Something strange has happened.

[brigadier]

I was rooting through my tackroom in preparation for new saddle accessories etc and a bit of a clearout and I found a breastplate martingale attachment that I forgot I had but would suit Welly for jumping. I spent ages fitting it as he is a bit lopsided??? But that wasnt the strange thing.. when I rode him he was a different horse, seriously! He wasnt as strung out, he carried himself really well right from the start of the session, he put his ears forward, he didnt poo himself five or six times. In fact apart from the dodgy right canter he was almost like a made, really well schooled horse.
Now Im not saying I wasnt getting there with his schooling but it has been sporadic so unless it has 'just clicked' Im at a loss.... the only other thing I can put it down to is that the breastplate feels like some sort of schooling device he has worn and it reminds him???
Anyhow Im not complaining but am a bit mystified.

[solomon]

So interesting! It's exactly what Tellington touch is all about. Using crepe bandages to bring awareness to body parts. Try a tail bandage from one side of his saddle to the other under his tail to gather up his rear end too! See what happens? Aren't they sensitive. We forget.

[pboy]

There was a study recently that found that martingales make the contact steadier - maybe that's a factor? Either way it must have been a lovely feeling!

[brigadier]

It could be both, I struggled initially with bitting but eventually sorted that when I replicated what he had worn in Ireland so he may also feel more confident in my hands- there's no doubt about it, as Im getting older and stiffer in my right hip Im not as supple through my seat as I once was so my hands will undoubtedly suffer (oh the shame of it...) Also he is lopsided in his shoulder development- lots of left canter will probably be the reason for that so maybe the feel of the breastplate assists there as in Tellington Touch. Also there is something of the cheeky chappie coming out in his character so I can imagine he had his moments when he was broken. Rac and I observed a nice mare on the trek (she was destined to go to America for big money) and she was ridden strapped down as she had been very naughty on the previous trek. So little old Welly could have had the same treatment. Willy's daughter did tell me that if they were naughty they did this and then sent them on the trail for a couple of weeks and it either killed them or cured them!!(tongue in cheek!)
When I was riding for the saddler yesterday I left the breastplate off and he was still the same- lovely in fact although later when I was riding him properly he nearly spooked me out of the saddle- he was so underneath me its like riding zebedee!