Having had the wee guy on a grass free diet, I somewhat tentatively put his name down for an eventing clinic (intro level only of course)
First day was SJ exercises - turns onto jumps, angled jumps, skinnies, even a bounce.
To be honest, he was very good, and tried really hard.
He did get quite resistant in the mouth to start, but improved.
There were also some problems in standing still....he just didnt want to do that....we had a few moments where I thought he would go up, and some leaps, but he did improve. I just kept him moving after that. But he was absolutely fine with the others cantering away, towards, jumping or going past him, so that was great.
Second day, being a bit mentally and physically tired, he was an absolute angel.
I was able to stand on the buckle, wander around on the buckle and he was just such a good pony.
We did, skinnies, turns, ditch, baby trakener, banks, some logs, a couple of mobiles, and the water.
He had a wee look at the ditch, but nothing major, pretty much straight over everything else apart from the banks down. He was genuinely concerned about them, but he did go in the end....was also a bit worried about patches of dirt and changes of colour in grass etc.
Water....a few strides away from the bank I have had a HUGE argument with him before, and he started to say no, reverse, about to go up, etc....and I CLOUTED him....."ooops, better go hadnt I".....and in he popped, and after that happy to go off the other banks as well, and over the wee log off the bank.
Excellent couple of days for him; he learnt so much.
And VERY good to know that being off grass was the answer!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Bucking Bronco - 26.11.12
The Midget Ginga had been getting quietly more confident with his jumping, Saarin having jumped him and found him very obliging, and said that he never questioned, and she never doubted him.
However, the following week he just seemed to be a little less confident, more spooky at the jumps, and jumping with a lot more 'suspicion' (concerning as these were jumps he was used to jumping).
Then the next week, he seemed a little worse, including stopping at the jumps, even in the middle of a grid (depositing me in the process)
I was starting to get worried, as I could not understand why he would be going backwards - nothing had happened to dent his confidence (to my knowledge), and he should have been improving. His resistances were also getting a little worse.
Then the clincher.....
Get on, long stirrups, long reins, chatting away.......BOOM!!
Real bucking bronco stuff, back arched , grunts on each post four legged landing, to repeat, no slowing down, no diminishing, indeed each buck bigger than the last.....I think I lasted about three or four consecutive bucks (which I guess is not too bad considering I was not AT ALL expecting that!)
Had no idea what the problem could be.
Hindsight!! - he had also been getting very grumpy to handle, would just about eat you if you brushed him, and just putting the saddle on was a death wish.
Thanks to Kelsey for getting on him....at which there were the couple of staggery strides....and some stops at jumps, with google eyes.....hmmmm STAGGERS!!
Looking back through the riding diary, after the time Saarin jumped him, I had been away competing with Sampson, and so he had been given free access to grass (having been inside and off grass, or yarded off grass)....and the weekend before the bucking bronco escapade, as Saarin had been home, he also had his tape moved each day....even more tummy length grass!!
So, it was back OFF the grass again, and onto dirt patch with twice daily feeds plus hay.11
However, the following week he just seemed to be a little less confident, more spooky at the jumps, and jumping with a lot more 'suspicion' (concerning as these were jumps he was used to jumping).
Then the next week, he seemed a little worse, including stopping at the jumps, even in the middle of a grid (depositing me in the process)
I was starting to get worried, as I could not understand why he would be going backwards - nothing had happened to dent his confidence (to my knowledge), and he should have been improving. His resistances were also getting a little worse.
Then the clincher.....
Get on, long stirrups, long reins, chatting away.......BOOM!!
Real bucking bronco stuff, back arched , grunts on each post four legged landing, to repeat, no slowing down, no diminishing, indeed each buck bigger than the last.....I think I lasted about three or four consecutive bucks (which I guess is not too bad considering I was not AT ALL expecting that!)
Had no idea what the problem could be.
Hindsight!! - he had also been getting very grumpy to handle, would just about eat you if you brushed him, and just putting the saddle on was a death wish.
Thanks to Kelsey for getting on him....at which there were the couple of staggery strides....and some stops at jumps, with google eyes.....hmmmm STAGGERS!!
Looking back through the riding diary, after the time Saarin jumped him, I had been away competing with Sampson, and so he had been given free access to grass (having been inside and off grass, or yarded off grass)....and the weekend before the bucking bronco escapade, as Saarin had been home, he also had his tape moved each day....even more tummy length grass!!
So, it was back OFF the grass again, and onto dirt patch with twice daily feeds plus hay.11
Kihikihi Dressage / Show Jumping 20 Oct 12
Decided to take the wee guy to the Pony club dressage / show jumping/ show hunter / ribbon day.
The plan was to do a couple of dressage tests, and a couple of show jump rounds.
I entered for two prelim tests, and the 70 and 80 show jumping.
We did our 70 with just a couple of faults, one in which I turned a full circle (crossing my tracks) before presenting him to the double. As the steering was still not great, and it was a tightish turn from the previous jump, I preferred to get him straight to have every chance to see what he was doing.
He did argue a bit, but jumped confidently enough for me to be happy to take him in the 80 round.
However, unfortunately our dressage draw clashed terribly so he missed out on doing an 80cm round.
His dressage was somewhat less than desired, and he was resistant in both tests, particularly the second one, although didn't ACTUALLY do anything awful. He worked beautifully between the tests, and I think to be honest, that by the second test he had simply had enough.
However, he was very well behaved in general, and I'm sure will only improve with each outing.
I think the worse thing of the day was trying to get on him for his dressage....what a mission - he was awful, and wouldnt stand at all, but we did somehow get there in the end!
The plan was to do a couple of dressage tests, and a couple of show jump rounds.
I entered for two prelim tests, and the 70 and 80 show jumping.
We did our 70 with just a couple of faults, one in which I turned a full circle (crossing my tracks) before presenting him to the double. As the steering was still not great, and it was a tightish turn from the previous jump, I preferred to get him straight to have every chance to see what he was doing.
He did argue a bit, but jumped confidently enough for me to be happy to take him in the 80 round.
However, unfortunately our dressage draw clashed terribly so he missed out on doing an 80cm round.
His dressage was somewhat less than desired, and he was resistant in both tests, particularly the second one, although didn't ACTUALLY do anything awful. He worked beautifully between the tests, and I think to be honest, that by the second test he had simply had enough.
However, he was very well behaved in general, and I'm sure will only improve with each outing.
I think the worse thing of the day was trying to get on him for his dressage....what a mission - he was awful, and wouldnt stand at all, but we did somehow get there in the end!
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