the hand is fixed and what moves is the belly button under a supple small of the back which is the rider's shock absorber as well as the center of command aid. Here again, full agreement with Oliveira with his 'I want to see busts, only busts on your horses'.
After this wonderful lesson, we pursued the discussion in stables for a good while. I asked Pacha to show his 'jambette' that I taught him recently, which they enjoyed, and I saw again that they had time for him. Their judgement on horses is backed up by so much experience and science that this is to be treasured by F. and myself!
I keep a lot of encouragement from this session, reassured that working on Pacha is not only wortwhile, but will become more and more and more rewarding over time.
This has been a great day!
Then, sitting trot: cadence was OK, but head carriage slightly above horizontal. I should seek to get it lower, 'like a hunter on the way back from the day's hunting'
Canter was under control and steady. Here again, I should look for a lower placer, horizontal or even lower, with nose always in front of the vertical though-of course. 'In Pacha's case, the main issue at this stage of training is NOT to sit him on the haunches, (he is prepared to this by breed and genes) but on the contrary to stretch him long and get him looking by himself to a constant and gentle contact. Search for complete lightness should be momentarily put aside, in order to come back to it later with maximum benefit. He is too prone to give a 'faux placer', and curl upon himself. I was pleased to hear this from him, since it comforts my own appreciation of where Pacha stands on the training scale.
On circle on the right lead, Pacha leans inside (it is his con vex side). "Avoid opening the arm on the inside (right rein) when wanting to bend the horse on his convex side.No tension on the right rein. The bend must be obtained by the outer rein, acting as 'rene d'appui' on the neck pushing weight on the inside shoulder, and thereby preventing the leaning on the inside" (this is pure Baucherist view as expressed by Faverot). It worked well with Pacha, although a few gentle finger action on the right draw rein was necessary, and approved, in order to prevent his head carriage to go up too much.
Then we did lateral work at walk. "LY with outside bend is the mother exercise to all lateral work". I ask too much of Pacha, who is not advanced enough for large angle oblique. I should work on lower angle oblique, and ask LY on four strides only, very gently with the calf. "Do not bother at crossover and engagement magnitude. Just look at moving forward with impulsion, and deviating sideways, shoulders in front of quarters with bend in a quiet, relaxed manner. Move straight, reward a lot with loud enough voice - People today no longer congratulate their horse with audible voice".
Once these LY steps are OK, play with various sequence of two tracks exercises, losely and quietly accomplished as per the horse instant disposition/readiness/desire: HP on opposite side to LY (thus keeping the same bend, pirouette at walk, canter strike-offs, SI with HP following etc...
I realised that Pacha could actually do all this in a quiet way. The key is "Never ask too much -be happy with the slightest result and move then to something else -a lot of people bore or even upset their horse because they want too much, too quickly of the same exercise"
This sequence on lateral work reminded me of Oliveira's philosophy so nicely displayed on his videos where he moves his horse in all sorts of lines, directions, bends, gaits without any effort, nor resistance, man and horse fully relaxed and PLAYING together.
The last 15' were devoted to posting trot. My Master liked Pacha's attitude here, a good horizontal placer, finding his bit gently,without leaning but providing a 'mayonnaise' delicate contact. Pacha was quite good in fact today at this, and me very plesaed indeed!
As for the rider's position, "the key is to always keep in mind that the hand starts at the shoulder. The fingers can play on the leather, the thumb presses over the forefinger always, the hand is fixed and what moves is the belly button under a supple small of the back which is the rider's shock absorber as well as the center of command aid. Here again, full agreement with Oliveira with his 'I want to see busts, only busts on your horses'.
After this wonderful lesson, we pursued the discussion in stables for a good while. I asked Pacha to show his 'jambette' that I taught him recently, which they enjoyed, and I saw again that they had time for him. Their judgement on horses is backed up by so much experience and science that this is to be treasured by F. and myself!
I keep a lot of encouragement from this session, reassured that working on Pacha is not only wortwhile, but will become more and more and more rewarding over time.
This has been a great day!
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