Sunday 24 February 2008

No more Mr Nice Guy

Ive done very little with the boys since I longreined AliG mid week,my excuse ..the weather of course...its been blowing a gale this time:(

I decided to get to the farm sharp then try and get into the school next door before it started getting busy.
I tacked AliG up and rode him over,it was still pretty windy but better than the past few days.Oh dear he was painfull to start with,slow,distracted,neck set you name it with me getting more and more frustrated.I spent loads of time in walk doing circles and trying to get him to soften and listen I could feel myself getting stiffer and thinking too much to myself.."its me he's been used to better riders""he's a baby".I had all this going round my head when I realised ive been treating him far too preciously and making allowance's cos of his age and thinking im going to spoil him. No so much on the ground,handling etc but ridden work.
So I decided to ride him like I'd ride Polo so we moved up to trot and he got a few wallops for grinding to a halt,acting distracted every time a horse passed and generally when he had a hint of 'attitude' going on (negative attitude).
What a difference I literally worked him until he softened and was completely paying attention...I was much happier towards the end and he was knackered:)

I then rode out with Jo and her little daughter...Polo was very good and sensible.I spent most of the time giggling at the dinky pony who was determinded to keep up with Polo and Jo's daughter who just wanted to trot all the way:)

Oh and Buster got first place yesterday at his first ever show..he was really good actually although seemed rather baffled about it all:))
He is a BIG pup compared to the rest, Peter thinks he wont grow any more and although he's big for his age reckons he's not overly big for a dog but we may need to move him up through the classes quite quickly so he's competing against older more mature dogs that him.

4 comments:

Claire said...

congratulations all round!

wondered where you'd gone - we're lucky we're a bit sheltered in our arena (not that i was going to try it in the dark through the week in the gales we had!)

cptrayes said...

WOW well done Buster!! You must be so chuffed.

Good work with Ali. Some horses just need bossing about a bit and I think those Iberian ones must be like that, like our cobs but better looking!

C

Jean said...

Way to go, Buster!! He is such a cutie. Now, I know I have good taste if the judges think so too.

AliG needs a leader. He's entering that teenager phase when he needs to have the ground rules set. Bet your getting firm with him made him happier because it made him feel more secure. You take charge and he doesn't have to. Glad it worked so well. Now you know what you have to do to train him well.

Claire said...

someone on EE was asking if anyone was going to Crufts .... i didn't post, but i seem to recall you said you were?

remind me (email) what you are doing about ulcers... there's been a thought that molly might have one....