Thursday 8 July 2010

A little bit hit and miss..........

So I have been working on the ‘lengthening / bringing together / lengthening’ and the deeper position of the neck and it just seems to take forever to get some consistency in the contact. I can feel a bubble of frustration in me partly because Im sure she understands my requests and partly because Im not sure what im doing wrong! All I know is that it’s a weird feeling when she is not accepting the bridle, and I can give her the reins or take up the reins but she not really **there** and the half halts etc just do not work! Because Ive only got a limited amount of time in the morning the frustration is intensified and I KNOW I am getting a bit ‘handy’ by nagging with the rein and I KNOW that this does no good what so ever because even if I do get her to give this way as soon as I ask her to take the rein down she doesn’t follow, she just ‘holds’ at the wither. GAH!
BUT! When we DO get it, its bloody fantastic! Maybe I have just got to accept that it will take a period of adjustment for both of us to settle into being more focussed and obviously working a bit harder lol! The annoying thing is, is that I just don’t KNOW how I’m getting it when we DO get it!! But I can bet my bottom dollar its summat to do with me! And most likely my tension lol!

Just to be sure I am getting her teeth checked at the weekend just to rule out any discomfort in her mouth.

I gave her the day off yesterday so Ill be interested to see if a rest will help tonights session. And I have got to CALM DOWN mentally and keep a lid on the old ‘frustrated perfectionist’ that is ever lurking just under the surface Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

A bit of exciting news……….Ive entered two dressage tests!! My sister said she would take me as my Birthday pressie and I have finally got the courage up to do a Novice test as well as a Prelim! The trot is certainly good enough and well, you gotta start somewhere hey!! REALX and BREEEEATHE!!!! Lol!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I tend to fuss with my hands too much too. Some horses (like Maisie) get agitated and move their heads around until I quiet my hands. It sounds to me like your horse may just be tuning you out - too much noise - see if quieting your hands way down and making your asks very, very tiny does the trick. Sometimes doing a lot less gets a lot more done - has worked for me in the past.

Claire said...

but it's new work, vicki - and these things are always a whole lot easier in the lesson than afterwards!

Danni said...

As Claire said, it's new work, and therefore is guaranteed to frustrate :)

Well done for persevering, I started finding things tricks and have done nothing but hack and hoon around when I should be in the school practicing *lol*

epona said...

thanks for the comments guys :o)

I try not too fuss with the hands Kate as Antsje is fussy enough in the mouth, but due to a bit of frustration / lack of patience I found myself 'fiddleing' GRRRRRR!!!

True Claire.....

Sounds Fun Danni!! lol