Post by jacki on Dec 24, 2015 7:47:41 GMT
"Laura is a good young rider and is very sensitive to a horse's movement. I trust she will find the means to soften this horse's poll and spine in time. My advise is to not hurry. Laura can learn as much from the process she faces as the horse can learn from her. Therefore, both should take the time to get everything out of it as they can. The figure eight nose band, while sometimes useful in intense competition and very necessary for keeping a gag in the correct place in the horse's mount, is not important with a snaffle. This horse must truly accept the bit as and extension of Laura's hands. They must feel one another through the bit and reins as they do through the seat and legs. The horse, I feel, will enjoy the bit-rein connection once he feels the kindness in Laura's hands."
Laura has been working with Mac for a few weeks now on bending/softening his poll without the gag bit, figure-eight nose band and running martingale. She had been making slow but sure progress. Last week she was working with him, and I was watching from my car as it was 39 degrees and we had been outside for a couple hours before she decided to ride. He started out looking stiffer than usual, probably from the cold. She got him to flex his poll and put his nose down, but it didn't look natural to him, and he was obviously fighting her. Just as I was beginning to wonder if there was something in his conformation that made such movement uncomfortable or something, his gait completely transformed - it was amazing! This "heavy-on-the-fore" draft cross suddenly looked like a prancing Arabian or something; I've never seen him so light on his feet. When I asked Laura about it, she said he "gave in" and accepted the bending. She believes the gag bit and figure-eight nose band created the bend "artificially" - he never really accepted it. They still have a long way to go until it becomes normal for him, but wow that was cool.
As an onlooker, not a rider, I find this "inter-species communication" utterly fascinating. I love the Ray Hunt videos, too - very impressive!
Merry Christmas all!
Jacki
Laura has been working with Mac for a few weeks now on bending/softening his poll without the gag bit, figure-eight nose band and running martingale. She had been making slow but sure progress. Last week she was working with him, and I was watching from my car as it was 39 degrees and we had been outside for a couple hours before she decided to ride. He started out looking stiffer than usual, probably from the cold. She got him to flex his poll and put his nose down, but it didn't look natural to him, and he was obviously fighting her. Just as I was beginning to wonder if there was something in his conformation that made such movement uncomfortable or something, his gait completely transformed - it was amazing! This "heavy-on-the-fore" draft cross suddenly looked like a prancing Arabian or something; I've never seen him so light on his feet. When I asked Laura about it, she said he "gave in" and accepted the bending. She believes the gag bit and figure-eight nose band created the bend "artificially" - he never really accepted it. They still have a long way to go until it becomes normal for him, but wow that was cool.
As an onlooker, not a rider, I find this "inter-species communication" utterly fascinating. I love the Ray Hunt videos, too - very impressive!
Merry Christmas all!
Jacki