Virtual Brush Box

Boredom & Temptation

It is hard not to want to push the envelope, particularly when we are doing SO little. I think that in the past, people have seen a big horse and assumed a tough horse. In truth, he’s a cupcake. I find that he gets nervous & upset if he thinks that the work is goingContinue reading “Boredom & Temptation”

Ground Exercise 2: Crossrail

Walk quietly, calmly, slowly over. I keep gnawing at the jumps because, in the velvet darkness of the blackest night, there is a faint, flickering hope that he may yet cart my sorry ass around Prelim &/or over a mini-prix. Work: Yesterday, 1x, short walk but with dog for distraction. Today, 2x, slightly longer walk/ground exercises.Continue reading “Ground Exercise 2: Crossrail”

Santa: please bring me a pony.

Ground Exercise 1

To turn 360o in a box. Gives him a chance to figure out on his own that the large brown lump trailing behind him is his hindquarters. He needs to learn how to maneuver in novel situations. For example, in the middle of an in-and-out after his pilot has an amateur moment. Work as yesterday:Continue reading “Ground Exercise 1”

Little & Often

AM Short in-hand walk, done after his heat therapy to maximize relaxation. Our route was halfway between the path to the water trough, which is a gimme, and the path up the hill, which caused his come-apart last fall. PM First day back to double sessions, so I groomed until his head came down &Continue reading “Little & Often”

We begin. Again.

We are in the second week of short, in-hand walks around the pasture. Given the combined talent of horse & rider, this is an astounding level of underachievement. The theory is to identify exercises where gold stars can be handed out by the fistful. The goal is to get back to a place where heContinue reading “We begin. Again.”