Liberty, Free Jumping and Bareback

I have been without a voice the past few days and finally felt up to doing something other than being a sloth. Initially I was only doing some playful lunging with Boss, starting out with the short line then progressing to liberty work. Sadly, I don't have a round yard so I made a template with my jumps across the arena.

Bareback with the Boss

I haven't concentrated enough of my time to doing my natural horsemanship bonding with Boss as I had with Rion. He is a quick learner though and has taken to his education well and enjoys his jumping. So much so that he jumped out of my makeshift round yard whilst doing liberty.

I didn't even expect to ride yesterday but ended up having a bareback jump out. Here is the best photo I got and a video.

Enjoy!

Jess|x

The Tales of an OTTB's Training

Hello one and all,

The new boy, Boss has been settling in well and is getting much more comfortable jumping. I am happy with his progress so far. I love a good project horse!

In terms of his jumping work I have taken him out to jump club twice now and each time has been better than the last. Last Weekend I took him in the 85cm as his first full course of jumping. There were a few confused spots during the course so I just trained him around over some of the fences. Happy with his efforts I thought I should give him a go in the 95cm and he was even better than in the 85cm. Nothing to complain about with this guy so far!

I need to get onto some cavaletti exercises with him as he has a tendency to just run through the hand in the canter and set his head and neck - as is common in the ex-racers. I don't see it as a problem for him, he will learn in die time. He is taking the half halts better in his trot but the canter is really where I have to put in the hard yards. I have started on his lateral work, both on the ground and under saddle. Moving him off the leg and from the shoulder most importantly, where he would rather load up his weight and push through me. Colleen has been helping me when I come to her with problems in our flatwork. Her solution - amongst many others - TRANSITIONS. A myriad of transitions, walk - trot- canter - trot; up and down the arena, making the horse balance himself and desist him from running through the hand as a result of his lacking balance. The flatwork exercises I am using on him and Rion are those that I learnt from George Morris. Spiralling circles,  shoulder in, quarters in, straight around the arena. Never underestimate the power of simplicity in your exercises.

As yet I haven't been using my lunging to aid his schooling for him. Alas, the amount of university work I have has kept me from doing all that I can with him until I am on holidays next weekend. I have plans with him to take him cross-country schooling in Camden after my exams and possibly his first horse trials mid July. I don't know how he will go there but we shall see after the cross-country training day we do.

This weekend I was at Camden with both of the boys, jumping in the freezing cold. Here is a video of Boss in his first competition:

Thanks! 

Jess|x

News, News, News..

Well it is about time that I found the effort to write another blog post. In my defense I have had little to write about - university has also occupied much of my thought..

Rion at home recently. 

Our summer here is AUS was miserable to say the least, plagued by consistent heavy rain and flooding; keeping me from even getting home of a night for a few days at a time. When I could ride Rion either lost a shoe or was lame from soft hooves from all the wet. Frustration after frustration.

After Dart's successful initiation over Christmas and into the New Year he has had a good spell up until a week ago. I have been putting him back on the lunge line again, playing with him on arena again but this time incorporating poles and cavaletti - creating regularity in his gaits. Being the dude that he is he has been taking everything in his stride and is so far taking everything I throw at him. He has had everything done to him except be mouthed as yet. I have had saddles on him, boots, chaff bags, brooms, everything and anything and he just stares at me waiting for the next foreign object to approach.

When Rion loses a shoe the pony is always around for some fun.

I am thinking of setting up the arena one of these days and get him free jumping -- see what he's got to give out of his current 17hh. He still has a little filling out to do and another inch or so the vets say. Gentle giant. Every day that passes I find myself saying that I just want to ride him. Mark has been out of town during my university holidays so we have been unable to get him mouthed - the sooner the better s hopefully we can organize a plan of action. 

Dart man -- chilled as.

Sadly, after the 6.5 years that I have had Rion, training, competing, growing with him it is time for him to go home. When I got him back in 2006 I didn't think I would have him around for this long. He and I have come far together and we have taught each other a lot but as his owner has requested he be returned it is time to move on. Though he is jumping well at home, particularly in his grids we have hit a plateau. I will miss him, without a doubt, we have a great relationship despite his rearing. I plan on taking him to the beach before he goes home and doing a nice shoot with him one last time.

I had the opportunity to try a new horse today, a young 7yr old TB that has had a few races but is showing serious eventing potential. My ride on him today was very different. He has great natural paces and is accepting of the contact which I am not used to from Rion -- having to constantly fight with him to get anywhere; thus my lack of ability in being able to ride an actual nice horse. A few lessons with Mark and I will be right on track again. I haven't had a 'nice' dressage ride since I had Acta in 2008-09 who was a 2* eventer. Boss, the horse I rode today had paces much the same of Acta's and his jump was reminiscent of Acta's as well. I am very excited about the prospect of Boss but no decisions have been made yet. Hopefully there will be positive news soon..

Meet BOSS.

That's all for now folks, hopefully have some more to write about soon.

Jess|x