YIPPEEE!!!!!!!

[Mivs]

This Saturday, I had the most wonderful riding lesson. It didn't start of t0o good. My one hour hack was with Ernie a 7 year old, 16.5h horse. He was nervous at the start due to some guy revving his engine loudly and me being nervous because he kept pulling his head down. This made me nervous too so I started singing. As we rode round the patk he kept putting his head down a lot so I did the squeeze finger thing, alternatively which would make him stop.

When we went back to school for 1 hour lesson, I kept squeezing the fingers alternatively as we did walk. He would stop putting his head down but would lean on the bit..a bit more squeezes and his head would lighten!! It was great. His head was no longer in the clouds or on the ground. My happiest moment was when my instructur said that My walk was very good, Ernie was in the right outline!! I could have shouted with Glee!!! Instead I smiled and secretly thanked Heather.

It is a such a joy that!!!!

 

[Maci]

Squeeze Finger Thing??

Good Job on your success!

Just wondering though, something that caught my eye; what is the 'squeeze finger thing' you talked about? My horse leans on the bit sometimes when I ride him, and I was just thinking if this method worked for you, then maybe it can work for me!

Please Tell!
Maci

 

[Mivs]

Squeeze finger thing

Hi Maci. The "squeeze finger thing" so to speak is described in Heather's book. It is where you gently squeeze on one rein a couple of times then squeeze on the other rein a couple of times. You repeat that until you feel the reins lighten (i.e. when horse is leaning on the bit, the reins feel heavy). That is basically what I did.

I had to do it all the way thru the lesson but as we went on, I was using it less and less. Evetually Ernie will learn what I want, I am sure of it. Good Luck with that

Miriam

 

[Heather]

Great Miriam, keep us all posted on your progress. Once you have cracked the relaxation of the jaw, that really is the key to the rest of the horse.


Heather

 

[Maci]

Thanks, Mivs!

Thanks! I'll try that squeezing the reins thing! I'm still waiting for Heather's book to come in the mail....

Thanks!
Maci