Alright,
So this week started off REALLY WELL.
We did three rides where all we did was flexion right and flexion left at walk, followed by counter-flexed circles with exact sizes (i.e. no loopy, egg-shaped ovals). We also finally completed our first successful counter-bend in high neck position circle at trot. With these figure of 8s (whereby the first half of the figure is counter bent and the second half of the figure is in correct bend with lengthened neck and stride), his trot improved greatly and had much more suspension, rhythm and elasticity. His stride has gotten much longer, clearer, and he is carrying himself in a much lighter frame (demi-arrets on a regular basis at the beginning of work and in counter-bend is still present). He is responding much better to the whip (a short crop used on his shoulder) and this light poking action of the whip at his shoulder seems to be more than enough for corrective purposes.
The end of my week hasn't gone so well. Mr. Horse tripped, fell, and flipped himself over during turn-out and pulled quite a few of his poor back muscles, so it may be a few days before we get under to under saddle work again. (poo). On a positive, the work in-hand presented by PK is relatively non-streneous and I will be continuing with flexions, action-reaction, bend and suppleness of the jaw and poll daily until he is ready to return to work.
Until next time!
-Dressage Person
Monday, 12 December 2011
Friday, 2 December 2011
The 6-month Independent Philippe Karl Experiment
That's right!
He has arrived in his new home and settled in very nicely (day 2 in his new home).
Day 3:
Back to flexions at walk/trot, some action-reaction at trot, shoulder-in at walk, short shoulder-in on circle to encourage stretching of the neck. At trot, flexions, work on 20m circle, changes of direction to aid in balance.
Impressions: Still very happy with this one. He is keen to learn, his trot has lengthened itself ten-fold since his first ride and he is accepting the bit much more. His walk is more rhythmical and uphill.
Day 4: First Spook
Well! We got over that hurdle now didn't we =). Good news is, even though it was completely exaggerated and mostly ridiculous, I didn't feel as though I was going to come off. We spooked at the "clunk" of the arena lights turning on and did an odd shuffle/hop/canter/gallop? down the rail.
We worked on flexions at the walk/trot again, lots of bending, lots of action reaction and began to demand more lightness in the bridle especially when in the lengthened neck position by using demi-arrets.
Day 5: Turn-out
I've now decided to write for the next 6 months on a "Philippe Karl Experiment." This means I'm going to follow Mr. Karl's methodology to the book with a horse who has some schooling but was trained using german methodologies. I'm not starting from scratch, but the horse is unaware of all things Philippe :) As I've mentioned before I am an amateur rider so my execution of these methods will be far from perfect. I am not attached to the "ecole de legerite" in any way, and any conclusions that I draw from this experiment are to be taken as my interpretations of the experiment :)
A little information on the horse, his breeding indicates that he should be an upper-level mount however he is around 1st level dressage with some beginnings of shoulder-in and haunches-in. He has no jumping training. He is 13 years old and built ever-so-slightly downhill.
I will be working with this horse 4-6 times a week. His diet will remain similar to what he has had in the past when in intensive work with the same supplements etc. Also his tack will remain the same (minus the removal of a flash nosepiece and noseband - PK wouldn't approve of these things).
Here is a short summary of our first 5 days together. =) I am hoping to post about our daily happenings with a week-long summary at the end of it.
I will be working with this horse 4-6 times a week. His diet will remain similar to what he has had in the past when in intensive work with the same supplements etc. Also his tack will remain the same (minus the removal of a flash nosepiece and noseband - PK wouldn't approve of these things).
Here is a short summary of our first 5 days together. =) I am hoping to post about our daily happenings with a week-long summary at the end of it.
I will begin with DAY 1:
He has arrived in his new home and settled in very nicely (day 2 in his new home).
Flexions on the ground & Under Saddle at Walk and Trot.
Impressions: Boy does this guy learn quickly. He was very unsure of the work at the walk (as are most horses trained in the German pyramid because the walk is supposed to be easily ruined and difficult to improve), but once I did some work at trot I went back down to walk and he REALLY understood the idea of flexing while moving straight, reaching down through a bend on a small volte. In trot we worked a bit on flexions to either direction and then worked on reaching over the back in trot via stretching through the bend. What surprised me here was how light he got! He began to really soften the jaw and even started to give at the poll. I'm very excited to see where this could be going. This is a HUGE improvement from ride one at his old place.
Day 2:
More flexions on the ground than yesterday, some in halt and then I moved on to flexions in walk. I introduced the counter-bend in a high neck position with an open poll. Also did some flexions at walk on the rail that we then moved to a shoulder-in on the rail. He is much better on the left rein and thus will need extra work on the right rein in order to even himself out. At trot, we continued to work on the lengthening of the frame through a bend and asked for a slightly larger trot.
Impressions: Though still keen to learn, the horse seemed a bit concerned about the high neck position in the counter-bend. More work will need to be done on this. His shoulder-in at walk was lovely but he could slow down his tempo in order to step-under himself more. His difficulties on the right rein at walk need to be evened out.
Impressions: Boy does this guy learn quickly. He was very unsure of the work at the walk (as are most horses trained in the German pyramid because the walk is supposed to be easily ruined and difficult to improve), but once I did some work at trot I went back down to walk and he REALLY understood the idea of flexing while moving straight, reaching down through a bend on a small volte. In trot we worked a bit on flexions to either direction and then worked on reaching over the back in trot via stretching through the bend. What surprised me here was how light he got! He began to really soften the jaw and even started to give at the poll. I'm very excited to see where this could be going. This is a HUGE improvement from ride one at his old place.
Day 2:
More flexions on the ground than yesterday, some in halt and then I moved on to flexions in walk. I introduced the counter-bend in a high neck position with an open poll. Also did some flexions at walk on the rail that we then moved to a shoulder-in on the rail. He is much better on the left rein and thus will need extra work on the right rein in order to even himself out. At trot, we continued to work on the lengthening of the frame through a bend and asked for a slightly larger trot.
Impressions: Though still keen to learn, the horse seemed a bit concerned about the high neck position in the counter-bend. More work will need to be done on this. His shoulder-in at walk was lovely but he could slow down his tempo in order to step-under himself more. His difficulties on the right rein at walk need to be evened out.
Day 3:
Back to flexions at walk/trot, some action-reaction at trot, shoulder-in at walk, short shoulder-in on circle to encourage stretching of the neck. At trot, flexions, work on 20m circle, changes of direction to aid in balance.
Impressions: Still very happy with this one. He is keen to learn, his trot has lengthened itself ten-fold since his first ride and he is accepting the bit much more. His walk is more rhythmical and uphill.
Day 4: First Spook
Well! We got over that hurdle now didn't we =). Good news is, even though it was completely exaggerated and mostly ridiculous, I didn't feel as though I was going to come off. We spooked at the "clunk" of the arena lights turning on and did an odd shuffle/hop/canter/gallop? down the rail.
We worked on flexions at the walk/trot again, lots of bending, lots of action reaction and began to demand more lightness in the bridle especially when in the lengthened neck position by using demi-arrets.
Day 5: Turn-out
Free-lunging in the sand lunge-pen. Walk/Trot/Canter. Worked on paying attention to body language, moving around the circle on the correct bend (rather than counter-bent) and changing direction with a hand cue.
5-Day Summary
5-Day Summary
- Very happy with his temperament - he's super willing and very keen
- He's a sensitive little guy and needs quite a lot of reassuring (though he's not by my definition spooky)
- Action-Reaction and stretching through the bend seem to be a simple exercise for him.
Goals for Next Week:
- Have him flexing down the entire rail with a large bend in either direction
- Have counter-bend with open poll position introduced and going well.
- Work on changes of direction through seat aids
- Introduce more work at trot - especially that which will build up his current 'pencil' neck (open-poll position, bending, counter-bending in high neck position)
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