This video is from April, and I don't believe I ever got a critique on it.
I'm also wondering (This is for those of you who have seen recent videos of Squiggy) if going back to this kind of work (snaffle bit, and aiming for her searching for the contact) would be good to go back to when I am able to ride. I want to just do stuff that I can do in a pen for the first little bit anyways, so I'm just figuring out my game plan.
I like the circles you were doing at the walk. I would also do those kinds of circles at the trot, encouraging the horse to push through the circle and drop his head.
I would also like to see more active engagement of "give and take". You seem to hold, hold, hold, with no guiding release whether his head is down or up. If he is just learning the basics of contact, you need to exaggerate the release a lot more. Hold, the minute he drops, release the contact entirely. Then pick up again. Otherwise he continues to get very brace-y as the end of the ride showed him getting worse than getting better through his softness.
I would also drop the reins completely at the lope until you have it through the trot. He's just bracing through the lope and not listening at all. Once you have him moving through at the trot better, I would do the same circling and pressure-release at the lope.
To me, it looks like she's avoiding your hands by putting her head up. Try quieting your hands. I had the same problem with my horse awhile back and my western trainer said to get really really long reins and have no contact at all. Just put her on a circle and let her seek that contact herself. Keep her at a trot just keep her going and she should put her head down. What kind of bit do you have on her? I'd possibly try flexing her at the neck by making her touch her nose to both of your feet. It'll really get her bending and relaxed. Don't pull her head much though, let her find that the release. Just do half halts with the side you're trying to pull her to. Only while you're stopped though. When you get good with all of that, try doing counterbending and bending. It'll help with the stiffness. If you're going to post, glue your hands to that horse's neck.
Such a good video - Im a firm believer that the horse needs a contact to be ridden into.... But it also needs to be soft but there...
Loved the way it talks about the elastic elbows... to me the contact is inconsistant and I think if you were to take more of a contact and to follow through with your elbows at the same time driving your horse to come through from behind he will have somewhere to go...
Hes a lovely horse and you guys look lovely together...
Im speaking from an english perspective though and I dont know how to ride western - its jest what I would be doing myself
Well without watching it, just the still shot of the movie you're leaning on your hands. Work on avoiding that.. use those abs to keep your hands lightly floating above the horse's neck, and your horse won't feel the need to keep her head up like a goose.
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