Comment

Comment by vickie lawson on June 3, 2011 at 7:42pm

we had to put down our old tb mare 2 days ago. she was 22, and the mother of my lovely nz hanoverians. she developed cushings, and her immune system packed it in. poor rosie!!

 

Comment by vickie lawson on April 12, 2011 at 3:59am

thanks tracy! i will start trying this! i also have to pay attention to my upward trans. and get her hindquarters under her so she doesn't jump from her shoulders- if you know what i mean. all good! we are getting our travers nicely now. she was totally dense to start with on that- even though she does nice shoulder-ins'

Comment by Tracy McDermott on April 4, 2011 at 11:11am

Vickie your coach is right from a coaches perspective but from the horses perspective that is one of the hardest maneuvers to do physically. The weight center and propulsion are completely different and until your horse can understand what is asked it will be nothing but frustrating for the both of you. We get to the move by concentrating on walk 1/2 arena then cantor 1 arena back to walk 1/2 back to cantor 1, the scheme is more work cantor more rest walk so the transition down is seen as a good one to be accomplished more quickly. Change the transition places but always use the same cues, from walk gather head slightly shift weight forward, open knees and soft squeeze with back of calves to send forward, to walk relax hands slightly shift weight back and squeeze with knees (feels like turning toes inward) cues are back of calves open to forward -  weight back and knees close, is close to forward. If there is to much speed in the cantor then 3 strides before the transition begin shifting weight and pulse the knees like pumping brakes. Do this as a stand alone warm up exercise, just you and the horse joining with no pressure, your horse wants to do what you ask they need to understand there's no reason it's just another movement.

Comment by vickie lawson on April 4, 2011 at 3:32am

my coach tells me to stop and get it totally right. not to accept any problem with the transition.  not to accept any trot steps. (just for comparison)

Comment by Elaine Flintoff on April 3, 2011 at 8:57pm

Yes, I've shown western too and never had a problem with my other mare.  Now, in dressage, it seems more difficult.  We have mastered all the upward and downward transitions except the canter/walk....I think Jackie that you and I are more on the same page with aids.....everyone is right....practice with no frustration, and be happy with just a few trot steps, decreasing them as time goes on and she is ready, which she will indicate by staying together when I ask her.....thanks everyone.  Just able to start working her now - bringing her back slowly after a tendon injury. 

 

Comment by Mary-Joe Figueira on March 30, 2011 at 7:27pm

Yes I have it to. It is very good.

Comment by Sherry Cassetori on March 30, 2011 at 9:20am

Thanks Joe I will try to find it , do they make a conditioner?

Comment by Sherry Cassetori on March 30, 2011 at 8:31am

Has anyone ever heard of the product Ecolious, it is organic sahmpoo and conditioner, I have a belgian/tb cross that I show, he has a white tail and mane, I need something to really condition his tail the winter has been very hard this year and boy does that tail need a cleaning. I have used cowboy magic.

Comment by vickie lawson on March 28, 2011 at 3:57am

we are also working on canter-walk trans. the key is to have them connected i think and together, if that makes sense. then it's softly done. otherwise you get trot steps. funny how it seems easier when i used to ride western! now riding dressage its such a big deal! i remember when i was a kid just starting to ride at pony club (after many yrs western) i told the instructor i couldn't do canter-trot it had to be canter- walk . lol

Comment by Cindy Jeffery on March 27, 2011 at 10:11pm

I am a western rider and ride with a lose rein, driving from my seat, body position and legs, this is my method to achieve the downward transition from lope to a walk:   Make sure you are sitting up straight and balanced while at the lope (canter, doesn't matter what lead), gather your reins enough for the horse to feel slight pressure in his mouth, at the same time allow your body to lean back slightly off center by no more than 1/2 " (sitting down) then, release your lower back and any lower leg pressure and wait till the horse begins to break gait this tells you it's getting the idea of what you are asking ( to slow down), then I add a little more hand pressure, gently squeezing the reins intermitantly with both hands kind of like gently milking a cow or a goat.  You see the reins should be coming out below your fifth finger to the bit so when you squeeze the horse feels the pressure easier, eliminating the need to be more severe in your cue. Keep gently squeezing until your horse begins to walk, then give him complete release to indicate to him that he has done what you want. 

  Note:  this how I begin teaching them this transition and the lope to walk can be difficult for the horse to master, so lots of practice is necessary whatever method you use.  Please don't get frustrated and think the horse doesn't get it and won't get it.  Your horse will, it just needs more time and practise.  Good luck with this,  Perhaps it would be a good idea to master the downward transition to jog/trot rather than to the walk right away.  This will give your horse a chance to understand completely your aids for such a maneuver assuming you will use the same sequence of aids for the lope(canter)/walk as you would for the lope(canter)/jog(trot).  So, on both downward transitions make sure you add slight pressure to the reins, release your lower back muscles and lower leg and milk the reins with both hands till you get your desired affect.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 19
• 20
• 21
• 22
• 23
• …
• 88
• Next ›
• Page