Schooling the Saffymonster

[gem]

My wonderful OH offered to video us schooling today. It was very warm so didn't do much at all but she was being a very good girl. To be honest I thought she'd look better than she does but hey it's all a learning curve! Considering she only learned to soften a couple of weeks ago I think she's doing well :) We're now working on getting her moving forward more and getting her to engage and step under. She's still not sure about a canter outline but baby steps.

I need to work on myself too. I'm trying to be lighter with my legs so I'm rattling on her sides more than squeezing, something which is proving harder than I thought! I need to stretch down too so my heels aren't constantly up. I might shorten my stirrups a hole and see if that helps. I also need to be firmer with her now, take a stronger contact and not settle for her not listening.

CC welcome!!

YouTube- Schooling Saffy 16/04/2010

P.S. I love the screenshot youtube has decided to use! :D

[Loony]

She looks good! Not consistent yet but it'll definately come, she's such a quick learner isn't she.

How do you get her to lower her head when you're halting? No one's ever taught me any of this and I know Bailey works in an outline when you ask right. Will ask the owner what his buttons are but would like tips aswell! All I know is you 'play with your reins' and then when they do drop their head, you soften your hands and praise?

[BEX101]

She looks fab. Have you been practicing you "individual show" for urmston and mottram?

[gem]

Yup I started the whole she-bang of getting her to soften just in halt. It took a while of holding the contact and not releasing it until she lowered. What I do now is push her on whilst holding a fairly tight contact (should be a bit tighter looking at that vid!). I have my hands wide and low at first and sponge on the reins (left right left right) and as soon as she relaxes I stop then continue as soon as she comes up again. It's usually fairly consistant at the moment because she comes up when I stop. It's all about riding them into the bridle and containing the energy and theoretically it should happen!

[gem]

She looks fab. Have you been practicing you "individual show" for urmston and mottram?

Yep yep!! :lol: I can't wait!! Urmston will be her first big outdoor show too. Really excited!

[Spockky boy]

I think Saff and Spock are twins!!! Looking at this vid they go very similarly!!! Shes looking well under saddle!

[Poppy and Harmony]

Spock, Saff and Harmony must be triplets then :lol: she reminds me alot of Harmony!

I love her little wiggly bum in trot :lol:

[silly mare]

She is doing so well, she is offering some really nice moments. the consistancy will come in time. I just love her ears, she is listening to you all the time. Bless her wee cottons.

Sorry if you have already done this but I thought this was a lovely picture, even though it is a wee bit distorted.

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q8/Redsetgirl/SaffyPicture-1.jpg

Alison

[gem]

Aww Alison that's lovely, thank you!! :D

Her ears are like little aerials! Forever flicking about to find something more interesting :lol: I think Saf, Harmony and Spock should get together and do some kind of triplet dressage :lol:

[Poppy and Harmony]

Poor H would be the odd one out, not being spotty and all :lol: Maybe I got splodge white paint all over her

[Spockky boy]

Yes poppy splash white paint on her bum, no one will ever know! hehehe

I think Mr Tibbs should join and then we should all get together and do a drill ride/dressage to music! hahaha

[Starsky]

shes looking sooo good!! what a clever girly! x

[gem]

:D

Thanks BC will give that a go. I hadn't realised how much I use my leg until I saw that. I want to be able to just rattle it against her, she responds a lot better that way. It's harder than I thought though :lol: I've gotten into the bad habit of turning my toes out too, hmph. Plenty to work on!

[My Crazy Clan]

Lovely video, looks like your hard work has paid off.

ps, is it just me or is she shaking/moving her head about quite a bit? (no offense attended)

[gem]

Yes she is but that's the point. She's falling into an outline but not consistantly so I'm constantly asking her. She'll get it eventually :)

[smellycat]

such an improvement! well done shes coming on a treat!

[Ginny]

Shes getting there!

Where you ask for an outline, also involve some pressure with your legs. This is to keep her hind activated. Once in an outline, soften your hands. That is the praise for her.

Her walks coordination in walk looks a bit off, ask her for a slow and more collected walk. Make sure her hooves move slowly, but also active.

I would also consider loads of transitions and tempi-changes. She leans onto her forehand and drags herself along. We need her to carry herself. I would consider doing this first before asking for an outline. Once she is carrying herself, you can ask for an outline (or she will already be in an outline).

As for your 'sponge' affect (left right left right), don't! This makes her shake her head and can be quite uncomfortable. Apply pressure with BOTH reins. Also a bit like a sponge.

Her trot looks a tad too fast. Collect it more. Always go a step infront of what you are capable of. It is hard, but it only make it better.

[amandaco]

she is a very sweet mare :)
bend bend bend and loads more transitions- every 2 markers do something.
dont be too focused on what her head is doing, be more focused on if she is looking in the direction you want and is stepping under. remember its leg to hand not the other way around.
the walk is very blocked- the front and hinds are almost diagnal in some parts- certainly because of the alternative sponging... you want to imagine squeezing her up and out the front and you just need to capture that energy with your hands- too much pressure and she is become stuffy, downhill and tense.
most of the time she is looking outwards or tipping her nose from side to side with your hand movements.
you want her to flex her body and neck- using smaller circles in alternate directions and an allowing outside rein will help her get the idea. once she is bending she will naturally be bringing her inside hind underneath more, rounding her back and bringing herself off the forehand into an outline. your hands will have very little to do.
she is getting an idea of what you want, but you need her forwards/active (not fast- count strides on a circle and practice increasing them or decreasing them but keeping the rhythm the same) and flexing before she can truely and naturally come onto the bit.
when riding practice getting her to follow the hand- change the bend and degree of bend, rememering that both hands need to allow the bend to occur.
wider lower hands will encorage her longer and lower but also ride her more 'up' her nose will certainly poke but until her back is stronger, that is ok. basically give her the idea where you want her neck and head without resisitance.
a good simple exercise is to have a good inside bend on the corners, straight on the short side and outside bend on the long side. she should move from each bend without tension.
she looks like a genuine willing and intelligent horse, im sure she will pick it up quickly.

[CityLights]

Use your entire leg to ask her to move off not just your heel, you have long legs and she is a little pony so you might as well make use of all of your leg, use your thig to push and hold onto her sides as well as your calf and heel, try not to lift it up too much or nag it looks untidy and makes everything look difficult and laboured

dont do the left right left right thing eitehr, it will make her snake her nose, use your outside rein only yo soften and then release when she has softened, every few steps reapply your outside felxtion and try tyo bend her half a cm out and push her on and bring her back in the pace to create more acitivity behind

100000% better tahn she was though well done

[gem]

Thank you guys, your input is much appreciated!

I agree with the sponging thing. At first I needed to play with the bit slightly to give her the idea of what needed to be done. I can see now though that it makes her wiggle so that's stopped. I had a go at sponging with both hands at the same time today (only when she needed it) and that seemed to keep her a lot more level.

I need to work a lot on my position. I've obviously gotten into a lot of bad habits so I need to focus on that before I can expect her to do what I'm asking straight away. I need to stop nagging her with my legs and push my heels down. I did this (well..attempted to :lol:) in my lesson today and I found it a lot easier to sit further back in the saddle and pretty much instantly she dropped down of her own accord.

Another big thing we're now working on is getting her to be really light off my leg. Because I used to nudge her every stride she's sometimes not paying much attention when I ask her to go forward. I'm now going to ask extremely lightly for an increase in speed and give her a big obvious kick if she ignores that. I did that in my lesson today and she was reacting a lot quicker by the end. She really is a very intelligent little girl :) I'm going to be really strict with myself so I don't fall back into my old habits. She's such a quick learner, I just need to keep up with her!