The Riding/Training - Evergreen Clinic Day Two

Evergreen Clinic Day Two

My rides were at 9:00 and 2:00.  I rode Gus first and I had the most amazing experience of discovering a new way to "talk" to him with my fingers.  I got a new way of establishing and mainataining contact through the reins.  I think I have generally had hands that are too busy when I ride.  Gus learned long ago to use that to my disadvantage.   But when I make them too still, he gets worried.  Just talking to him with my fingers seems to be a good compromise.  I have to keep the conversation going when he wants to change the subject... or ignore me ... or keep doing something that is not acceptable.  It was so successful during my clinic ride that I can't wait to see how it plays at home, where things are more laid back and more subtle.   It was good to ride him first.  It became an extension of the lesson the day before.  He got a bit difficult at the end when he was tiring: we were tiring.  But it was a good ride and I think I learned something important. 

Elvis was second.  He about came apart when he heard the P.A. come on, so we worked without it.  (I should plan to go back up there some time and just work on habituating him to that.)  We worked on mounting, walking, trotting in circles and serpentines.  The serpentines were more difficult for him there, because the arena is shorter than at home.  We worked on canter in both directions: 20 meter canter circles with 12 strides between transitions.  I was given a way of establishing contact with him that is persistent, but not heavy handed and it began to yield results even in this session.  We worked on leg yields at the walk and trot.  I was really tired, so we stopped a bit early.  I have good homework to do!

I have to add here that everyone made me feel like Elvis was the star of the clinic.  I had been nervous about bringing him because he is so green.  But everyone, from the clinician to the guy taking care of him at the barn, made a fuss over him and went out of their way to tell me what a nice horse he was.   The clinician even said, "I don't think you realize what a high quality horse this is!"  So I am feeling very luck to have found him and I am confident that he can become bilingual and do whatever we ask of him.