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“No, Patrick, say nothing, just stand there, and think happy thoughts,” I said to him.
The bit problem may have gotten its start in response to saddle fit, I believe, and a reluctance to move through his body fluidly. In other words when you touch the reins to stop, instead of reaching through the horse to stop the hind feet, the movement of the hand was stopped cold at the tight, immoveable jaw, poll, and neck—uh, Patrick threw his head. The movement stopped there.
Collecting the hinds, drawing them up under the horse is important for a horse to ‘stop and go’ smoothly. With any green horse, all movement feels downhill, extended, and rushed. Exactly how Patrick wanted to ride. So, the real problem was getting movement through a rigid-mouthed horse. Flexion over the top line is practical dressage from the start. Patrick’s top line was tight and short. All movement was choppy and poorly tempo-ed. All roads lead to leg yield for me, as I can gather all four corners of my horsey, and he has to get over me touching his mouth with my hands through the bit. “Touch, touch, touch,” I say with a big smile.
At the competitive trail ride event at the Brookfield Horse Trail System, we brought home the blue in our group of eighteen in the “Rookie” division. By the end of the ride, my pal Patrick and I were ahead enough on the time clock, so we were able to walk the last three miles into camp. He was completely dry.
Side bar: During the ride I found a trot gear on this wonder boy that made me scream like a girl I had so much fun.
Upon completion, I could truly read Patrick’s Arabian mind’s disdain upon riding a mere fifteen-mile trail. Fifteen miles was just a warm-up. But my response was: “Thank you, Your Majesty, for using all your royal powers for good.”
By the way, for the record, I like working with Arabs. They’ve been out-smarting their owners for years! I may goof around, but I truly enjoyed Patrick and everything he brought to our partnership equation.
I’m still laying in the dirt with the social media stampede.
Please take some time and “like” us on Facebook so I can
stand back up and dust myself off. That’d make me happier
than a full breeze from a corn-eatin’ horse. I have been
training horses for over 35 years and value the western horse
lifestyle in my approach to training. Giving clinics and
seminars on how to reach your full potential with your horse
through the training foundation of Cowboy Dressage keeps
me young.
"At the competitive trail ride event at the Brookfield Horse Trail System, we brought home the blue in our group of eighteen in the “Rookie” division."
© Liz's Candid Photos
© Liz's Candid Photos