Dear Dexter - Revisited

Dexter,

I just wrote a raving review about how great you are being and how patient you are with your limited rides... and now you are making me look like a liar.  Whats the deal?

I know the weather makes you feel good and you have a lot of energy built up, so I understand a little buck hear and there.  But the bolting every time we go a certain direction and the rearing you did this weekend are really unnecessary.  Can't we use the energy in a more productive way?  You look so good when you get round and elevated, lets do that (without the buck).

I really don't want to lunge you before every ride, I unfortunately don't have the time and I know you hate it.  Plus you are so out of shape by the time you get into a good rhythm on the line you are pooped.  I'm not sure what we can do but we need to figure something out that works for both of us.  I know you don't hate our rides  You seem to enjoy getting out and getting some exercise, we just need to find a way for you to blow off steam between rides.  My time with you is supposed to be fun and calming, but when I feel like I'm on a shaken can of soda ready to pop, its a little unnerving.  I'd love to half lease you out, but there just isn't anyone around interested in dressage. 

For now I will have to do my best to carve out some time during our rides and between to get you some additional exercise, sorry to say it will probably be on the lunge line.  But anytime you want to settle down and get to work you let me know.  In the mean time, I will work with the horse I have and hold on.

A New View

This weekend I loaded up Dexter for my long line lesson with Trainer.  To my disappointment she suggested we start with lunging, but I know how to lunge (at least I thought I did.)  She made some good points so I went along with it.  Long lining can be cumbersome and require a lot of walking and some jogging.  And until we know Dexter is going to be obedient on the line and not freak out, its safer to work with the one line rather than 2.  Picturing how Dexter currently likes to buck and throw a fit when I ask him to canter on the line, I agreed.  But I did make her promise to let us start trying the long line if he progresses well on the lunge line.

But I still learned more than I thought I would.  I had been lunging him at home, but don't have a whole lot of training tack so it was mostly to keep him in shape, with no particular frame.  So the first thing trainer pulled out was a surcingle and side reins, the kind you loop through the bit and attache back to the surcingle so there is some play on how low he can hold his head.  She explained this will act as reins so he will always have that constant outside rein to work with.... first light bulb of the lesson.

She started the session out lunging him showing me how to half halt with the line and whip and wouldn't you know it he was in a frame in less that 5 minutes.  She kept saying how good he looked.  Knowing my history of thinking I got it when I actually don't I decided to speak up - "OK what are you looking at specifically, I agree he looks good, but why?".  She explained a little about elevation and muscle movement.  I need more - "OK so what muscles are you looking at, how can I tell if he's in a frame"  So she pointed out his back and ab muscles... OK I think I got it now.  Second light bulb of the lesson. 

She showed me how to use the whip to get him to move his rib cage vs how to use it to get him going more forward.  (BTW when I say "use the whip I don't mean beating my horse with it, just shaking and pointing it at him to get him to move.)  Along with some other tricks to make lunging as close to riding as possible.  All things that seem obvious now.  I think I was just being lazy when I lunged him before.

So now I have some new tools in my belt.  We've had some sessions at home and I think its working, although I'm a little paranoid that I don't actually have it.  I've also decided to switch things up a bit with some free lunging and tricks so he doesn't spend the next 3-6 months on a 20 meter circle.  I'm thinking of teaching him to bow and smile... what do you think? :)