Lately I have been working on smoother transitions, keeping him straight and balanced, etc.
11/20:Worked a little w/t/c then went back into the indoor and did some trotting poles. I worked on keeping my hands together and forward and Trooper would drop his head, track up, and step underneath himself well. I also started some desensitization work with Trooper and Pistol (4 year old FQH gelding).I am going to continue working with Trooper with clippers because he isn't too fond of them.But today,…
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Added by Allison on November 21, 2009 at 7:19am —
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Lately I have been working on the same things as usual(keeping Trooper straight and not tilted, keeping my hands together, etc.). We went on a hunt course and it was really fun!We jumped over logs and boards(wood) we set up around the trails. Today(Nov. 10) i worked Trooper, then caught Flint(2 yr old FQH gelding) and longed him, who was very well behaved.
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Added by Allison on November 10, 2009 at 6:53pm —
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Tues: Worked Trooper w/t/c, and then rode Diamond w/t/c with leverage bit. Worked on sitting back and using legs to drive her and move her around. She did well, and Trooper also did good as i worked on the usual bending and getting him to use his back, etc.
Wed:Went to the barn early in the afternoon and helped deworm the horses. We then went our through the woods where we go on trail rides and set up a small hunt course/cross-country course. It was too wet outside to jump today, but once it dri…
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Added by Allison on October 29, 2009 at 11:11am —
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Today i first ride Trooper w/t/c and worked on getting him to step over by using my inside rein up and inside leg. I also focused more on my eq and making sure my shoulders were back. I practiced keeping my hands up and together as well. Trooper then had a lesson, so i rode Diamond and worked her in a leverage bit to get the feel of one which will learn how to apply certain pressures and other things with Trooper. I did w/t/c and she was really good. I worked on keeping my hands up and together…
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Added by Allison on October 21, 2009 at 6:00am —
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Today it was pretty nice out and the ring was perfect, so i jumped. I warmed up w/t/c, and warmed up over a single cross rail. As time went on, i added more jumps until eventually it was a course with 3 singles and a line with an oxer. The jumps were set at 2 ft. Jumping overall went great today! First off, he had a great canter, which wasn't short and choppy, but longer and more balanced. Approaching the jump, i keep my thumbs together, basically touching, up and tall with my shoulders, and squ…
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Added by Allison on October 19, 2009 at 6:42pm —
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Today i caught Trooper and mainly just did some groundwork and longing. It was freezing outside today, and all the horses were shivering (no one expected snow so early!), so i worked Trooper a little, which eventually warmed up his body temp. So it was a cold, but fun day. We put the geldings in a different pasture, and gave them hay.
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Added by Allison on October 15, 2009 at 7:33pm —
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Monday:W/t/c. did some mini classes, where i worked on transitions and driving into the bit. Did giving to the hip and worked a lot off the wall.
Wednesday: Went to SMS and took a lesson. I rode Zeus, who is a TB gelding who i shareboarded for a few months two summers ago. We did flat as well as some jumping. He has def changed a lot. It takes a lot of leg to get him to use his corners, and not run off at the trot. He was also pulling and running with the bit at the trot. The canter was fine tho…
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Added by Allison on October 11, 2009 at 9:05am —
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Monday:Worked on driving into the bit, working off the rail, getting Trooper in between my hands. Also, i worked on moving his hip around, which by the end, he was off of really well. I rode Otis(Sport Horse X) a little w/t while my instructor rode Trooper.
Tuesday:Worked on same things as above. Barely ever rode on the wall, and worked off diagonals(outside rein, inside leg). Did more hip giving as well as giving off bit. A lot of forward movement today too. Also, picked up the correct lead ev…
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Added by Allison on September 30, 2009 at 4:52pm —
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Today i first warmed up by getting Trooper off his hip, which by the end of the ride, he was responding really well off his hip. I warmed up at the trot, and he was forward and off my leg well. I worked on getting him to step into the bit, then warmed up at the canter and worked on getting him off the wall with my outside leg, and staying up and tall, as well a keeping my hands up and together. I did a little jumping over a diagonal cross rail and then a cross rail line which was 5 strides. I wo…
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Added by Allison on September 26, 2009 at 10:07am —
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Monday:Worked on driving into the bit and getting off the hip. Did a tear-drop exercise for flying lead changes. Mainly worked on that most of the time. By the end, we tested how well i was doing the tear drop exercise at the canter, and cut across the ring and did a non-simultaneous flying change, but got the back within a stride.
Tuesday:Worked on giving more to hip and the tear-drop exercise, and perfecting it at the walk and trot.
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Added by Allison on September 25, 2009 at 6:08am —
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Today we did w/t/c and worked on the same stuff as we have the past few days. For fun, i rode in jockey stirrups...haha. and trotted around. It was a pretty easy-going day. And we took a walk down the lane.
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Added by Allison on September 19, 2009 at 7:59am —
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Today i worked more on getting Trooper to step into the bit and keeping my hands up and together, making sure they don't drift to wide or down. He got all his leads today, and i worked on staying tall and still with my lower back. We did some random, but fun dressage patterns. I did some simple changes as well as a flying change across the middle, he got the front and back, and the second time was a little late but still got it. I did a little for trotting work, before walking down the lane.
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Added by Allison on September 18, 2009 at 6:09am —
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Today went really well! I worked on getting Trooper to step into the bit and work off my legs, as well as making sure my outside rein doesn't go too wide or down. I made sure to work him off the wall and get him off my outside leg. At the canter, i kept my hands even and went into my two-point, driving him with my legs, and staying tall with my shoulders, as well as keeping my lower back flat and still. He dropped his head and neck down and i used my outside leg to get him off the wall and look…
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Added by Allison on September 17, 2009 at 5:41am —
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Today I mostly worked on moving Trooper around with my legs and not using as much rein. A lot of half-halts and getting him to step into the bit. I have a tendency to try holding him, so i worked on not doing that, and staying tall with my shoulders. I would have contact, especially on the outside rein(this is while we are trotting) keeping my hands together and putting leg on his girth, hopefully allowing him to step into the bit and work off my legs. We did get it, but that's def another thing…
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Added by Allison on September 16, 2009 at 6:00am —
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Lately mainly I've been taking it easy. Doing a lot of stretching and bending, practicing my equitation. Last Thursday we even did some gaming! It was just some pole bending. I've also been doing practice classes and practicing my leads. Trooper's been doing good lately, and after every ride we take the horses on a mini trail ride down the lane so they can get out. :)
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Added by Allison on September 12, 2009 at 6:29pm —
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The show went really well! We took the horses to the show on Monday, and schooled a few times. So for the show, our first class was Pony Halter, where Trooper placed 4th. In Showmanship, we placed 9th out of 17.Our pattern went pretty well. We had Sr.Rider English Pleasure where we placed 4th, although we did miss a lead, but changed it. In Pony Pleasure we also got 4th out of 10, which went better as far as his leads. Our last class was cross rails, which went really well! And we got 5th our of…
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Added by Allison on September 2, 2009 at 3:00pm —
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8/27/09:Worked on giving barrel, hip, shoulder. Went over a cross rail line a few times. And walked down the lane. Also, we got all our leads!
8/28/09:Rode inside because of rain. Rode bareback, did some stretching w/t.
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Added by Allison on August 29, 2009 at 9:13am —
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Today went really well! I warmed Trooper up and worked on a circle for a little, getting him to lift his shoulder, step across and underneath himself, stuff like that. Also, i worked on driving him forward and not worrying about his head. Cantering today went great as well. I got him on all his leads, two times each direction. Then i rode Amber a little. My friends and i then took them down the lane to the end of the driveway and back. Once i was done with Trooper, we played around with the donk…
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Added by Allison on August 25, 2009 at 8:44am —
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Past two days:Worked on getting ready for the show. I'm just gonna make it short, haha.
District Show:So, i qualified for Hunter Hack Ponies and Hunter Under Saddle Ponies. Warming up went well, on the flat and over fences. For hunter hack, they had us do the flat first and then jumping. I didn't place, and he did refuse, but it was my fault. I had my hands too far down and was rolling my shoulders forward. But i did get him over it, and in general, flat went pretty well. The Hunter Under Saddl…
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Added by Allison on August 22, 2009 at 6:00pm —
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Today i worked on getting Trooper to soften his neck and jaw which went really well, as well as him giving his hip and staying up and tall with my shoulders. At the canter, i worked on getting him to drive into the bit with my legs. We went over a line and i worked on staying tall, letting him go to find his striding and staying up in my two-point. The last time went really well, and after i practiced hunter hack by working on stopping and backing off the bit.
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Added by Allison on August 14, 2009 at 6:30pm —
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