I had my first lesson at the new farm on Saturday. I tacked Gali up with just a little bit of pony anxiety, and when I brought him down to the ring he seemed to be settling just fine. Then, the pony who was out there walked back to the barn, and once again Gali lost his head. It took five or six circles to get him into the round pen (from about twenty meters away) and once he was inside, it took another five minutes just to get the lunge line over his poll and attached to the bit. Once he was hooked up, I asked him to walk off, and he took off and ran like a lunatic. When Nicole came down to teach, he was still running. She took him from me and worked on getting him to focus on her and soften at his poll. I got on (after he dragged me away from the mounting block a few times, completely ignoring everything I've ever taught him) and he again tried to leave. By this time, another mare was working in the next ring, and I could feel him exhale as he realized he wasn't alone. He still was not focusing on me at all, so we worked through it with a lot of poll softening exercises and changes of direction to keep his mind busy. He finally did relax, and was a lot better at the trot and canter than he was at the walk. By the end of the lesson I was really working to uncurl him, because he seems to think the solution is to tuck his head to his chest and leave. We got a good amount of stretchy circle in each direction at the trot, and did quite a bit of on the buckle canter in each direction to try to get him to relax and get out of giraffe mode. It honestly wasn't a good ride, but it was a great time to have a trainer there helping me get through all of his stupidity.
Sunday was much better. I brought him in with Acorn, and Nicole tacked up the pony while I got Gali ready. Since he had his buddy with him, Gali started off completely relaxed. I even had him stand at the mounting block for a few minutes to refresh his training, and he stood like a perfect gentleman. Once I was on, he wanted to get right to work and we did. He was quiet and stretching through the walk, trot, and canter (and even gave me a few walk to canters!) in his good direction, and not being a total idiot in his bad direction, so I called it quits and decided to just walk him around after about 20 minutes of work. While he was relaxing, I brought him into the round pen, to teach him that it ISN'T the pen of doom. He was extremely stressed out the whole time we were there, but as soon as he relaxed even a little bit, I let our walking session end. I was so proud of him, and it was a complete 180 from Saturday.
I do have an interesting dilemma, though, about bitting. Since I've owned him, Gali has been happiest in a Dr. Bristol Eggbutt. I've tried him in two different French links and one round-link, and all three were okay, but he was constantly fussing with them. He absolutely hates single-jointed mouthpieces. He's (very) recently begun to fuss with the Dr. B, and I wanted to try him in a full cheek, so there would be more stability in his mouth.
And... Erin informed me that as of 2012, Dr. Bristol bits are illegal for dressage.
Well, shit. I have no idea where to start now! I'll give a full cheek french link a shot because I can find one easily, but if that's a no-go, I'm guessing a baucher would be the next step. I have no idea what mouthpiece to go with. This is also a terrible time to be trying new bits - I'm not one to try and bit a horse up, and blah blah blah stop a bolting horse with your legs, but when your horse is being a raving, herd-bound lunatic, it's not exactly pleasant to try and figure out if he feels like listening to a new bit.
I switched Spider to a french link baucher a few months ago and he's been very happy with it. He's a fusser, too. He particularly likes to dive in and out of the contact and root. The stability of the baucher has stopped all that. Spider usually goes in a double bridle at home, but we'll be showing 2nd level this year so he won't be using the curb at shows. I use his baucher once or twice a week so that he's used to it, but it's not an everyday thing. Now, I am not saying to ride Gali in a double! Spider goes in the double because he's ready for it and schooling 3rd level. What I'm saying is that you don't have to use the same equipment at home as you do at shows. If Gali likes the Dr. Bristol, then leave it there until you works things out with him. First get him straightened out, then try a new bit!
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, I've never been a purist when it comes to training at home. Training and showing are different, I don't use the same techniques in the show ring that I use at home. For example: I frequently use haunches in before a left turn to keep Spider straight because he's stiff to the left and swings his haunches out in the turns. I would never do that in a show, because it's not correct. But, at home I am not looking for correct, I am looking to build his flexion and strength so that we can do it correctly at a show. I also frequently flex him hard to the right or left before a canter transition. Again, not correct, but I'm looking to build his flexibility and strength. It's OK to not always be %100 show worthy at home. That's why it's called "training". ;)