2013
This is a little welsh cob 13hh, Jazz. She had a tendency to run away with you on a hack once you had begun
trotting. I had to go right back to basics of schooling her.
I would spend 10 minutes walking, 10 minutes trotting and 5 minutes cantering before warming down for the remaining 5 minutes.
After three weeks of this, Jazz was ready to go out on hacks again, THIS HAD TO BE AT A WALK!! I spent another week of hacking out, by
this time I had started to trot. Jazz had gotten the point and now when she trotted it was nice and relaxed she became very responsive.
Instead of getting excited and running away with you. So I introduced the canter in the menage. This was all preparation for her cantering on the
hack. She was getting on so well I introduced her to jumping. Something she'd never done before.
Bliss however was completely different
She was one scared insecure horse. To start with you could take her out for a hack with or our without company, she was totally fine.
Then one day she just stopped wanting to leave the stables, for some reason she'd become very insecure, lost all of her confidence and
self - esteem. I went right back to basics with her, with schooling her.
This in itself was a challenge as she'd never been schooled before so didn't know what you wanted so would throw a fuss by bucking
as you tried to move her forwards or kick her past the entrance gate.
Upon leaving the menage, Bliss would constantly fight to go back to her stable.
But I always insisted that we went the other way, meaning going past the muck pile past the big scary barn full of hay and straw bales.
Out onto the lane and back in through the main entrance.
This idea of leaving the security of the yard completely scared her.
When ridden she refused left, right and center. But when led she would follow me anywhere. Riding her to her paddock was a tough job,
but leading her there was no problem.
So I kept doing the schooling and did a bit of basic groundwork with her and eventually after 4 weeks she allowed me to walk her out of the
main entrance up the lane. She broke into a trot at the next farm and didn't stop until the lane turning, where we turned and trotted all the way
back to the main entrance. Completing the little loop around the country lanes.
Meet Angus he is a 14hh welsh cob x. He is 9 years old and I have been working with him for a few weeks now.
When I started riding him, it was very hard work to get him moving.
For the first week I did some basic groundwork of leading him around gaining his trust and forming a bond.
I tacked him up, picked at his feet which he didn't like he tried to kick out or move away.
You could never hold his leg up for more than two seconds which isn't long enough to pick his hooves.
So I did my technique of holding the leg up in the air with a lead rope.
At first I just got him used to me holding his leg, no more than 5 seconds.
Angus wasn't comfortable with any longer than this.
So for the next week I focused on tacking him up and picking his feet, I can now pick his feet up without him kicking out or moving.
I've been riding him for six weeks and for the first few weeks it was very hard.
He refused to walk forward when led, he refused to walk forward when ridden, but eventually he started to get the idea.
With my encouragement, every little move he did I praised him. He understood this.
AND NOW!!!!
I give lessons on him, he isn't stubborn when led, he's easy going when ridden by a three year old and not stubborn.
When my nine year old student rides him, she can squeeze her legs say trot on and he obeys with no resistance.
I am also getting him trotting very nicely, I'm getting his pace faster so I can canter him.
I have done it once before, so I know he finds it no problem, but I have been bonding and gaining his trust so he doesn't feel threatened.
As I want him to have lots and lots of confidence and loads of self - esteem.
I am now exercising him further up the hill, I have taken him all the way up to the common in walk and trot.
He has walked around the common and trotted, though only for a brief moment as his stamina needs more work.