Axel's first attempt at ground driving

[elise]

We tried to long line Axel last night instead of our usual Dressage lesson.

My trainer trying to get him to figure out how to go forward instead of spinning around to look at her:

After he figured it out I gave it a try:

For the most part he did really well, but he's still the opposite of fast, I, on the other hand, was a tangled mess:

"Atleast she's doing some of the work for once ..."

We need to do a lot of ground work still. He's getting ok under saddle but the last trail ride we did on Saturday he wouldn't back out of the slant load trailer. So I have one horse that won't load and one horse that won't unload. Go figure!

 

[Scarlett 001]

Yay! Another NR long reining convert! Just wait til you and he get comfortable with it and you are trotting about, doing nice trot circles and other moves. It is amazing as you really get to look at your horse's movement and see it, rather than feel it. I get so proud looking at Skeeter long reining when he is in good form!

Good luck with it!

 

[elise]

Thanks! It sure was interesting! It wasn't the miracle answer to our impulsion problem though.

 

[cvb]

Elise

you're long reining from quite a way back ? There are different positions you can long rein from. I long rein my mother's little pony from close enough that I can tap her gently on the bottom for more impulsion (like John Lyon's "go" cue ) This asks her to go away from rhythmic pressure - which she already knows from the other ground work we do. It also means I am close to give her a rub to say "good" as well.

I have used a carrot stick - but its hard on the wrist and arm

So for the little pony I use a long dressage whip, and I've also used a dealer's whip which is slightly longer for my 15.1

It may be that being quite a way behind, there is more weight to the lines (which may cause some second thoughts) plus the feedback takes longer (for you to say "OI - forward !!")

 

[Cool Rider]

Nice Pictures
I love Axel as dark coloured horses are my fave
Looks like he is a fast learner

 

[elise]

you're long reining from quite a way back ?

I could reach him with the whip, it must just look further away than it was at the time. Sadly even a snap with the whip doesn't inspire Axel. He's bombproof to a fault. You should see our lessons, it's a real circus. I'm kicking, clucking, kissing. My trainer is jumping, flailing, clucking, waving her arms. All in some attempt to get him to just move.

He is a lot better on the trail but I haven't been able to transfer that to schooling. Though we school anywhere and everywhere.

 

[elise]

Nice Pictures
I love Axel as dark coloured horses are my fave
Looks like he is a fast learner

Thanks! He's finally dark again, this summer he faded like you wouldn't believe. I'm not sure if he's an overly fast learner, or just a blank slate He catches on fairly well though.

 

[Scarlett 001]

Give the impulsion long reining just a bit of time - perhaps time is all that is needed!

My first day Skeeter was long reining quite hesitantly and looking at the videos it is cute - we had contact but are kind of moseying about the arena a bit dazed looking! I have a video somewhere and it is really funny in hindsight! But doing this 4x per week (ok it was a pretty serious effort), he eventually gained impulsion and enthusiasm and was trotting 10m circles with impulsion blended with relaxation.

I think first the horse has to figure out what the heck one is up to! Once you get going you can really get the moving. I find with long reining if you get them moving just a bit, you kind of hold yourself back just a bit physically behind them (I am talking just inches), which kind of allows them to move up into the reins, get that contact which then allows for a bit of impulsion (hopefully!) with flicks of the whip and such. Also when trotting if you kind of trot in time with their trot steps, it seems to get them going a bit better than if you are out of time.

 

[Scarlett 001]

p.s. Forgot to say how good looking he is. Also, he is picking up a nice contact in those pictures and looks good!

 

[elise]

p.s. Forgot to say how good looking he is. Also, he is picking up a nice contact in those pictures and looks good!

Thanks! My trainer said he was really working on collecting on his front half, but that his back half wasn't horrible, he just wasn't reaching as much as he could be.

We've decided next August we're gonna enter a dressage schooling show. I'm so excited, I just hope we can convince him between now and then to move out a bit! Hehe.

 

[BeachRiding]

Lovely pics!