Just wanted to say a big thankyou to everyone for getting me thinking!
I have been reading all the posts on forwardness, on trannies ( sitions rather than vestites
), on discussion re the giravolta , and the slower the better to help engage the core , impulsive flexions, and also to Jeanette ( think she may be on here - another hippo owner) who said that you only came to realise AK was classical , when you had read some classical.
With Lottie - she has great core stability , but has not been athletically c-v ( cardiovascular ) wise fit - a point I need to address. I have found this difficult as , using an example that Sarah found that B ddnt like to hack as much as she thought once he had a choice) Lottie's choice would be that she really thinks it sacriligious ( excuse spelling) to canter over perfectly good food
In the school we got to a trot which has plenty of up and down ( I found it so hard to rise to) but not so much forwards. I didn't want to sacrifice the spring , and get forward and flat, but found it very difficult to get the transition within a pace - this is coming v slowly I think from SI then onwards, and also the "impulsive" flexions which PK used a lot in his clinic.
I have also been hacking, and using this as our c-v work - there is a lot more neg reinforcement here , though we stop for breaks etc and it is improving.I do need to improve her lungs ( and one day she may appreciate this).
One of AKs exercises for forwardness , is a loop , where you have a mat in the middle, go round a cone, using your hands as a tai chi wall ( important they don't fall in on their shoulder. Putting it into different terminology, the turn round the cone can become a turn, or half a giravolta, with the aim that the hind leg steps right onto their body in order to push off, and get extra impulsion towards the mat ( or bucket ) or whatever.
This weekend I went to a clinic - ( not pos reinforcement) and learnt loads about my pony and myself. I like the fact that my pony has "attitude" - her response to someone activating her hind legs in not such a positive way from the ground ( me on top). Her first time in an indoor away from home , and she came with me at liberty ( but "dressed") for me to get on. We certainly used the environment , or rather the instructor, to get forwards ( reverse to canter !!) , and it gave me a feel of what I should be aiming for. I learnt how strong hipos can be - and we might not talk about hands much - but to me it is always the biggest difference. ( some want up, some down, whatever). I have he bit quite low in her mouth - she mouths it and "carries" it - this was the first time she had got her tongue over the bit - reaction to what was going on - have never had a problem with whoa before!!
I met a whole group of new people who I am sure I will meet again, and had a really couple of positive comments about Lottie from a lady who knows a lot re natives, and someone else I respect and is auditing PK.
I am still looking for a sharer for Lottie and it gave me a lot of information - as allowing the horse to have opinion, may be taken as "naughty" by someone else. She travelled well, and was a pleasure to take. But... put her under pressure she is not used to , and she will voice an opinion.
What was the point of this post?
All your postings over the last few weeks has made me come to my plan. I want ( not sure if my pony does... but till we do) to do more Pleasure rides this year, so Lottie has to be fit. So.. we will do our fittening work out on hacks. And ...she will get hot and sweaty !.
And in the school, we will use all the exercises, and remain as positive as possible. We still use pressure / release - or rather call it feel/release ( that has a totally different connotation t)when ridden but kept as low as possible, for as long as necessary. Lateral work, impulsive flexions, combined with Aks exercises being the way ahead.
Thanks everyone for all the great discussions going on.
