In the past 14 days, I’ve ridden Eli 5 times. We had a break after his stifle injections, of course. I rode the following weekend, but then the heat was beyond physically oppressive. I am pretty sure the mammalian brain starts to cook at 112F. I also had the vet check Eli’s teeth when he did Eli’s stifles, and Eli needed some mouth maintenance, too, so he got that done on Tuesday. I finally rode again last night, and Eli was F R E S H. But not for long because heat + sun will do that to ya.
So two things we are changing about Eli’s program: One, we are adding some rice bran to his diet. He eats it! YAY!
Eating the rice bran! from patentlybay on Vimeo.
Two, more contact at the walk. (More of lots of things in every gait, but contact at the walk may be the trickiest.) Eli accepts contact at the walk a bit grudgingly, but does okay tracking to the right. Tracking left, he gets a bit noodley, so I was pleased when he seemed more responsive on Wednesday evening about walking with a little contact going left.
Walking on the left hand from patentlybay on Vimeo.
Trying to collect Eli’s trot yesterday evening was less successful, ha! He did have a surplus of energy. I think today I may just leave him alone other than to keep him straight and let him move forward. Then Friday I can go back to the tougher stuff without feeling like I am just pestering him. Yes, I negotiate with my horse.
Love the new look of the page! (I’m pretty sure it’s a new look haha) I tend to negotiate with Whisper a little more than Amber since she’s a little more particular lol!
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It is! Haha just changed it up yesterday, thanks!
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I’m working on some more “advanced” flatwork too — starting leg yields and turn on the haunches.
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I love doing quarter turns on the haunches with Eli — I have to be SO deliberate, it really helps to slow down my brain.
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Riding is all about compromise! The horse I’ve been getting to sit on now and then has zero idea what contact means. I found with him I have to left him be a giraffe at the walk, trot, and canter in the beginning to let him loosen himself up, and then he’s more willing to hear what I have to say about contact. It’s definitely a slow process (especially when I only get to ride him once or twice a month), but he’s starting to get it!
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Eli definitely gets to jog a few laps on a loose rein before I even try to ask him to work with contact, too.
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That’s a nice walk, ground covering, and would get some good marks in a dressage test I think for a free walk. Not that you do dressage but….
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Thank you, that is kind of you to say! Jumping horses need dressage, too 😊
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