Training Journal

[Baymair]

How's he doing after his big public appearance?

I'm so pleased that you've found such a genuinely nice horse, you make a great pair 

[spottyhorse]

I warn you now, this will be a long post!

I went down to collect Peter from Heathers on Friday and he seemed really settled, but still pleased to see me so I was very happy.  Heather lunged him before she rode and that fabulous trot of his was there!  Its massive and very pingy, I have no idea how I'm going to ride it 

Heather jumped on and Peter just looked so settled and happy with her, his walk is not his best pace but it has improved, he finds it difficult so just tends to rush.  Heather explained that the lateral work she has done with his will help the walk become more 4 time.  I was trying to take it all in, but when you are watching your baby horse go from straight to shoulder in and back to straight and then into leg yield its hard to sit there without your mouth open, staring in disbelief!  His trot is still his best and easiest pace, its very even and then Heather just asked for leg yield and they wizz straight accross the school, this is the horse that hasn't done more than 1-2 steps or LY in walk, truely amazing    He really does learn very quickly.  Heather also showed me that he has started travers in walk, again I was lost for words, I must have looked like a complete muppet!

Once Peter had finished I got to watch Heather work the amazing Rei, that is a seriously talented horse who really tries for Heather (Yes Heather, that horse was really trying for you!).  Now you wouldn't catch me getting on Rei, he looks very hot and when he's boinging around, i suspect if you grabbed the front end you may possibly end up on the floor    But Heather, the true proffessional that she is, just sits there, not phased and I think she just smiles, what a great releationship.  I got to see Rei do loads of movements, most of which i didn't recognise  :(  But I did notice piaffe, spanish walk, SI and travers, and levade although I'm not sure that was intentional.  Rei also has an impressive massive trot, Heather just let him go slightly down the long side of the school and phoar, amazing.

Onto the weekend, saturday, had to clean and plait two horses, but as we didn't leave the yard until 10 it was a lovely leisuirly start.  Both of the boys travelled well and were so pleased when we unloaded them to see all of that green, green grass, far more than they both get at home!  Gave them a leg stretch and then got Peter ready for his debut!  I was desperate to get into the vogue, and yes, it is just as nice as i remembered.  Had a walk and trot around the grass and road, tried to figure out the double reins, Heather turned up and gave me a few tips and said that I was aloud to take a contact on the pelham    Heather got on, walked around and in we went.  Peter was a star, not at all phased by the crowds (They may have food!).  Peter was really good for showing the rights and wrongs in the seat.  heather sits so quietly that everytime she showed how not to do it, Peter looked like a crab, ears went back, he started to shuffle and either slowed or stopped bless him.  There were loads of questions, the good old 'why hasn't he got any shoes on' which Heather explained so well, questions about the bit, the saddle etc.

The afternoon session wasn't quite a success, Amigo was a bit worried and on his toes but Heather and Becky dealt with him admirably, they stayed calm and repeated the questions until he settled and listened.  I didn't get to watch the whole demo as I was outside with Peter so Lu may do a quich run down???

Sunday, again, very sensible, until complete dimwit shouted down from the gallery and unsettled him, he was very spooked by this as he just couldn't see where the noise was coming from.  Heather got on and he was a bit naughty, but Heather sat still untill he settled.  I had to go and stand in the corner he was worried by and he looked alot happier.  Not once when he was worried did Heather hit him, get cross or sock him in the mouth.  She reasured him and he settled in under 5 mins, hopefully a few of the spectators will have taken note.  Once settled he showed some amazing trot work, and then got tired towards then end and stood half asleep bless him.  Fewer questions today, but one girl wanted to know how much is a strong rein aid.  Heather took Peter over and he stood his head over the railings with the girl holding his end of the rein and Heather holding the other so she could show the proper contact, amazing, I don't think the girl could believe how light it was.

Once Heather got of, Lu got on and took Peter for a little walk.  She came back and said 'I'd love to trot him' so i said of you go and she came back with a huge smile, not only does she want a vogue, I think she would have taken Peter home with her!  A young girl from our yard jumped on and wants a vogue, and a friend from saturday also wants a vogue!

Took him home and he was pleased to go out to the field, got dragged down there and the first thing he did was roll.

Went back down to rug and feed him on Sunday night and he was fast asleep, lying flat out.  Its alot for one so young!  He's had Mon and Tue of this week and I will get back to work with him this evening.

If you got this far your doing well.  Here's a picture of me on him on saturday morning, I look like michilin woman with my three fleeces on, it was really cold!

[shoveltrash]

thanks for sharing!  Peter did so well!!!    you must be ecstatic!
do you have any photos of Heather & Peter working?

[ludlu]

From my brief sit on DEAR Peter, he was very sweet, absolutely unphased by the car park or the mad lady who trotted him between lorries in the car park!  My favourite bit was when someones card board box flew infront of us so he dipped slightly towards in, flattened it with his left fore and trotted on, without disrupting his rhythm at all, ROFL.  Not many who a spooky box between a scary trailer and box on a showground wouldn't terrify! He's a true gent.

[spottyhorse]

I have a lesson with Becky tomorrow so i will let you all know how I get on.

Thank you for your kind words Lu, you see the cardboard box may have had food in it and by stepping on it he could tell, clever isn't he!

Lisa

[spottyhorse]

Rode the P on Saturday but the weather was to foul yesterday so i decided not to bother.

Lesson with Becky was cancelled as her poor doggy isn't very well.

Saturday was the first ride since he has come back from Heathers and he was as cool as a cucumber.  I rode him in the snaffle and he was so light.  I remembered some of the things Heather was doing like lifting my hands if he lent and it had an imediate affect of lightning him in front and raising his head carrige.  I also practised with the seat aids and he's now really sharp, I think I overdid it the first time as we turned on the spot, I suppose thats the difference between riding in the pheonix to a treed saddle!

Did a bit of SI and LY and the difference is amazing.  I do however need someone to clarify exactly what the seat/leg/hand aids should be, if you could that would be great 

As its a lovely day I'm sure I'll ride tonight 

[ek]

sounds fantastic.  What an exciting time you have had and your boy sounds like a star in the making!

If you look in the Ask Heather bit I think I read the same questions a while back about LY and SI aids and it was explained fantastically.

Just been looking and can't find it anywhere but I know I read it somewhere! ???

[spottyhorse]

Lesson with Becky

I had my first lesson with Becky on saturday and she is amazing!  If she can deal with numpties like me and Peter, she can deal with anything!

Started of with a quick walk and trot around so that Becky could see what she was up against.  I explained that I wanted to achieve which was a good downwards transition to halt from trot, easy hey.  Or not, Peter, bless him can get a little onward bound and then just dives onto the forhand through the transition.  So I had to raise my hands and keep my position secure.   This kind of worked, but Becky then introduced halt, rein back, forwards, repeat.  This made him much lighter through the transitions, almost as if he was preparing himself for the reinback before the halt.  Excellent!

Then onto canter, I explained to Becky that left canter is lovely and right canter isn't at all!  She agreed, only a few tweeks to my position in left canter.  Right canter, well, Peter wasn't playing ball, we got the wrong lead each time, I told Becky that I was sure it was all me and she was quite kind in saying that it wasn't.  We tried a few things like walk, a few strides of trot and then canter and the same on a small circle and he still wouldn't right canter.  And then Becky asked how our walk - canter transitions are, non existant was the answer!  So we started on the left rein and bingo, walk canter very easily.  Right rein, bingo walk canter with right canter lead    And to prove it wasn't a fluke we did it twice (With treats for Peter inbetween, happy pony)

Onto lateral work, leg yield.  We worked on slowing him down, he finds it very, very easy to go sideways to the right, but we had to do it 1 step at a time and properly.  Much better when we did.  Going sideways to the left is more difficult for him to step under but we did get there with a couple of great steps, a few more treats for Peter and we called it a day.

I don't think Peter or I could have done anymore, all of that was in 1 hour.  Talk about value for money    I was knackered.

Becky has left me with a list of homework before the next lesson that includes lunging, walk canter, LY, SI, rein back, transitions, transitions and more transitions.

I love it, if I could afford it I would have 2 lessons a week with her!

Lisa

[ludlu]

We tried to convince her to move in when she got here  .   She's promised to send me dates for next time ASAP.

Peter is such a cute bunny, I can inagine him taking it all on board.  I have same issues to left: still not getting anything to the left but right leg yield has been coming on nicely.