Our Progress

[Rips]

This is following on from the thread that I posted a while ago about Mocha's schooling etc.Try not to make it an essay this time!

Well to start on a good note, I've stopped using a martingale on her altogether. Two reasons for this, the first is I'm not sure if she ever needed one :o and also due to the fact that her head carraige has improved slightly.

This I think is mostly because of the thing I've been doing (suggested by Tootsie ;) I think) of riding with my reins held at the buckle and pushing her out until she uses herself properly. As well as getting her to use her back end better this method has an unexpected effect :D
After I first tried it, I couldn't shorten my reins at all and still keep her in the correct way of going.... I still can't :rolleyes: but when I do pick up a proper contact again her attitude is "Oh, we're using the reins again properly,time to work" and sometimes then on a good day her outline improves a wee bit :o

She since moved home, so havn't had a lesson in a few weeks and I'm not experienced enough to tell whether she really is working properly. I started not riding in a martingale for schooling on the flat, then last week I was hacking up the road to the arena (martingale-less) and neighbour was loading up horses to go to a show. He said he had room, so I put Mocha up in the lorry as she was (bold me!) and took her to the show, got a double clear and she went perfectly fine without it so I hope not to use it again!!!

Downside is that the arena is a fifth of the size of the one back at the yard, and has jumps standing in the middle so I can't lunge. The fields are really soggy and so I don't want to churn them up.Have to wait until the weather is better.
Theres also two open ends on the arena so trying to get her in a nice circle with my reins at the buckle is... difficult :rolleyes:

The other thread seems to have disappeared and I can't remember some of the things I posted about last time, I think thats about it though.

Going to put up some pictures that you can tear apart on the way she is moving, using herself etc

[Rips]

This was taken soon after I posted the first thread, turning on the right rein in canter and thats the only excuse I'll make for my position. :o Its a still so its not great quality but is there anything you can tell about how she is using herself?Critique whatever though, me or her.
Click for a larger pic:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/Rips/th_MarchEdit8.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/Rips/MarchEdit8.jpg)

These are stills taken at a recent event in the warmup arena, just walking.
Is this the outline I should be trying to achieve, I know my hands seem quite low in this pic but I was just after getting up and wasn't really riding just waiting as it was to early to start.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/Rips/Shape5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/Rips/shape6.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/Rips/shape7.jpg

Sorry if you can't tell anything from them.

[Tootsie4U]

Glad the tip is helping. It does have an unexpected effect doesn't it? Its hard to get the picture of how it all comes together, but once you try it and are doing it correctly, the purpose reveals itself.

As far as the pictures: two things I see..

Your leg needs to come back many inches! :D In that position, you're not helping her use herself. Remember, the rider needs to be in balance just as much as the horse does to achieve an outline. Its what is meant by the horse-rider relationship (under saddle anyway).

Also, be careful thinking the outline comes from head set. Yes, her head is on the verticle in the 'event' pics but her back end is trailing quite a bit. An outline comes from good balance first and foremost, followed exclusively by the horses' hind end. The only part the front of the horse plays in it, is your allowing/collecting with the reins. Think toothpast tube. To get the toothpaste out you've got to push from the back (impulsion). If you dont have the cap on, all the toothpaste goes out the hole into a huge mess. Put the cap on, and its a nicely sealed bundle of energy.

From these pics, my advise is to definately keep trying to push her on while riding on the buckle. And I mean PUSH. Work towards getting the 'left behind' feeling. And, what I mean by that is, while you're working that way, everytime you rise and come back down, you should feel like she's scooting away from you - like you've got the ENTIRE horse out in front - like when you come down from your rise, you feel like you'll be sitting on the haunches. This will free up her back end, tell her she can use it without being restricted in the front. It'll also tell her you wont interefere with her as long as she's going nicely. Once she understands this and you get the hang of *ALLOWING* it, you can then begin to add in your contact to 'cap' that energy. And before you know it, you'll be riding a nice controlled stick of dynamite - and that is an amazing feeling!

[Rips]

Thanks Toots, are there any ways I can make my leg come back, its been mentioned here a few times, was my leg position better here with longer stirrups? (taken ages ago :cool: )
http://www.newrider.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=20246
I know my seat was less secure here and shortening my stirrups has helped my jumping position :)