Well, I'm finally going back to the basics with Razz. Recently it seems that as soon as I get something accomplished with her, a new more dangerous problem arises. I'm hoping that in going back to square one, it'll help minimize these problems. As a few of you know when I ride hunt seat, I use a double bridle, and after a summer of observations and research, I've come to the conclusions that Razz might like work a little better if she liked the bit in her mouth.
I'll update this about once every week because of my winter activities. I play high school basketball and I'll only be able to get out to see Razz maybe once a week because of this. And I'm "banned" from riding during basketball and there are no shows during the winter to disrupt training, so what better time than now to work on her.
So to start I'll do last weekend first:
December 5, 2010
I pulled out the unused snaffle bit that was hanging in the cross ties. After warming it up a bit and some good brushing I hooked her up to the bit lunge harness. We lunged, walk-trot-canter for about ten minutes (I didn't want to get her all sweaty, it is winter out there). We worked on verbal cues. She's getting much better at listening to them and she's not pulling on the line so much any more. After bit lunging I unhooked the side reins from the bit and lunged her without them for a few minutes.
*and no, I did not crank her head into a forced headset. It was at a tightness that I believe was comfortable but still able to do what I needed it to do. Which was get her soft on the snaffle.
When I brought her back to the cross ties, I noticed that she was slightly foamy, I was pleased, so far so good.
I also worked miss cranky mare, aka Jazz, Razz's 30 something year-old mom. I only lunged her maybe 5 minutes tops (no canter) because 1.)she's really old, 2.) She's not used to work, and 3.) I was hoping a little work would get rid of her crankiness. It helped but only temporarily, ah well, she's only cranky, not mean. She doesn't bite or kick, she just glares and lays her ears back at you. You rub her spot, her ears actually go forward.
I'll update this about once every week because of my winter activities. I play high school basketball and I'll only be able to get out to see Razz maybe once a week because of this. And I'm "banned" from riding during basketball and there are no shows during the winter to disrupt training, so what better time than now to work on her.
So to start I'll do last weekend first:
December 5, 2010
I pulled out the unused snaffle bit that was hanging in the cross ties. After warming it up a bit and some good brushing I hooked her up to the bit lunge harness. We lunged, walk-trot-canter for about ten minutes (I didn't want to get her all sweaty, it is winter out there). We worked on verbal cues. She's getting much better at listening to them and she's not pulling on the line so much any more. After bit lunging I unhooked the side reins from the bit and lunged her without them for a few minutes.
*and no, I did not crank her head into a forced headset. It was at a tightness that I believe was comfortable but still able to do what I needed it to do. Which was get her soft on the snaffle.
When I brought her back to the cross ties, I noticed that she was slightly foamy, I was pleased, so far so good.
I also worked miss cranky mare, aka Jazz, Razz's 30 something year-old mom. I only lunged her maybe 5 minutes tops (no canter) because 1.)she's really old, 2.) She's not used to work, and 3.) I was hoping a little work would get rid of her crankiness. It helped but only temporarily, ah well, she's only cranky, not mean. She doesn't bite or kick, she just glares and lays her ears back at you. You rub her spot, her ears actually go forward.