Mon 3rd May 2010
Rode in the evening, already 8pm when I got there and blooming freezing! Felt tempted not to do anything as I was so tired after a stressful weekend (thought I'd killed the dog!) but gave myself a talking to and committed to 10 minutes at least.
D was very whizzy in the field and tossed his head plunging it to the ground in a very LB manner. I took my long-neglected 22' line and was pleased that, although I held it too short, it did not feel the lead weight it always used to, even after a break. Had a carrier bag on my C/S so did some FG with that. Moved onto figure 8. What a difference...because D was whizzy, I didn't need to chase him with the stick. Because I didn't even lift my stick, he stayed a lot sweeter and went charging round the cones with some verbal encouragement from me! I felt like we were in the pony club dis-mounted games!
Did some circling afterwards. D cantered both ways but quickly fell back to trot each time. Got a nice change of rein and then time to get on. I must admit I had second thoughts as he was so forward but then I thought "If you're worried about getting on here, what chance will you have at Oldencraig?!" So, on I got and, I needn't have worried, because D didn't want to go anywhere at all!
So, what was all that about? Maybe feedback from the last ride down horse alley (likely). Maybe getting bored with the field stuff (don't think so). Maybe a bit unconfident due to the weather (possibly). Anyway, I didn't have a whip-whap which turned out to be a blessing a a soft touch seemed to be the way forward here. In fact, he was so like riding Ollie, it was weird. Exactly the same feeling of "I don't want to" but, once I got him unstuck, he was much happier. I did a pattern of disengaging the HQ, walkign to a cone, treat, rest, repeat.
OK, I admit to feeling like I was going back in time a bit having to repeat the treat at a cone exercise but I was pleased that I was able to respond to do what D needed even if it meant changing my plans (was hoping to trot in the field today). I also omitted the rein back of the last pattern as he was thinking too backwards already.
After a while, D became much less sticky and then I could feel he was unconfident rather than lazy. I then walked the circle pattern, round, and round and round. Duncan was so forward going and sweet. Wow, what a strange feeling! It really is like Duncan is going through the changes my Ollie went through in reverse. To explain briefly; Ollie was my sweet forward-going horse who became unrecognisable to me because he was ridden with too much leg and rein. He became downright stubborn and nappy. Duncan started out downright stubborn and nappy and is becoming sweeter and more forward-going all the time. Absolutely fascinating!
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