Adult new or returning riders part 2

[theferry]

I thought I’d start a new thread seeing as the existing one is full.

I’m due to ride tomorrow. Maybe I’ll jump. I’ll see.

I’ve just been to see her. She’s still not really bagged up, no wax, back end been the same for weeks. She’s even bigger, which I didn’t think was possible. Poor girl, she looks so fed up in the heat.

@LunaNorth i can’t believe goal watch is still on!

I haven’t ridden other than a few happy hacks for several weeks due to injury. I’ve had a few nasty falls recently and have really lost my confidence but tomorrow I’m having a lesson and it’s going to include poles and small jumps and I’m very nervous but also determined. Getting older really does make it harder 3 months ago I was happily jumping a meter on my loan and now after falls that actually hurt I’m nervous about some 30cm cross poles

@PonyPlaiterhow is the training going?

Also, what treats are you using? I know views are mixed (to say the least) on edible rewards!

Having been vetted my boy should be arriving on Monday and will be “quarantined” for a few days so I’m thinking it’s a good time to get started on establishing ground manners between us!

And as always, @LunaNorthany progress??

There’s progress…her bag is swelling up a bit more.

No sign of any hostage release yet though 😬

Sorry 😳

Oh brilliant, progress is progress!

how is she doing?

Chico has arrived!!
Turns out he is a chatterbox! He’s currently being quarantined before he meets some field mates, and he’s clearly keen to get out.
I need to get a saddle fitted so it’s just in hand bonding for now so we spent some time in the school to stretch his legs.
he’s a typical cob and needs to learn about personal space and some manners but equally a new yard and people is a lot to take in and he needs to adjust etc.

He’s very handsome @Hereforthedramaz - he will be testing the boundaries so lots of groundwork and high expectations of good manners will pay dividends in the future. Timmy wondered if picking his feet up might be optional in a new home but dd helped me remind him that he knew perfectly well how to do it and now he’s fine 🤔

Thank you @Pleasedontdothatit’s reassuring to know it’s a stage most go through!

it sounds like your daughter was fantastic but did you also come across or use any particular resources for these basic manners? I know consistency is critical and the number of different views/ plans is overwhelming so I need to find one plan etc and stick with it!

Oh my god he’s stunning! What a gorgeous boy

im using minty horse treats like these https://www.wadswick.co.uk/shop/equestrian/horse-feed-and-supplements/horse-feed/shop-by-feed-type/laminitic-foods/equerry-minty-treats-20kg

he loves them in his ball feeder but they’re also great for clicker training.

As for a training approach I’m sort of combining some aspects of natural horsemanship ideas of pressure and release if he gets in my space - get him backing up firmly with no messing about. Sometimes it’s just common sense, like getting him to stand until I tell him to walk on when we exit the stable. And then for things like picking up his hooves and standing to be groomed I’m using clicker training. It’s basically a mish mash of approaches but within that I’m trying to make sure I deal with him consistently. I would like to only clicker train but sometimes his bargy behaviour needs correcting instantly - there’s lots of children on the yard and he’s got to be safe. I think it’s working - we haven’t had any real behaviour issues for a few days now and he actively seems to like clicker training.

He looks lovely @Hereforthedramaz I hope you have many happy years with him . I’ve had my share of horses that push boundaries and my advice is be firm and don’t back down , they are big animals and you need to be in charge , even if you don’t feel confident you need to come across to the horse that you know exactly what the plan is .

@Hereforthedramaz very handsome! More photos when you have a chance? :)

Lovely looking boy @Hereforthedramaz am properly jealous. Hope training and rides go well

@Hereforthedramaz to be honest I’ve not looked for any formal resources as dd is so good with horses. She’s very hot on ground manners as she rightly says horses are too big not to be polite. It’s just consistency and having high expectations of them, as well as having loads of turnout, appropriate amount of exercise and not over feeding them - it means that she can go to stay away shows and take both her competition mares out to hand graze at the same time and they will both behave perfectly. I do sometimes feel a bit useless in comparison - I have been known to tell Timmy not to worry - the competent one will be back soon 😳 but the more I do, the more confident I become. I think I’d been a bit spoiled by her pony club horse who has always had impeccable manners - if he ever gets spooked by something when you’re leading him he does a tiny jump away from you and he always respects humans’ personal space. Timmy isn’t bad at all but going from never having to remind Paddy of his manners at all to a typical young cob who’d not had the same lessons until he came to us was a reminder of how important ground manners are.

I do like the look of the TRT method but wonder how easy it would be to put into practice without having someone there in person to adjust your timing/body language. I think if I didn’t have dd on hand I’d get some groundwork lessons from a behaviourist.

I quite like the bits of TRT method that I’ve seen. I really don’t understand his theory (ie in what way does it give the horse tools to relax itself), but nonetheless I can see the benefits of the basic exercises with DHorse. I like the elements of in-hand work as opposed to lunging, which DHorse finds stressful.

Have you tried 2 rein lunging? I’ve only tried it a couple of times but I much prefer it to normal lunging

No, I think I am not sufficiently coordinated and would end up tangled in the reins looking like Dewey from Malcolm in the Middle.

I have tried free lunging but even with the excellent trainer he looks noticeably stressed. I have video from before I owned him, where he’s being vigorously lunged in side reins, so I suspect it’s a negative association.

Well, we’re now in June, and still no sign of Folio.

Clover is now the size of a small barrage balloon, yet managed a fairly brisk canter the length of her field to get to her food bucket today, so she’s feeling good!

Sigh.

Oh my goodness, look at her! If she were human she’d be on the sofa with her ankles up 😆

Twins?

I've just returned after a 16 year break - and gone straight to part loaning an ex-racehorse. He's a lot bigger than everything I rode pre-break, and he's not done a lot since he finished racing, so it's been a big adjustment from the push button ponies I'm used to.

We're now 2 months in, but he's needed a bit of time off, so I think I'm probably still at less than 15 rides since I got back in the saddle.

He's not quite the dopey kick along horse I was looking for, but he's lovely to deal with on the ground and I'm getting used to his quirks under saddle.

We just had our second lesson together, with a different instructor and got some lovely, useful feedback. I just need to remember my diagonals... to be fair, I couldn't do them consistently before I quit either!

I’ve always struggled with diagonals too - only recently cracked it. The front leg on the wall is back when you sit, I think of it as me coming down to meet the leg coming back

well I hope that’s right or I’m doing it wrong and my instructor doesn’t tell me!

Hi @Lookwhoseinsideagaini struggle with diagonals too. And worryingly it doesn’t seem to feel wrong while I’m riding which it should do.

I try to remember out, out, up, so when the outer leg is out I should be up (I’m not even 100% sure I’ve even got that right!).

your loan sounds wonderful! I’ve got almost the opposite, a large cob pony who is currently working through a list of new things to try to get out of bay form or work. One day it was going into the indoor school or the stall, one day it’s just stopping, yesterday was being caught in the field etc etc. but the next day is onto something else!

but once you are on him, he’s a good boy other than laziness!

overall though you are on the ground with them far more than riding so your way around sounds better!! I’m finding these early bonding/ boundary pushing days much harder than I expected.

And @LunaNorthsurely there must be a foal by now?!

No!

<wails>