I drive myself mad sometimes, I've been doing a little bit of work with Inca every few days just to get her back in the swing of doing a job.
So far we've been doing some loose schooling and gentle lunging (mainly walk, with some trot, no side reins). When Inca is trotting loose and able to dictate her own direction she goes forward with lovely momentum, really tracks up nicely and uses herself well. However, when she's asked to trot on the lunge she can back off a bit and not really like to use her back end properly (very often because she is more preoccupied with what is going on outside of the school), if I get after her then she just tends to rush and get choppy. We've been working on gradually improving this, so asking her to trot the long side whilst on the lunge cavesson and add in a circle once she's moving with better impulsion, also to vary between a slower trot and a slightly quicker one to get her listening to me.
Where I drive myself nuts is I tend to get too narrow minded and focus on one bit only (at the moment, the trot), time then flies by and whilst Inca isn't puffing she must be getting tired, but I lose all concept of time when I get "over focused" check the time by the time we're finished and we've done 30mins (not all trot and not all on a circle)....I get so angry at myself for letting myself slip into that, it does her no good at all!!!!
So tomorrow will be a little bit of work in walk only and I'm going to set an alarm on my phone to make sure I don't go over a suitable time.
I think when her trot is lacking it is due to a lack of concentration and balance on a circle, I also think fitness plays a big part as well. I don't like doing much on the lunge with her, but feel that a small amount is beneficial to establish balance etc. I just drive myself bonkers when I check the time and realise that I've done far far more than I wanted to!!!!!!!!!!!!
So far we've been doing some loose schooling and gentle lunging (mainly walk, with some trot, no side reins). When Inca is trotting loose and able to dictate her own direction she goes forward with lovely momentum, really tracks up nicely and uses herself well. However, when she's asked to trot on the lunge she can back off a bit and not really like to use her back end properly (very often because she is more preoccupied with what is going on outside of the school), if I get after her then she just tends to rush and get choppy. We've been working on gradually improving this, so asking her to trot the long side whilst on the lunge cavesson and add in a circle once she's moving with better impulsion, also to vary between a slower trot and a slightly quicker one to get her listening to me.
Where I drive myself nuts is I tend to get too narrow minded and focus on one bit only (at the moment, the trot), time then flies by and whilst Inca isn't puffing she must be getting tired, but I lose all concept of time when I get "over focused" check the time by the time we're finished and we've done 30mins (not all trot and not all on a circle)....I get so angry at myself for letting myself slip into that, it does her no good at all!!!!
So tomorrow will be a little bit of work in walk only and I'm going to set an alarm on my phone to make sure I don't go over a suitable time.
I think when her trot is lacking it is due to a lack of concentration and balance on a circle, I also think fitness plays a big part as well. I don't like doing much on the lunge with her, but feel that a small amount is beneficial to establish balance etc. I just drive myself bonkers when I check the time and realise that I've done far far more than I wanted to!!!!!!!!!!!!
