Simon doing dressage
Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2016 8:02 pm
Since I retired Miaren and Topper is slated for driving, I'm borrowing a friend's horse for fox hunting. He's an 11 yr old Morgan/Welsh pony cross who's lived much of his life on pasture. He's been trained to drive and ride, but he's not been in a consistent program in a while and rides like a rather green, but willing guy. I had asked about borrowing her Haflinger, but she thought Simon would be more suited and he has been a lot of fun so far.
I've been taking dressage lessons on him, to get him listening to my leg and bending, since I really want that when riding through the woods. Someone suggested a schooling dressage show, and I thought it would be good exposure for him, if nothing else.
He was interested in everything, but sensible and nicely responsive in the ring for his level of understanding. We haven't had bend both directions for that long, and he was great off my leg. What I hadn't thought much about yet was halting and stretching down at the walk. Out hunting we all stop when the horse in front stops. Being mostly a driving horse he doesn't know half halts and responds much better to voice. For our second test I kept smiling, but whispered whoa, which helped so much. Still, now I know some more things to work on and teach him, which is always good for our communication.
I think I've lucked out in finding a lovely horse to play with.
(edited to add he did rather well). 64 and 61 for a 1st and 3rd in classes of 8 riders.
Here's Intro Test A and B videos.
https://youtu.be/MH4vPnCPRVk Test A
https://youtu.be/K5ycmeQJqy8 Test B
I've been taking dressage lessons on him, to get him listening to my leg and bending, since I really want that when riding through the woods. Someone suggested a schooling dressage show, and I thought it would be good exposure for him, if nothing else.
He was interested in everything, but sensible and nicely responsive in the ring for his level of understanding. We haven't had bend both directions for that long, and he was great off my leg. What I hadn't thought much about yet was halting and stretching down at the walk. Out hunting we all stop when the horse in front stops. Being mostly a driving horse he doesn't know half halts and responds much better to voice. For our second test I kept smiling, but whispered whoa, which helped so much. Still, now I know some more things to work on and teach him, which is always good for our communication.
I think I've lucked out in finding a lovely horse to play with.
(edited to add he did rather well). 64 and 61 for a 1st and 3rd in classes of 8 riders.
Here's Intro Test A and B videos.
https://youtu.be/MH4vPnCPRVk Test A
https://youtu.be/K5ycmeQJqy8 Test B