Lesson 17 Nov 3 2011

We did the serpentine exercise again from one end of the arena to the other.

This time I was also working on trying to get Coopers head lower.

Like the coach says, it's very ugly looking during training, but he was starting to lower his head near the end of the night, when I finally started to relax!!

He was moving great, well a little spooky in one corner where the skid was up against the wall.

There was actually another horse going faster than him and passing us all the time LOL

I am going to work on loosening up the reins more, he was trying to stretch his head down but I was holding on too tight most times!!

It was so late when we got out of there and home to bed for work the next day.

Comment

You need to be a member of Barnmice Equestrian Social Community to add comments!

Join Barnmice Equestrian Social Community

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on November 10, 2011 at 11:46am: Went and practiced this again on Tuesday and the batteries were dead in the camera. Ah well, to some it all looks the same but I like them because I can see the difference in them all. Always something happening.

Cooper did really good again tonight, was getting his head down a little more and at times actually kept it down longer.

Off for the next lesson tonight, wonder what we will learn?

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on November 7, 2011 at 12:02pm: I practiced this lesson on Saturday, we did pretty good. I was trying to remember to loosen the rein then would grab them up again. Cooper was spooking in the corner with the skid again. I have to remember to move that thing. I would go over and stand there and let him sniff and he seemed to get relaxed but as soon as we moved he was spooky again.

He was a little fast for the first 15 minutes or so, even after the ground work. I wanted to try doing this exercise for the hour like a lesson but only did about half an hour, but that was good for the night.

I went to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair yesterday so didn't get out to see him. I wanted to go there specifically on that day as it was rodeo day and I thought there would be a lot of western vendors there. I was wrong!! The whole thing is for English, there was hardly any western tack there.

There was maybe 3 vendors with some western tack and as we were about to leave at 7 p.m. I found a nice saddle pad. I also purchased a cheap fleece lined girth for the synthetic English saddle and a full noseband for the cob size English bridle I have that the noseband was too small him, so hope that works better.

Just need to get a saddle pad liner for the new pad (to keep it clean) and a smaller western cinch and I think I am done buying tack!! I loved so many of the fancy western bridles I saw (expensive!!) and really really wanted to get one with some bling, but decided against it as I already have 3 western bridles and my big ticket item today was the saddle pad.

Someday I will get one with silver on it, perhaps a matching Circle Y set with breastplate too, to go with my saddle.

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on November 4, 2011 at 2:41pm: **oops, he was very good last night I meant**

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on November 4, 2011 at 2:40pm: I felt very comfortable in the saddle last night. I would hold tight on the reins and when he dropped his head a little I would release, not quick enough at times and still holding them too short. But I will work on it, this is the training stage and hope to stop yanking on his poor mouth. He was so very last night, maybe because I was sitting better?

I do that too, if I do loosen up then I shorten the rein when he comes back up and forget to loosen again. (thinking he's going to take off in back of my mind)

Comment by Jackie Cochran on November 4, 2011 at 1:50pm: You are looking a lot more secure in the saddle and very well centered. Good work.

I ride with just plain leather reins, and I just relax my fingers and my thumbs when the horse asks for more rein. Of course then I have to shorten the rein when the horse puts his head back up. Back and forth, back and forth.