Post by pboy on May 17, 2013 12:15:54 GMT
I've been having a pretty chilled couple of weeks with Classy as the show season has ended and it's getting hotter and more humid so we're both feeling a bit lazy 
I think I'll get the physio out again soon as he's still very stiff on the left and she thought there may be an old injury and scar tissue deep down in his off-side hindquarter that would benefit from more work.
In the meantime, a friend at the yard is on holiday so I've worked with his new horse a couple of times. 'Almighty Windpower' only had his last race in late November and my friend took him on about 6 weeks ago. He's what I would call an old-fashioned TB - quite big and rangy with a less dainty head than Classy. He's also still racing-skinny with no topline whatsoever! I've noticed that he's very forward with Danny on him, rushing a lot and a preference to balance himself by going faster with his head up. Danny's been doing a good job of teaching him to relax though.
I worked with him last Sunday after he'd had a week of only being turned out for a couple of hours a day. Challenge #1 was to get his bridle on. He was very friendly in the stable but as soon as the bridle came out he turned his bum to me and wouldn't let me anywhere near his head...until the treats came out and he realised the only way to get a treat was to stick his head through the reins! I lunged him for 15 minutes and he was very forwards but good as gold so...
Challenge #2 - mounting. He hasn't yet learned to stand still. My RI was in the school and asked if I needed someone to hold him but I decided to work with him instead as I was in no hurry
40 minutes (and lots of 'deep breath, count to 10...' later and I was able to stand on the mounting block, leaning over him and patting him all over. I waited for him to do a big sigh then stuck my foot in the stirrup and he stood stock-still while I got on. Success! I just did lots of work in walk - big circles and squares to connect his front and back-end (I'm not sure if he's realised that they're connected) then called it a day.
Today I worked with him again - no problems with the bridle this time! The YM was in the arena and held him for me to get on, he was fine if he was next to the fence so he couldn't shift sideways. I think I might work on that a bit more this weekend We then did more walk work, including some baby leg-yield which he finds easy, then some big figure-of-eights in trot. I was worried that he'd shoot off in trot but as long as I stayed in balance he was lovely!
So, long story short, I'm realising how satisfying it is to work with a really green horse and how fun it can be. He already knows where the treats are and is such a sweet horse to handle. Hopefully I can carry on doing some 'horse-swaps' with Danny when he gets back as I'd love to carry on working with him.
No pics I'm afraid but there is only of him from his racing days here: www.hkjc.com/english/racing/OtherHorse.asp?HorseNo=L272&search=1. Looks like he came third in the New Zealand 2000 guineas in 2009!
I think I'll get the physio out again soon as he's still very stiff on the left and she thought there may be an old injury and scar tissue deep down in his off-side hindquarter that would benefit from more work.In the meantime, a friend at the yard is on holiday so I've worked with his new horse a couple of times. 'Almighty Windpower' only had his last race in late November and my friend took him on about 6 weeks ago. He's what I would call an old-fashioned TB - quite big and rangy with a less dainty head than Classy. He's also still racing-skinny with no topline whatsoever! I've noticed that he's very forward with Danny on him, rushing a lot and a preference to balance himself by going faster with his head up. Danny's been doing a good job of teaching him to relax though.
I worked with him last Sunday after he'd had a week of only being turned out for a couple of hours a day. Challenge #1 was to get his bridle on. He was very friendly in the stable but as soon as the bridle came out he turned his bum to me and wouldn't let me anywhere near his head...until the treats came out and he realised the only way to get a treat was to stick his head through the reins! I lunged him for 15 minutes and he was very forwards but good as gold so...
Challenge #2 - mounting. He hasn't yet learned to stand still. My RI was in the school and asked if I needed someone to hold him but I decided to work with him instead as I was in no hurry
40 minutes (and lots of 'deep breath, count to 10...' later and I was able to stand on the mounting block, leaning over him and patting him all over. I waited for him to do a big sigh then stuck my foot in the stirrup and he stood stock-still while I got on. Success! I just did lots of work in walk - big circles and squares to connect his front and back-end (I'm not sure if he's realised that they're connected) then called it a day.Today I worked with him again - no problems with the bridle this time! The YM was in the arena and held him for me to get on, he was fine if he was next to the fence so he couldn't shift sideways. I think I might work on that a bit more this weekend
We then did more walk work, including some baby leg-yield which he finds easy, then some big figure-of-eights in trot. I was worried that he'd shoot off in trot but as long as I stayed in balance he was lovely!So, long story short, I'm realising how satisfying it is to work with a really green horse and how fun it can be. He already knows where the treats are and is such a sweet horse to handle. Hopefully I can carry on doing some 'horse-swaps' with Danny when he gets back as I'd love to carry on working with him.
No pics I'm afraid but there is only of him from his racing days here: www.hkjc.com/english/racing/OtherHorse.asp?HorseNo=L272&search=1. Looks like he came third in the New Zealand 2000 guineas in 2009!
for so much hard work we thank ye!!