That’s great! I’ve been thinking about getting a Pivo to keep myself accountable about my own rein length.
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You both look great! You make an excellent pair. He has a nice, springy jump. I think he’s really going to be something as he progresses! (Not that he’s not already something…
.)
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He looks like such a blast to ride! I think you’ve got a gem there.
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I need one for that too. I put nail polish dots on the inside of both my bridle rein[s] where my hands are supposed to be… Dunno if that would work for you? It has definitely worked for me.
OP, he looks great in these videos!! He looks game and brave and has figured out his job - now you just set the line and pace! You sit his little bounces after the fence really well. How has the hackamore been working for you?
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his jump is just adorable. I’m officially in love
@ParadoxFarm @chestnutmarebeware @junesj68 Thank you all so much! He really is a blast to ride.
@beowulf The hackamore has been life changing for him. I tried putting him back in a flexible D snaffle and it is like riding a totally different horse, especially over fences. It does make me laugh because this is a horse who spends his entire life trying to put things in his mouth but hey, whatever makes him happy. I was concerned about not having enough control/brakes but he is very respectful of it when jumping.
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It is harder to teach them to follow the hand and control the body wiggle in a hackamore for a green horse…I wonder if you tried flatting him in a rope halter or side pull as a little more follow your nose direct rein type cue.
Or a combination bit like this https://www.horsebitbank.com/brands-categories/trust/combinations
Yes it can definitely be a challenge - I did try him in my mustang’s side pull one time but could definitely try it again. Is the idea to eliminate the leverage of the hackamore?
I have also thought about the hackamore combination type bits if I did need a little more, although I suspect he would do the same things he does in a bit.
The idea I had is to use more direct rein pressure to get him aligned from nose to tail and following his nose, to work on having more control over where his shoulders are going and the overall track.
This is what I was going to suggest. Like yes, my outside rein and leg will be there to support you, but ultimately horse, you need to follow your nose.
Picked it up from the western folks where a simple lift of the hand gets flexion and a turn. I begin at a halt, drop the outside rein, pull inside rein till horse is looking back at me and I can give a big forehead rub. Drop when they soften and I’m not the one holding their head up. Repeat on other side and so on, till they’re following the rein and I’m not the one dragging their head around.
Then at the walk. Pull/lift right rein, head goes right and if body doesn’t follow, right leg to kick the hindquarters around and get them on track with head. Rinse and repeat with 5 million changes of direction.
On to the trot. I find it really helpful to have a ring full of jumps to circle and weave and change directions around— there should be very few straight tracks. This is done on a stupidly long rein, with pressure only applied to one rein at a time. Lift right hand with a bit of right leg, nose tilts and body follows nose or else booty gets kicked around the corner till it’s tracking behind the nose.
In the end I (usually lol) have a lovely, long-and-low, snakey horse that easily flows through the change in bend as we circle and volte and serpentine without me having to micro-manage shoulders and hind quarters. It’s as useful for loosening up stiff horses as it is for simplifying the elastic ones.
The other exercise I thought of for your guy would be leg-yielding off the track/rail (ie: to the inside) at the canter to focus on straightness and really finding the feel on the outside rein. He is very good at rewarding you by lightening up when he gets truly straight and equal on both reins. It’s when he’s every so slightly still bent inside when you get to the jump that he blows past you a wee bit- but even that seems better in the newest vids. Which btw, well done. He’s looking fab and like loads of fun!
@IPEsq @dags Thank you both so much for the exercise ideas, I am excited to give them a try!
Finally got around to getting the pictures my husband took organized and had to share a few of my favorites:
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Those are awesome! Again, congrats on a job well done.
