Post by joaka on Jul 23, 2007 21:52:03 GMT
Realizing that I hadn't spent time with hardly any of my horses, I decided to ride them all and get some cleaned up and ready to sell.
First, I brought in Tango from the pasture, groomed, and tacked up. I led him to the arena and mounted. After a good walk, trot, and canter in each direction, I cooled him out and untacked. With another grooming, he was back in his pasture.
Bringing in Stu, my steel grey spanish andalusian stallion, I tacked up. Before long, we were trotting around the arena. He was still quite green and needed constant reminders to keep his head down and his pace relaxed. I only cantered down the longsides a few times, since he still needed lots of work and he wasn't quite ready yet for much more. I cooled him out and brought him back into the stables. About 15 minutes later, he was happily galloping around his pasture.
Next came Solo, my wonderful connamara jumper. Although I was getting ready to part with him, I still was eager to school him well in the arena. I tacked up and warmed myself and the horse to get ready for some real work. After he was good to go, I cantered him towards a simple line of crossrails. Solo noticed them instantly and picked up the pace. "Easy boy" I whispered to him as we flew over the first one. He had jumped it very nicely and insisted on barreling towards the next, fighting me every step he took. I sat deep and gave him some hard half halts knowing it would work against his training if I pulled him 'round in a circle. I asked him to slow down right up to the base where he NEEDED his head to get over the fence in front of him. I let him go with only a little contact but followed through and had him slow down after the landing. We did the line a few more times until he went camly over the entire thing. "Good boy" I said, rubbing his neck as we slowed to a walk and cooled out. I untacked and let him loose in his pasture.
"Dantae!" I called, chasing the black thoroughbred around the pasture. He had decided to play catch me if you can and raced around his paddock just like he had on the track when he was younger. Eventually, I was able to catch him and tacked him up in the barn. I did a good walk, trot, and canter in each direction with TONS of circles to teach Dantae how to balance himself correctly since all he wanted to do was gallop around. He had recently come off the track and was well on his way towards a new home after leaving me on the ground more than once, refusing to move forewards in his training, and bullying my other horses. He was definatly a one-person horse and mentally, couldn't keep up with the never ending swap of trainers I hired. This ride was pretty good though and we were soon through with the session. I cooled him out and untacked before leaving him in an open pasture.
Rosco was going for a hunter pace that weekend so I just brought him inside and groomed him over before letting him go again. I didn't want to tire him out too much.
Ginger recieved a grooming and a lunge sessions in the roundpen. She was VERY green and had only carried a rider three or four times so I just lunged her. She was also going to be for sale so I figured it would help keep her in shape.
Next was Prince, my very avid dressage horse. I tacked up and led him out. After a good warm up, we worked on mostly half-passes. He always moved with such elagance, it was like you were riding on a cloud. Soon we were finished and untacking.
That was it for now, Zaire was ready to head back to his owner any day now so he really didn't need a work out.
First, I brought in Tango from the pasture, groomed, and tacked up. I led him to the arena and mounted. After a good walk, trot, and canter in each direction, I cooled him out and untacked. With another grooming, he was back in his pasture.
Bringing in Stu, my steel grey spanish andalusian stallion, I tacked up. Before long, we were trotting around the arena. He was still quite green and needed constant reminders to keep his head down and his pace relaxed. I only cantered down the longsides a few times, since he still needed lots of work and he wasn't quite ready yet for much more. I cooled him out and brought him back into the stables. About 15 minutes later, he was happily galloping around his pasture.
Next came Solo, my wonderful connamara jumper. Although I was getting ready to part with him, I still was eager to school him well in the arena. I tacked up and warmed myself and the horse to get ready for some real work. After he was good to go, I cantered him towards a simple line of crossrails. Solo noticed them instantly and picked up the pace. "Easy boy" I whispered to him as we flew over the first one. He had jumped it very nicely and insisted on barreling towards the next, fighting me every step he took. I sat deep and gave him some hard half halts knowing it would work against his training if I pulled him 'round in a circle. I asked him to slow down right up to the base where he NEEDED his head to get over the fence in front of him. I let him go with only a little contact but followed through and had him slow down after the landing. We did the line a few more times until he went camly over the entire thing. "Good boy" I said, rubbing his neck as we slowed to a walk and cooled out. I untacked and let him loose in his pasture.
"Dantae!" I called, chasing the black thoroughbred around the pasture. He had decided to play catch me if you can and raced around his paddock just like he had on the track when he was younger. Eventually, I was able to catch him and tacked him up in the barn. I did a good walk, trot, and canter in each direction with TONS of circles to teach Dantae how to balance himself correctly since all he wanted to do was gallop around. He had recently come off the track and was well on his way towards a new home after leaving me on the ground more than once, refusing to move forewards in his training, and bullying my other horses. He was definatly a one-person horse and mentally, couldn't keep up with the never ending swap of trainers I hired. This ride was pretty good though and we were soon through with the session. I cooled him out and untacked before leaving him in an open pasture.
Rosco was going for a hunter pace that weekend so I just brought him inside and groomed him over before letting him go again. I didn't want to tire him out too much.
Ginger recieved a grooming and a lunge sessions in the roundpen. She was VERY green and had only carried a rider three or four times so I just lunged her. She was also going to be for sale so I figured it would help keep her in shape.
Next was Prince, my very avid dressage horse. I tacked up and led him out. After a good warm up, we worked on mostly half-passes. He always moved with such elagance, it was like you were riding on a cloud. Soon we were finished and untacking.
That was it for now, Zaire was ready to head back to his owner any day now so he really didn't need a work out.