Our arena is a swamp right now so we made a plan for Romeo's Girl to haul out where Dickie lives. The arena there is big and the footing is great. It is really quiet on Sunday's and we had the place to ourself. I decided it would be fun to take Bre along. She has only left the farm for a few trail rides in the last two years and I haven't had it in a full size arena since our last stable.
Our only mishap was when we first loaded. She went right in, I hooked her up, and she decided to back right out. She snapped the leather halter I have had for her since I first bought it. I guess it is time for a new one...... She hopping right back in the trailer no problem.
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| Who are those strange horses calling to me? |
Romeo did great. I was really impressed because we didn't exactly get to fix his issues before the weather turned. Other than that we have just been trail riding. His RG (Romeo's Girl) rode him over the the tiny indoor by us yesterday and he was a spooky mess. Today they did wonderful. She got him moving out really nice. Earlier this summer we needed a crop to get him going because he was so stuck in the jog and stiff. He would also constantly break to the canter every time he was asked to move out.
Today I had RG follow me on Bre for the warm up. I wanted to give her a chance to see how I warm a horse up and figure out on her own how to cue him without me staring at her telling her what to do. I could see her out of the corner of my eye enough to know she is doing a great job. I am so impressed with her. She is really thinking for herself and using her great seat. She isn't doing the hands to her thigh habit she had started. She has all the tools to put a horse together and solve problems as they come up. My hope for her now is that she will know when to use them without being told. She is getting there now :)
Our last issue is the incessant chomping. Romeo champ champs away and apparently has done so since he was started. He added sucking behind the bit to this issue this summer. We now have him in a snaffle (yay for Sprenger bits) he loves and with a proper warm up he doesn't champ. RG is really getting how to keep him from dropping in the poll. The problem is he can't show in a snaffle. She got a nice little curb but he champed like crazy last show season. Today was the first day he went well in it. However, I am not convinced it is the right bit. She can't touch the reins or he starts up stressing. I have some ideas for what to try but it is such a pain to get something but not know if it will work!! She already has two other bits he hated. We have a month or so to get it figured out. Maybe ebay will have some good deals.....
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| Arriving home..... They look like we took them on a 100mile endurance ride not a one hour relaxing ride in and indoor arena. |
I LOVE that first picture. She is sooo gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWhat is she showing in that she needs a curb? Something Western I'm guessing? I thought she was learning dressage, but I may have misunderstood. I wish they allowed showing without a bit because it sounds like he'd be a good candidate lol. I hope you can find something he likes in time!
She loves western. I had her in the dressage saddle over the summer and am using dressage principles but she wants to show western. He is the master of jogging and loping too so they look great. I'm teaching her to do it right though instead of see sawing the head down to the ground and getting stuck in a tiny jog. Her last trainer did that and we are still fixing problems.
ReplyDeleteI wish thy weren't required to use a curb. Most of the kids in 4h and hs eq team have no business using one. There is so much physics involve with picking the right bit and using it correctly. She actually has fantastic hands and seat but Romeo is super sensitive. He's happy in a side pull and the only snaffle he likes is my sprenger kk. He's close to not needing any reins at all to ride him but we aren't there yet so she needs to give some commands through the curb which makes him a fussy mess.
Well darn!! I wish she didn't have to use a curb either. I hope you find something that works for him. I can't wait to hear about her first show! So exciting!
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