I've decided to start this diary to track how peds and I are getting on in our ridden work. I found a blog post that suggested a layout for keeping notes on lessons/schooling sessions so I'm going to follow that. (Hoping this keeps me focused and motivate to ride through the rest of winter!)
05/01/15
5pm (dark, rode till about 5.30pm)
Schooling area (outdoor)
Bit breezy (ventilation flaps on the sheep trailer at edge of area rattled a couple times, only spooked P once and all he did was skoot his bum under)
Took my time grooming P before we rode, let him do his usual occasional walking around the box and didn't get cross with him for it. He stayed calm in the stable and stood well at mounting block. (Rode in GP saddle)
Followed a warm up from the website 'school your horse' was good to have a plan in my head. Started by doing two circuits in walk on a long rein, both reins. P spooked at the tractor bucket scoop, but just stopped, snorted at it then walked past suspiciously! Fine after that. Then it was figure of 8s and circles. Kept it all to walk. He felt much stiffer than the last time I schooled him, but not schooled in a month and it was cold (he has an excersise sheet on)
All I wanted from this session was to get him back out in them schooling area and for him to behave, both achieved! For me, I was trying to keep still in the saddle and use minimal aids, in particular minimal rein aids. Something I still need to work on! At end of warm up (I was only going to do the warm up) tried a few halt transitions, using my thigh and knee to halt him rather than hand. Worked quite well, needed a little feel on the rein with my ring fingers to get him to compleatly halt, but it took barely any rein at all.
Nothing went wrong, he listened well but was just a bit stiff.
Plan for next ride is to do the warm up again, aiming for him to become more supple (I don't foresee that taking long as he was pretty supple when our schooling went by the way side!) I'll do some more halt transitions too.
Very pleased with him, especially as it was our first ride since Boxing Day!
05/01/15
5pm (dark, rode till about 5.30pm)
Schooling area (outdoor)
Bit breezy (ventilation flaps on the sheep trailer at edge of area rattled a couple times, only spooked P once and all he did was skoot his bum under)
Took my time grooming P before we rode, let him do his usual occasional walking around the box and didn't get cross with him for it. He stayed calm in the stable and stood well at mounting block. (Rode in GP saddle)
Followed a warm up from the website 'school your horse' was good to have a plan in my head. Started by doing two circuits in walk on a long rein, both reins. P spooked at the tractor bucket scoop, but just stopped, snorted at it then walked past suspiciously! Fine after that. Then it was figure of 8s and circles. Kept it all to walk. He felt much stiffer than the last time I schooled him, but not schooled in a month and it was cold (he has an excersise sheet on)
All I wanted from this session was to get him back out in them schooling area and for him to behave, both achieved! For me, I was trying to keep still in the saddle and use minimal aids, in particular minimal rein aids. Something I still need to work on! At end of warm up (I was only going to do the warm up) tried a few halt transitions, using my thigh and knee to halt him rather than hand. Worked quite well, needed a little feel on the rein with my ring fingers to get him to compleatly halt, but it took barely any rein at all.
Nothing went wrong, he listened well but was just a bit stiff.
Plan for next ride is to do the warm up again, aiming for him to become more supple (I don't foresee that taking long as he was pretty supple when our schooling went by the way side!) I'll do some more halt transitions too.
Very pleased with him, especially as it was our first ride since Boxing Day!