tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post7425230547435710034..comments2024-01-03T03:28:48.980-07:00Comments on mugwump Chronicles: Time to Open Up a DiscussionMugwumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01487540636265322556noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-8265392926701709422009-04-08T03:31:00.000-06:002009-04-08T03:31:00.000-06:00"And then we worked cows. I am so out of shape. I ..."And then we worked cows. I am so out of shape. I just about freaked. I was OK for about two turns and then I would have to quit. I knew I wouldn't keep my seat. I was embarrassed and horrified. "<BR/><BR/>This made me feel better - even the pros feel this way sometimes so its not just me. And I have never been fit, yet, to work cows daily.<BR/><BR/>I love this blog Mugwump. I really want to do cowhorse - Ive always wanted to do cowhorse - only we dont have it much in Australia. First time ever in an arena down the fence I got the AQHA Nationals Champion cowhorse - there was only four of us ( I was very pleased with myself because I managed the complete pattern with the cow, not that I won). My horse is a good reiner who really wanted to be a cowhorse. But that is the end of my career because there is almost no competitions.<BR/><BR/>So I am going cutting instead. I dont like it so much but am finding it a real challenge. I have to ride different - better. My confidence is shot and I feel that what I know about how to sit a horse is all wrong, that whatever I do is wrong and Im wrecking the horse. So I havent actually worked my cattle in an arena much.<BR/><BR/>I have concentrated on getting a farm. So I have the farm, 140 cows and their calves, 1800 sheep, an arena, and a mostly trained cutting horse. Nearest trainer is 400 km away. Now I am not sure where to go and how not to do it wrong and how to train myself, by myself, without messing to horse up so much I cant use him.<BR/><BR/>But I know what you mean about "Fire in the belly". I still really want to do cowhorse, even if it means doing it for real at home by myself. And competing at cutting instead.<BR/><BR/>I learn a lot from your blog, things like its not just my cowhorse bred horse that is spooky, its his breeding. <BR/><BR/>Anyone got any beginner cutter/cowhorse confidence tips? <BR/>How much and often do I need a trainer?<BR/>What size/shape is best for working alone?<BR/>Can I learn on cows or is it better if I buy a mechanical one?runninghorsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15365639849731950584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-47518593691043433952009-04-07T12:26:00.000-06:002009-04-07T12:26:00.000-06:00Biomechanical Riding and Dressagehttp://nicholnl.w...Biomechanical Riding and Dressage<BR/><BR/>http://nicholnl.wcp.muohio.edu/dingosBreakfastClub/BioMech/BioMechRide1.html<BR/><BR/>Has anyone seen this site? Is anyone familiar with this writer? It looks very interesting and thorough.Redsmomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03473393390441394419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-67570495094283184912009-04-07T08:32:00.000-06:002009-04-07T08:32:00.000-06:00Well I believe it is lots and lots of riding. I s...Well I believe it is lots and lots of riding. I spent the past two years riding my now 5 year old every where. Trails, forest, roads, rivers, you name it. Now he is in the arena starting his barrels. By the third day he was working the pattern at a good working gallop nailing his lead changes calm and confident. I watched a lady with a 3 year old who was working faster but missing her lead changes and not staying straight in her pattern. Her rider asked what I had done to make Ed so consistent. I said ride him for two years everywhere and make sure he can do two tempe lead changes. That lost her but I explained. Ed still has other issues, but we will work them on the trails. <BR/>Happy TrailsTexasPainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03167888098543444124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-48073184430400450382009-04-07T07:56:00.000-06:002009-04-07T07:56:00.000-06:00Slippin, Thanks. My daughter offered to help. I ...Slippin, Thanks. My daughter offered to help. I liked your ideas. Just until I settle down and stop being mind-blowing nervous when I go in. I've decided to start doing horsemanship and/or western riding just to get into the arena before reining so I can get my arena jitters out of the way. I'm sure to be laughed out of town on my high headed, speed demon, but you have to start somewhere!Redsmomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03473393390441394419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-79256545159436135582009-04-07T07:54:00.000-06:002009-04-07T07:54:00.000-06:00I ride and show hunters and jumpers, and school a ...I ride and show hunters and jumpers, and school a lot of dressage. I have a 10 year old Warmblood/TB gelding who I bought as a 4 (almost 5) year old with about 5-6 w/t rides in the tiniest paddock you can imagine. I also have a 5 year old BWP mare who I bought as a 3 (almost 4) year old who was already fairly well-started, w/t/c and jumping 2'6 courses.<BR/><BR/>Zeus, my gelding, I essentially started undersaddle. He had no brakes, he did not steer, he had legs going in every direction, and he resembled a giraffe crossed with an arab. However, he was very willing to accept my guidance, even if the responses I was getting weren't the ones I wanted.<BR/><BR/>Priority number 1 (at least for me) is simple: Move forward. This was easy for Zeus, he had a LOT of go, and still does today - though we've learned to channel our energies these days. This includes spooking. Horses are flight animals, they are GOING to look, and spook at things, and nobody can change that. My philosophy is still 'move forward.' My horse can look, he can tense up, he can perhaps move over a bit, but when I add voice and leg, it means 'move forward.' My horse can lose his frame, and raise his head, but he still has to move forward. <BR/><BR/>Later in his career, he'll learn that this applies to jumping too and will result in a horse (who competed up to 4'3") with less than 10 life-time refusals to date.<BR/><BR/>For my mare, Elantra, this is STILL our number 1 priority. She was bought as a jumper prospect, but has become SO mellow and relaxed that she's now my hunter prospect. She's bred very correctly and naturally carries herself very horizontal. She has beautiful self-carriage already, but the bane of my existance is kicking her butt forward. All I have to do is keep her moving forward, and all on her own, she pushes from behind, rounds her back, and holds her head very steady in a lovely hunter-type frame.<BR/><BR/>Why is 'move forward' so important? Here's where the dressage comes in. For a horse to be engaged, on the bit, and carrying himself he has to be moving forward. Later in the training process, things like lead changes are easy and no big deal.<BR/><BR/>I do almost all of my riding in an open field. Part of it is a (fence-less) jump field where I do most of my jumping. My favorite part is that it has hills and the footing ISN'T perfectly even. My horses learn to carry themselves and not rely on the fence of the ring/arena or consistent footing. Then when they go to horse show, they're almost more at ease than they are at home because everything is so simple.<BR/><BR/>I can't stress enough how important I think it is to ride OUTSIDE of the ring/arena. I keep my horses constantly turning and bending, going up and down hills. They never get bored, and they learn to be very attentive because they DON'T simply circle around the same ring again and again and again.<BR/><BR/>I find that WAY too many horses simply don't bend. I could be wrong, but I really think a lot of it has to do with people doing too little riding off the rail. Horses become reliant upon it, and riders often don't even realize there's an issue. <BR/><BR/>I want my horse to move like a noodle. I should be able to bend and turn left, then bend and turn right within 6 strides and not have a break in carriage or change in pace.<BR/><BR/>Bending and forward movement are the two most important building blocks to any riding horse. With those two principles installed, you can go to any discipline.<BR/><BR/>Sorry for my rambling, I hope there's some order, sense and logic in there somewhere.Liznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-206290422714495602009-04-07T06:54:00.000-06:002009-04-07T06:54:00.000-06:00Sorry for some reason I keep thinking this poor gu...Sorry for some reason I keep thinking this poor guy is going to think hes got a stalker before its over with. If only he knew how many women all over the world were thinking about him on that colt....<BR/><BR/>It just makes me laugh a little!(This is not to say that I don't do the *exact* same thing Mugs when I see someone that I don't know, on my home turf, riding like I like!!)Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18030821849160346167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-50034772458841770922009-04-06T16:57:00.000-06:002009-04-06T16:57:00.000-06:00Redsmom:sorry about the DQ'd on the reining patter...Redsmom:<BR/>sorry about the DQ'd on the reining pattern...but, you have to start somewhere! When I showed my gelding in the cow horse event, I was so scared and nervous about going off pattern! But what I have noticed at alot to the reining stuff and I also do it when I watch a friend or my trainer show, is that they whistle or yell on the last half of the circle before a lead change or a change in speed. The times that I showed, my trainer whistled when I was half way around the second circle before a lead change. That also works when you are spinning and you lose count...alot of times my friends will hollar or whistle when you are FINISHING your third turn around...only draw back about that...is that they better know how to count! LOL, I never paid a whole lot of attention to it when I showed, but I did notice it, so if I ever got lost on the pattern, I would know what to listen for! So if you have a cheering section at the show, have them hollar at certain times in the run before a change in speed/direction. I don't say anything other than, "YEAH!!" or a long whistle.<BR/>Just a thought!slippinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-40351507823456242152009-04-06T15:27:00.000-06:002009-04-06T15:27:00.000-06:00Hi all. Looks like fascinating reading, above. I...Hi all. Looks like fascinating reading, above. I'm getting a cup of coffee to read. <BR/><BR/>Meanwhile, DQ'd in reining again! It was Pattern 2, again! I went 4 circles instead of 3 this time. My mind just blinks off for a moment or two and then I think, "What number am I on? 2 or 3?" The rollbacks are getting better, getting crossing of the front legs. Whee! The funniest part was the first lead change, cause I oh, so subtly, gave the cue and it seemed to me that Matty leaped about 4 feet in the air when he did the change. It made me smile, he tried so hard!Redsmomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03473393390441394419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-53205407277998769132009-04-06T14:46:00.000-06:002009-04-06T14:46:00.000-06:00I tried working circles getting smaller and smalle...I tried working circles getting smaller and smaller but it took to longer and it was way more work from me. The turn almost shuts them down and they have to push off to restart and they have to think about where to put there feet. Sometimes you might be making almost a square. I can hear my trainer in my head saying.."turn, turn, turn" with only a couple of seconds between each turn in the beginning. The first few turns they think "turn and go" but after a few more they are thinking "why go, she is just going to turn me again". When you feel that then you can let them go back out straight and easy, if they get pushy - turn them again.horsegeneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08614136458074519322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-14372419040259150252009-04-06T14:26:00.000-06:002009-04-06T14:26:00.000-06:00KEL, thats what I did.. well, not change direction...KEL, thats what I did.. well, not change direction, but TURN SHARP TINY CIRCLE, the try again. It took FOREVER for her to wind down, she was lathered and puffing pretty good....I plan on hauling out there again possibly tomorrow night and trying again, as well as take her for a trail ride afterwards...crochetyoleladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10558947029662564330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-76523838054068379902009-04-06T14:05:00.000-06:002009-04-06T14:05:00.000-06:00badges...saidAlso, hauled out to a HUGE arena this...badges...said<BR/><BR/>Also, hauled out to a HUGE arena this weekend, and she just wanted to RUN RUN RUN. What do you do in that situation. I kept bringing her back to whatever gait I had asked for (walk or trot), but it was a CONSTANT battle with her just wanting to RUN.<BR/><BR/>I have this problem sometimes with my horse just wanting to go and the thing my trainer had me try is to just turn them. When they start picking up speed - sharp turn (and I do mean "turn right now") they will slow to make the turn and then they will start to pick up speed - sharp turn - and just keep doing it till they decide that is it easy to go straight slowly than it is to have to be turned repeatedly. I don't worry about how pretty the turns are, where his head is or whether he is collected, I don't worry about how I look or how I am riding - in fact I think it works better when you are kind of bouncing around and off center. When he goes slower and behaves, I go back to riding right and making it easier on him.horsegeneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08614136458074519322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-87979128453432455402009-04-06T14:04:00.000-06:002009-04-06T14:04:00.000-06:00Cool post - he sounds like a ghost ;) An epiphany ...Cool post - he sounds like a ghost ;) <BR/><BR/>An epiphany inspired by an old ghost cowboy! <BR/><BR/>S. MaineAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-6709475853619894832009-04-06T13:45:00.000-06:002009-04-06T13:45:00.000-06:00Hi Mugs, I just wanted to give you an update on Tu...Hi Mugs, <BR/><BR/>I just wanted to give you an update on Tucker's progress so far. Due to weather I've been out 4 times to ride and his reaction so far has been the following: <BR/><BR/>After ignoring the walk cue twice and getting smacked he now walks off consistently when asked with a light squeeze. He walks slowly. Not always, but sometimes, he does what I call his "creep walk" where you can almost feel him stop between each step- but because he was moving I sat back and allowed him to mosey along. We didn't always have the ring to ourself, and being a avid follower, his pace would increase when following other horses. <BR/><BR/>When asking for the trot I had a hard time stopping myself from clucking! It's totally ingrained. I have finally gotten to the point where I can cue him and stay quiet. On the first few requests, he definitely ignored my first two cues for the trot and got smacked. Once he moved forward I stopped swatting. He was moving along in a medium speed trot that quickly got slower when I quit smacking. He will slowly trot anywhere from say 5 steps to maybe up to halfway around the ring before deciding to walk. At that point I let him walk along. ( That makes me feel funny as I have always corrected him for this in the past.) He has gotten over stopping at the gate everytime we pass it and will often creep walk past it. He will actually walk a fair number of laps around the ring before stopping now. Whoa has never been an issue for him, he's more than happy to comply, so working on the exhale- stop has not been hard. <BR/><BR/>A third of the time when asking for the trot, I give the light squeeze and he shuffles into his trot. The rest of the time I give the squeeze, then a light kick and he steps into a trot or sees me go to raise my crop and "scoots" into it. He trots along a bit then slows. As he slows it reminds me of Annie and her "pretend head bobbing trot" she did with the kids. He wants to make it look like he's going but I'm not buying it! :) <BR/><BR/>Saturday was a beautiful day and we all decided to go ride some trails out back. Halfway to the gate I remembered I had left the gate key at the barn and trotted him back to get it. On the road back up to the gate I asked him to trot (away from the barn) to catch up with everyone and he did it! I have NEVER in the year that I have had him been able to get him to trot away from the barn down that road. Heck, a year ago I couldn't get him to even walk away from the barn down that road. So I counted that as some sort of victory. Given, I was in a hurry and I'm sure my body language made that clear. But he did it! <BR/><BR/>So, what are your thoughts? What should I try next? <BR/> <BR/><BR/>LisaLittle Bird Lucyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03643938680756705575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-60105205910900005212009-04-06T13:36:00.000-06:002009-04-06T13:36:00.000-06:00One of the most important things I want my horses ...One of the most important things I want my horses to have as they grow up from weanling to when I start them is to "get to be a horse." I want them socially well adjusted with other horses in a herd, and to keep human handling to a minimum; keep them wormed, vaccinated, trimmed...that's about it.<BR/><BR/>I've never trained a horse for a specific discipline until two years ago when I bought Colt for our local reined cow horse futurity. I've mainly started colts and never finished a horse in the sense that Mugs is talking about here. All of my personal riding horses have been started the same way: a lil' bit of round pen 101, sacking out with blankets and ropes, saddling, bridling, driving (so they know left, right, stop), and how to bend and kick their rear end out of gear, pony them from a steady horse all over the place...then we're ready to ride.<BR/><BR/>As soon as they've got the basics in the pen, I get them out and about...continually increasing the distance and difficulty as they can handle it.<BR/><BR/>As we progress, warm ups can be a long trot out the two track or around one of the fields. Then we do some work in the arena (at this time my arena only has one fence), but I like to finish off the work with another walk...just to relax and cool out. I think it keeps their minds fresher.<BR/><BR/>I'll take any opportunity I can get to move cattle or go on a trail ride with someone. I don't think that there is a substitute to learn "real life" than by doing "real life."<BR/><BR/>One of the things that I like about my set up is that my only round pen is outside...no walls. So, when I take the horse outside of the pen, there isn't any "OMG" happening with the horse.<BR/><BR/>So, what I guess I'm trying to say is that getting the horse out of the arena and balance their work with some play can be beneficial (physically and mentally). I do practice arena stuff out on the trails or out in a field.gtyyuphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02402170522183324256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-1085353885793275682009-04-06T12:24:00.000-06:002009-04-06T12:24:00.000-06:00Oh, I wanted to add: I have had her since she was...Oh, I wanted to add: I have had her since she was a yearling. Between a year old and now (4 year old) she has been hauled LOTS to different places, I ponied her on the trails as a yearling, drove her, hand walked her by herself down the roads, exposed her to everything I could think of.<BR/> It didnt make a whit of difference. She is still spooky, flighty and herdbound. LOL. (Oh, but she LOVES to chase cows, thank GOD she isnt afraid of them!)crochetyoleladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10558947029662564330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-65621224452708745222009-04-06T12:13:00.000-06:002009-04-06T12:13:00.000-06:00this is interesting. I am struggling with HOW to ...this is interesting. I am struggling with HOW to ride jazz. I rode her loose reined and let her stick her nose out etc and was having problems with her sticking her shoulders out and going where she wanted etc: BUT, she was getting more and more relaxed, and less "pissy". her tail wringing had slowed right down:<BR/> Then, tried the draw reins and had control of her shoulders, because the draw reins helped ME with my hands and keeping her head straight between the reins. BUT, she gets more and more pissy when I try working on "collected" work.<BR/> I have been not worrying about her head and just riding her the last couple of times but I dont know what to do? <BR/> Also, hauled out to a HUGE arena this weekend, and she just wanted to RUN RUN RUN. What do you do in that situation. I kept bringing her back to whatever gait I had asked for (walk or trot), but it was a CONSTANT battle with her just wanting to RUN. Plus, she is quite capable of just putting her chin to her chest and running, so in order to slow her, I need to circle her until she quiets, then ask again. The joys....crochetyoleladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10558947029662564330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-80399410390897448132009-04-06T11:23:00.000-06:002009-04-06T11:23:00.000-06:00First Steps:With my 3 y/o, who I raised from a foa...First Steps:<BR/>With my 3 y/o, who I raised from a foal, I did all the groundwork all the time, probably because I didn't have any horses to ride during the week so that was all I could do. The result was that by the time I got on him I didn't need a saddle or bit, he just didn't much care... it also meant that he was just a smidge less sensitive at the start, so I would have done a bit less groundwork. <BR/>My 4 y/o, he started out the opposite, as a 3 y/o he was for the most part unhandled. I didn't know a whole lot of sacking out stuff so I essentially just did a poorish job of sacking him out and an okayish job of getting him used to a saddle. Right now I wish I had done more, it would have made things more comfortable for him as we had a lot of explosions during that period (rarely with me in the saddle, he seemed to NOT want to pull those while I was on him). The result was that eventually I gave up on the saddle and started riding him bareback, right now I feel like that was cheating, but it worked and the result was that when I went back to the saddle it wasn't an issue.<BR/>As for finishing, I'm not really sure where I'm going with that. The 3 y/o is just hanging out while I try to decide whether or not I'm buying a bosal and doing that sort of training with him. The 4 y/o is getting an odd mix of western pleasure (b/c that's what he's bred and built for), jumping (b/c that's what I like), and dressage/eventing (b/c that's what I'm taking lessons in). So I guess my best way of finishing a horse is to take lessons in it and then work my horses towards what I'm doing in the lessons.Esquaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11430866656336769601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-15268029303055271592009-04-06T09:02:00.000-06:002009-04-06T09:02:00.000-06:00Talking about broke horses.. If you read Jack Brai...Talking about broke horses.. If you read Jack Brainard's Book "If I were to train a horse" the last chapter talks about what he thinks is a broke horse. It is what we all want. He really puts in into words.horsegeneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08614136458074519322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-63610030434982858492009-04-06T08:59:00.000-06:002009-04-06T08:59:00.000-06:00Think you just said it! They need to go where you ...Think you just said it! They need to go where you tell 'em and when! <BR/><BR/>Remember that old song, where a lonesome man is hitchhiking down a dark road, and a long dark cadillac pulls up and gives mim a ride and at the end of the story you realize that the man in the car is really Hank Williams ghost? Maybe the man you 'saw' was really Ray Hunts ghost!Vaquerogirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14367676563270560606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-64539879560185391432009-04-05T18:54:00.000-06:002009-04-05T18:54:00.000-06:00jmk, I agree completely, nicely written! I don't s...jmk, I agree completely, nicely written! I don't show anymore but that is how I have trained all my own personal horses [for too many years now] and all of them won wherever I chose to take them. IF they have that solid foundation they accept the next step without stress or question. Back in the day people had one horse, maybe two and those horses were expected to be competitive in whatever event was asked of them....and it is possible for them to BE competitive. People are in much too much of a hurry today, it takes time to make a true competitor and make no mistake, a horse started this way is a TRUE competitor without mental issues and solid confidence.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-58085395108333681652009-04-05T18:35:00.000-06:002009-04-05T18:35:00.000-06:00To me, the picture you painted about the man ridin...To me, the picture you painted about the man riding is:<BR/> a horse that has confidence in his rider, <BR/>is not afraid, <BR/>has been dealt with fairly,<BR/>is not being rushed past his ability,<BR/>Therefore, the horse is comfortable. <BR/>That will take you where you want to get eith a horse. People are always in such a hurry, horses live the moment. Enjoy each ride, instead of worrying about the next one.<BR/>This will bring about a solid horse that will be easier to train for the bigger stuff later on.jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04931595804895656194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-38947100576166095382009-04-05T12:39:00.000-06:002009-04-05T12:39:00.000-06:00BrownEyed Cowgirls said... AMEN! Nicely put!BrownEyed Cowgirls said... <BR/><BR/>AMEN! Nicely put!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-53678351056757668882009-04-05T12:26:00.000-06:002009-04-05T12:26:00.000-06:00I've not read the comments, just going off your po...I've not read the comments, just going off your post because this is something that is near and dear to my heart. Broke horses!<BR/><BR/>I grew up with broke, broke horses. Training? Ummm...No! They carried their heads where it was comfortable for them, their gaits were what they were. The men who rode them wanted a horse that had a business-like walk, a comfortable jog, a ground covering long-trot and a free swinging lope. They wanted these horses to pick up and hold that gait until they asked them to change it and to go any direction they were pointed, in the straightest line possible. They did not pick on these horses. They were just persistant and also usually had a lot of ground to let the horse work things out.<BR/>Alright? So I grew up in love with the "show" world. I wanted to train fancy show horses. It didn't take long to figure out the difference between a horse broke for showing and one broke for work. Some of the places I worked kind of freaked when I wanted to just head out on their fancy show horses. I also found out most of these horses weren't really broke.<BR/><BR/>It has taken me a long time to really find a happy medium between all of the things I know my show horses need to know(softness, suppleness, headsets, etc) and the pleasure of having a horse that just rides out. I spend most of my riding time out in the open. I try to find that happy medium for each horse, working on softening and suppling and a relaxed head position without picking on the horse. Ride, fix, ride, fix. I let the horse figure out cadence on his own. Long trotting is my friend whether the horse is pokey or wants to race off. Cadence comes as horses tire and muscles strengthen. I strive to teach my horses "work ethic". Then when I do go to the arena to work on specific things, it's almost relaxing to them. It becomes a place to be very focused.<BR/>I used to differentiate what I practiced between riding in the open vs riding in an arena. But I don't anymore. If I want to lope a circle in the pasture, I do. We two-track, practice transitions up and down, rollbacks, stops, learn neck reining, pretty much everything. The thing I have really noticed is that when I am in the pasture, time is irrelevant. We just keep riding and working on things. Eventually every horse gets tired and relaxes and figures out the path of least resistance. An hour's worth of training in an arena can become agonizing to horses and riders alike. In the open you can ride for several hours and neither you or the horse is bored or stressed.BrownEyed Cowgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03610547057139295854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-32140272759743607222009-04-05T11:33:00.000-06:002009-04-05T11:33:00.000-06:00I just reread my comment and realised that that's ...I just reread my comment and realised that that's not what the majority of dressage people do - you remember I got out of competition partly due to philosophical issues.)<BR/><BR/>Mostly dressage horses get broken at 3/4. They will normally do a fair bit of arena work, not as intensely as older horses, but still 4/5 times a week, if not every day. The better trainers make sure they get turn out, but not all do. And it just rolls from there on. Most will start competing at 4ish, as soon as they have a basic understanding of w/t/c and the school figures, and can maintain a contact / reasonable approximation of an outline. Remember, in the UK, this is predicated by the fact that they need to be approaching GP level work by 7 /8 ish so as to be eligible for team selection. I don't know what US selection criteria are.FDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01485030894416936129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-51575143888999510362009-04-05T11:30:00.000-06:002009-04-05T11:30:00.000-06:00Wow how do you manage to do this? We had some iss...Wow how do you manage to do this? We had some issues this morning me and my friend and we were talking about this exact issue. I want her horse to be acting like a grown up. She knows the horse has holes but just wants to keep going in hopes that he will be good enough to show.<BR/><BR/>I should clarify, when I say grown up I kind mean conecting the blocks. He can move off her leg at the jog he should move off her leg at the lope (although not as well! but should still move away). She says hes still too unbalanced (and he is unbalanced!) But at some point you cannont keep riding the horse like he knows nothing. <BR/><BR/>My foundation (If I have somthing from a yearling age assuming its halter broke.) starts off with lunging, the horse learning all voice comands, learning balance, and control of his body. I like to show them at this age, as they lean that shows can be fun, and nothing to get upset about, usually halter/lungline and yearling trail. I also start basics of showmanship, set up back up, and turns (helps with the trail) <BR/><BR/>The 2yo get started going forword balanced, with a saddle then being driven, most know there voice comands and walk/jog/lope first ride on a 20m circle. <BR/><BR/>My friends horse didnt learn balance, his previous owners lunged him tied under in a shank but so he leans onto the bit to blaance himself, I would like the rest of his body to work better so that he didnt need to balance on the bit. <BR/><BR/>Anyways I'll think this out a bit more....Justaplainsamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15399124494395034612noreply@blogger.com