Punk.
It comes as no surprise that after all of Dino's health and lameness issues, I tend to go a little easy on him. Any time he's a bit unwilling to do what I ask, my mind immediately jumps to the possibility of muscle cramps, foot soreness, or his stifle getting goofy. It's the Worried Mama in me.
But sometimes, most of the time, he's just being a punk.
Dear Auntie Jen came up for a visit this weekend, and since she is a trainer by trade, I asked her to give Dino and I a dressage lesson. I explained to her some of the things I want most to improve, namely Dino's lightness in the bridle, and his up transition to canter when in a working frame. Jen watched us warm up in a long stretchy frame to get an idea of what she was working with, and then set her plan in motion.
We did A LOT of lateral work. Jen started us out in shoulder-in, something that's pretty much a confirmed movement for Dino at the walk, and we're having pretty good progress with it in trot. She wanted to see that I could control his shoulders and hindquarters independently, and see Dino stepping deep under his body with his hind legs. We then did a little bit of leg-yeilding, trying to keep that feeling of stepping under and crossing over with the hind legs.
Jen then had us work on haunches-in, a movement I haven't really worked on at all with Dino, and something that is difficult for me to do to begin with. She had us do some "ugly" haunches-in just to get Dino crossing over and thinking about moving his haunches independently. It was tricky, but I definitely felt a few correct steps and know now what I should be shooting for in the haunches-in.
Happy with my somewhat-awkward abilities, Jen moved on to the half-pass. This is a third level movement, which I have done before on some very well schooled horses, but didn't think I'd ever attempt it on Dino. Similar to a leg yeild, in half-pass the horse moves forward and sideways simultaneously, crossing the legs over each other, but moves in the same direction that they are bent. In other words, this is COMPLICATED to ride. Jen had faith. I had a vague idea of what I was doing. And Dino had the good sense to give me a few steps of half-pass at the walk. Success!
Finally after all the fancy-shmancy stuff, we moved on to my nemesis: the canter transition. Jen promised me that all the lateral work would improve it, since Dino was now working his hind end correctly and thinking about what his back legs were doing. I showed Jen the super-yucky hollowed-out transition, followed by a perfectly lovely round cater about three strides later. She had me practice. And practice. And practice. She had me anchor my outside rein on my leg. My arms got tired. Dino would still not make a round transition.
I made Jen get on.
And Jen declared.... that Dino was just being a punk. She very correctly observed that since Dino had a very nice, strong canter after the transition, and was perfectly capable of carrying himself, that this wasn't a fitness or soreness issue, this was an ATTITUDE issue. After a few minutes of schooling with Auntie Jen, Dino was making canter transitions like a pro, keeping his neck arched and his booty tucked under. She also suggested that I try him in a Waterford bit to keep him from leaning on my hands so much, which I thought was a great idea.
Now that I know what he can do, the little punk has no idea what's coming.
But sometimes, most of the time, he's just being a punk.
Dear Auntie Jen came up for a visit this weekend, and since she is a trainer by trade, I asked her to give Dino and I a dressage lesson. I explained to her some of the things I want most to improve, namely Dino's lightness in the bridle, and his up transition to canter when in a working frame. Jen watched us warm up in a long stretchy frame to get an idea of what she was working with, and then set her plan in motion.
We did A LOT of lateral work. Jen started us out in shoulder-in, something that's pretty much a confirmed movement for Dino at the walk, and we're having pretty good progress with it in trot. She wanted to see that I could control his shoulders and hindquarters independently, and see Dino stepping deep under his body with his hind legs. We then did a little bit of leg-yeilding, trying to keep that feeling of stepping under and crossing over with the hind legs.
Jen then had us work on haunches-in, a movement I haven't really worked on at all with Dino, and something that is difficult for me to do to begin with. She had us do some "ugly" haunches-in just to get Dino crossing over and thinking about moving his haunches independently. It was tricky, but I definitely felt a few correct steps and know now what I should be shooting for in the haunches-in.
Happy with my somewhat-awkward abilities, Jen moved on to the half-pass. This is a third level movement, which I have done before on some very well schooled horses, but didn't think I'd ever attempt it on Dino. Similar to a leg yeild, in half-pass the horse moves forward and sideways simultaneously, crossing the legs over each other, but moves in the same direction that they are bent. In other words, this is COMPLICATED to ride. Jen had faith. I had a vague idea of what I was doing. And Dino had the good sense to give me a few steps of half-pass at the walk. Success!
Finally after all the fancy-shmancy stuff, we moved on to my nemesis: the canter transition. Jen promised me that all the lateral work would improve it, since Dino was now working his hind end correctly and thinking about what his back legs were doing. I showed Jen the super-yucky hollowed-out transition, followed by a perfectly lovely round cater about three strides later. She had me practice. And practice. And practice. She had me anchor my outside rein on my leg. My arms got tired. Dino would still not make a round transition.
I made Jen get on.
And Jen declared.... that Dino was just being a punk. She very correctly observed that since Dino had a very nice, strong canter after the transition, and was perfectly capable of carrying himself, that this wasn't a fitness or soreness issue, this was an ATTITUDE issue. After a few minutes of schooling with Auntie Jen, Dino was making canter transitions like a pro, keeping his neck arched and his booty tucked under. She also suggested that I try him in a Waterford bit to keep him from leaning on my hands so much, which I thought was a great idea.
Now that I know what he can do, the little punk has no idea what's coming.
good thing ponies do not read blogs :D
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