Sunday, September 6, 2009

Back Jumping

Well, he is anyway.

Given his psycho brain when eating too much grass, I have been attempting to restrict his intake of the green stuff. And 'trying' is the operative word.

Simple electric tape is not enough: no, he can walk up to that and pop over.

Two lines of electric tape a meter apart, with flappy (supposed to be scary) plastic bags tied all over them is not enough; although he does muster a canter to pop over that.

Onto the tall standards...measured at between 1.20 and 1.30 high. That ought to stop him! Nope: all he needs is two canter strides off the turn and he is over.

Oh well: he's getting plenty of practice...although he did stay 'in' yesterday for some unknown reason.

Riding wise, I am slowly slowly gaining confidence and learning to keep my butt relaxed in the saddle even if I think he might do something.

His right canter lead has turned to custard however, with him anticipating a strike off every time I start to prepare him for canter...but off he toddles on the left lead, then that raking unco trot they do...rebalance....anticipate, left lead and here we go again....

I did manage to get it in the end yesterday, and I guess it is just green horses, one thing comes right and another goes out the back door.

I have however started to pop him over a few jumps again, which pleases him no end....first day the brakes left a lot to be desired, and we get some very 'boundy' canter strides immediately after the jump. Yesterday though, we managed to quietly trot over a related distance with just a couple of canter strides immediately after each jump, so that is all good.

I am sure that he laughs at my tiny jumps though. But, I know he can jump (he's shown me enough times) so it is the control and obedience that we need to establish before raising the height of the jumps. Nice too, that he doesnt even seem to notice filler.

Nearly three weeks since his last skedaddle, and on that occasion I can hardly blame him with Jackson galloping through the slopping splatty mud on the other side of the trees, while I am sedately wandering along on the buckle.....now that was fun - NOT.

Let us hope things will keep improving.