06.27.08
Curtin Horsemanship clinic goes better on third day
HORSEMANSHIP CLINIC DAY 3
My analysis of Glendale’s previous issues (see previous– Day 1 and Day 2):
He had been shut in a stall the whole time he wasn’t in class, so probably had some pent-up energy since he is normally used to 24-hour turnout
He is insecure in a brand new situation, especially around unknown horses (having very little experience interacting with strange horses)
He is insecure in a new environment (though he has been to Joanne’s before)
He is insecure away from his supporting Herd family
He hasn’t had me on his back often enough to gain a lot of security from me, although he is quite trusting of me on the ground and when in harness he listens very well to my voice
The third day was quite muddy in the ring; Connie in red shirt trying to keep Glendale focused.
My analysis of MY problems staying on him when he shied sideways:
I haven’t ridden him in very many challenging situations, though we have driven him through several challenges and even solo;
I am not experienced at ring-riding or schooling;
It came to me that I have not been keeping him solidly between my LEGS as I should have, supporting him with my legs. I have been applying my leg for speed changes and direction changes, but not so much for just walking straight ahead.
My new plan to create a better situation today:
I stopped giving him grain feedings, since he wasn’t working his body all that hard, only his mind, because any extra protein can make a horse hotter and potentially more nervous
I need to give him exercise at liberty, to loosen him up and get the edge off his nerves
I need to ride him more with my legs and not just steer with reins, as I am in the habit of doing with his solidly-schooled mother
I need to give him more voice support
I need to double-check the fit of his saddle, which he hasn’t worn since late last fall
I need to be more aware of his ears and what his body is telling me
Arriving early, I put the Australian saddle back on Glen to check its fit, and it seemed OK. Nevertheless, I add a little extra padding just to help it stay in place (before I used only a thin saddle blanket.) With Glen saddled, while other folks at the clinic are having lunch, I take Glendale into the vacant outdoor ring and turn him loose wearing his saddle. I had a lunge whip and got him to trot, to see if he bucked because of the saddle, but he was fine. In fact, he starts trotting a huge circle around me as if we were in a round pen, which he is used to. It was pretty cool because we were using only one half of the ring.
I enjoyed watching him trot at liberty like that, he looks so beautiful and goes so smoothly. I can see that having me be out of balance on his back is hindering his natural movement. I cue him to canter and he does so easily. I let him stop, slap my thigh and call him, and he walks in to me. I point him off in the other direction and cue him to move off, asking him to trot and off he goes. It was truly a close few moments with him, seeing that he was listening to me and doing what I asked and pretty much enjoying it, especially when he stayed in a circle around me.
Glendale feeling a little more relaxed…
It didn’t take him long to realize he could go down the length of the ring and be far enough away from me that he could stop down there and check out the other side of the ring. I didn’t worry about that much, I just walked over close to the other end and got him going again. After all, I just wanted him to get the kinks out and relax, it wasn’t a round-pen lesson, and mostly he was as cooperative as he could be. He came back to me when I called him.
After about 10 minutes of this, mostly trotting and some canter, I brought him out and tied him with a short tie off an overhead pole, which Joanne uses to teach horses patience and to let them become accustomed to hustle and bustle around them. He waited there another 30 minutes watching other horses and people come and go, then it was time to bridle him and go into the ring for the clinic. He was a bit jittery but not nearly so bad as the first two days; I tried to be more aware of where his attention was going, and to keep both my legs on him at all times.
He took 2 or 3 jumps trying to spook but I kept him straight and got his attention right back again. We started outside, the rain came, and soon we relocated once again into the indoor arena while the rain pounded outside. We were given new exercises, fine-tuning our control-of-the-horse’s-feet skills– 1/4 turns, 1/8 turns on forehand and haunches, back 5 steps while turning 1/8 of a circle, swinging shoulders or hips to outside and inside while walking along the rail, swing haunches to inside for a canter depart (NOT ME though, I wasn’t about to force Glen to canter!) I was happy that Glen trotted short spells for me and trotted more easily as we went on, starting to get over his fear of me falling off…
And that’s the one thing I didn’t do this time, I did NOT fall off! Granted, Glen did not make any lightning-quick swerves like he did three times before today, but I’d like to think that was because I was keeping him going straighter than before and more focused on forward, using both legs firmly, and also keeping him out of trouble. Ya gotta love these babies, but you have to think for them and take care of them too, so they can be confident in themselves.
Tom watches Connie and Glen’s progress
All in all, since I’m still walking and breathing and the horse still likes me, there were a lot of positive things that came out of this clinic. The exposure to all those other horses could never have happened at home, and that was beneficial. The indoor arena scary sounds had to happen sooner or later. Mainly, Glen and I became more in tune with each other, he is very light and responsive still to rein and leg, and I now have more tools and knowledge to draw on when riding him in the future.
Perfect hindsight… after the first day I fell off, I should have called up daughter Emmie for her advice! She could have probably saved me falling off the other 2 times, because she knows so much about schooling and maintaining a secure seat! Old mom had to go to the school of hard knocks.
