Project Jim

[cirocco]

Well yesterday we had our first proper bit of work with little jim. Its going to be a new begining for us both.

I took him to the livery yard and he was lunged by my trainer.
Jim is as good as gold on the road, something that is so important where we are, because its straight out onto a main road thats  full of heavy waggons. Then it was up the bridleway where we met the cows and calves, two tractors and passed three fields with horses scooting around, he didn't even look!.....

The 'lesson' was our first chance to see what he knew, and how he coped with being on the lunge. [I dont lunge so it was my trainer who did the job] All in all we were really pleased with him.
In trot he seems happy enough, is responsive to the voice and soft in the mouth, there is no fighting or resisting, he goes really nicely in a good walk..
although he is very much on the forehand, [ perhaps because of the weight he's been carrying] his steps are mincing, he doesn't track up at all, doesn't use his back, is rather flat and elongated, and has no bend whatsoever..

Towards the end he was asked to do a couple of laps in canter, but he got himself in a right old tangle of legs.
He's totally disunited, and because he's not balanced he falls away, his head does not turn in to the centre but is held to the outside, I suppose that is how he balances himself.
Anyhow he wont be asked to canter 'ridden' until we can sort out his balance, we will be working on mainly walk and trot for now.

Today Ive been doing some in hand work with him,  just getting him to bend round me mainly, and asking him to go back 'something he cant do'!. so thats something for this week, getting him to rein back with the minimum of pressure on the rein.
Ill also do some long reining with him over the weekend.

We measured him when he arrived and he was just under 600 kilo, yesterday he was 518!! He MUST be feeling better???

He now walks on when he's pooing instead of stopping in the road!....AND I can pick his feet up and put his boots on without him leaning all his weight on me and sinking to the ground!!!!!!
Surprising what they 'learn' they can get away with eh....

He's awfully clean, ive not had to muck him out at all since he came, he poo's and pee's in one little corner of his paddock. But he is a scratcher.... his nice new fly rug he came with is in tatters, as is his face and one ear!....

Anyhow.....Onward and upward.

[shoveltrash]

i'm so glad Jim gets a blog

in hand work will help i think , getting him more 'bendy'/flexible should help correct the tightness in his back, which in turn should increase his stride and improve his balance

[Icy Lady]

Sounds like he needs a bit of help with his balance, bless him!

Will watch this blog with interest - I think he is going to be one very stunning boy ................... we need photos!!!!

[Wendy]

He sounds like a little diamond, with a bit of schooling he'll be perfect!  

ETA: Erm .... pics? 

[SNC]

It sounds so much like Cassie re her training.  Although she is getting better.  Second the inhand work, but I have found doing lots of transition work in walk and trot has really helped Cassie.  She does the same regarding not looking in on a circle although the more balanced she gets the less she seems to do it.

Also we have been doing lots of leg yield to try and get her to step under herself.  

He sounds like a very good horse with lots of potential    Just enjoy the playing  

o and second the piccies 

[cirocco]

This was jim at his first ever trip to the livery yard's school that I use, he was a bit whoopdewhoop when he saw horses hooli round next to the school, but all in all he was really good, also it was his first ever hack at his new home.awww bless.
The fhoenix is working well now that ive taken out the knee shim's, but ive to sit still because if I  lean the bloomin thing slides sideways because he's so round, its like sitting on a barrel which is why im wearing my B.P.

Dont know if you agree, he looks much bigger than 13.2.??

[whisper's mum]

Definitely looks bigger than  13.2hh  You are both looking fab! 

[Greybaby]

Sounds like this chap is going to be an absolute star 

He's looking good, and yes, definately looks much bigger than 13.2hh!!

[shoveltrash]

no WAY he's only 13.2!!!!   looks much bigger than that!
you make a fantastic pair

[Wendy]

  I like him a LOT.

He does look bigger than 13-2, he looks just right for you. 

[Diane Smith]

  He's lovely and yes he certainly does look bigger than 13.2, are you sure that's all he is?

I wear my B.P. every time I ride, it's the best sports bra that I've found too, 

[Amanda1950]

He looks fab  You look great on him, perfect 

[Wendy]

I love your huge school letters. 

[cirocco]

  It was jim's 2nd lunge lesson today. We hacked up as usual and today he met a poorly cow that had delivered a massive calf two weeks ago, but as yet isn't able to get up?????
Anyhow it was laying right next to the gate we had to go through. Willi grew to 22hands eyes popping on stilts and propped legs up went little jim and we opened the gate totally ignoring poorly moo.
Returning jim touched noses with moo while willi hid behind us

What a good boy, he's really growing on me now.... never thought he would when I was feeling grim...

He had a lunge lesson and because he's so dis united Jane asked him to pop a small cross pole in canter.
Well we know he can jump after he escaped over two strands of wire 3ft 6"!!!! 
He is really odd, he jumps into correct lead on the circle one way, but his hind legs are wrong.... He does manage to sort them out but cant get them right when he first canters. Going the other way there's not the same problem, he is correct.
Anyhow once he'd got the idea of the canter over little jump he was going on the correct leg.
He didn't fall on his nose today so that was something, and he's lost a bit more weight, im up two holes on the girth.
My H.M fhoenix is brilliant on him, using it without the shimm's works really well, its just like a regular show cut saddle now. It still doesn't sit in the right place on him but its as good as it can be right now.
We still have a huge wad of fat on his shoulder thats taking a while to move, im not sure how long its going to be before we can get a good saddle fit.
I bought the saddle that had been made for him three years ago, which previous owner was using on him when I bought him, but because its such a dreadful fit Im not using it. Its a suede close fitting show saddle, a nice thing but doesn't fit him... If we decide to show him, does anyone know how the fhoenix is viewed in the showing world....[ Im thinking of selling the suede saddle.]  any ideas...

[cirocco]

TODAY   he learned to 'reverse' in 20 mins....
OMG so fast I almost fell off with shock