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Reo
Dec 15, 2005 17:35:45 GMT -3
Post by Jess on Dec 15, 2005 17:35:45 GMT -3
Well, this isn't so much a training log as a "progress log", as to how Reo and I are doing getting used to one another and him getting used to being ridden on a more regular basis. I didn't get to ride last week, and I haven't been up yet this week (tomorrow, yay!) so I'll start from the last time I rode. We had a lesson on Saturday. Of course, the big gigantic scary tractor decided to show up 10 minutes into it. It didn't go over too well with Reo. So we stayed on the bottom 3/4ths of the ring the farthest from all the noise. I don't normally like giving in when stuff like that comes up, but he wasn't listening at all and was getting all worked up into a panic cause he's Reo and it's what he does . Once I got him listening to me again he seemed really eager to get to work, so it's nice to see the first indicators of him settling in to a new rider. We worked on some transitions, and bending on a circle. Nothing really big, just the simple stuff. We worked on some backing too, which had improved from last week. I'm trying to get him to listen to just the lightest pressure on the bit when he backs, and Sylvia told me to use my legs a little if he's kind of sluggish backing up. But when I do, he slows down more, and I know he's doing it for badness. So I'm considering riding with spurs tomorrow when I go up in case he tries it again. If anyone else has some suggestions, it'd be appreciate. He's been a little lazy doing his spins, but I think that's just because he's gotta get back into it and everything, he hasn't been doing a whole lot of work since August. Anyway I'll probably update tomorrow when I get home.
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Reo
Dec 15, 2005 21:00:37 GMT -3
Post by Emily C on Dec 15, 2005 21:00:37 GMT -3
Reo is awesome..Emily used to call him Giant Red He has great bloodlines too I think? He also looks sexy in pink! I bet you'll do awesome with him..he's a nice horse!
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Reo
Mar 27, 2006 21:16:34 GMT -3
Post by Jess on Mar 27, 2006 21:16:34 GMT -3
So, this hasn't been updated in a long time, but I figure I'll do that now. We've made a LOT of progress since December. My confidence/comfort levels with him have absolutely soared, as, it seems, his have with me. He seems to trust me much more since the scary incident on our last trail a couple months back with the cars, and he's realized that when he gets scared and upset about something, I'll be there to keep him safe from it, so part of our progress has stemmed from that. He's come to respect me more as his rider, also. Whereas before he used to pull stunts whenever he got bored, or whenever he felt like goofing off, just out of badness, he knows now when I'm on his back, he's working, and he doesn't even bother to act up anymore. He's starting to hold himself up a lot more, and his collection is coming along really nicely. He's starting to collect himself, and hold it for longer periods of time, especially in the trot. Our halts have also gotten ten times better than they were when I first started riding him, as has our backing. His only cue to back is a shift in my weight and my fingers squeezing the reins. We're working now on getting me to lighten up my legs when asking him to do whatever, he's a really sensitive horse and I'm used to riding these beasts that you have to squeeze and squeeze your legs with, so that's my deal for the moment. A couple things I'm working on with him are 1) he's pretty much locked on the bridle, so we're working on, instead of bracing against me and latching on to the bit when I use my reins, he gives to the pressure immediately and fully. For that, we're doing some broken lines, and when we're just standing around I'll quietly apply pressure to each rein, one at a time, until he gives his head to it instead of pulling. I'll do that until I feel him giving right away and then reward him by letting him just stand or by taking him for a jog. There's nothing in the world he loves more than to just jog around, and since when I'm working him it's mostly at a strong trot with some lope thrown in, jogging is a nice treat for him. Also, Sylvia's got me doing some different exercises to get him responding to the neck rein again, while I'm still riding with two hands. That's coming along pretty nicely, too. Some days are better than others, but overall we're progressing. I love that pony.
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Reo
Mar 28, 2006 5:14:02 GMT -3
Post by Sarah on Mar 28, 2006 5:14:02 GMT -3
Sounds great! I love reading about western training - we don't have enough western people on here!
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Reo
Apr 15, 2006 18:59:18 GMT -3
Post by Jess on Apr 15, 2006 18:59:18 GMT -3
We had a lesson with Sylvia today. We didn't do a whole lot, some transition work, a little sidepassing. Syl mentioned the possibility of two hour instead of one hour lessons, which I think would be great, especially with the Lindsay Grice clinic and the start of the show season coming up next month. His ability to hold himself in a frame without having me constantly remind him is really improving. We've done a couple of trail obstacles in our outdoor lessons. He could do the gate blindfolded, the bridge is no problem, but backing through the barrels, we need to work on a little. We've gone on two more trails since the first one, and he improves by leaps and bounds every time. He has very little issue with cars now, and he barely blinks when it comes to quads and dirtbikes. He's a lot calmer, and for the most part he just takes the time now to enjoy getting out of the ring and just relaxing. We impressed our trail buddies yesterday, a couple of them were worried about how Reo would do, but he was spectacular. He showed them all up. Since it's Easter break, I'll be up almost every day. We'll probably go a couple more trails before vacation is over, and we'll be a little more intensive in our ring work, now that I have the time for real, working rides. He's also got mud fever on his two hind legs, because of how mucky everything is around the barn since the snow melted. It doesn't affect his soundness, but I know it's not really pleasant for him, so his owner Pam has started sponging the scabby areas and putting on an antiseptic/antifungal cream, and I'm doing the same now, too. He's a wuss when it comes to pain tolerance, which is good, because you always know right away when somethings wrong, but he's a bit ouchy now, and reluctant to have his back feet held for picking, having his lower legs brushed, that sort of stuff. But hopefully it'll clear up soon, and it'll be all good.
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Reo
Nov 1, 2006 21:18:54 GMT -3
Post by Jess on Nov 1, 2006 21:18:54 GMT -3
So, a little update on my boy:
He hasn't been a very happy pony the last little while, the whole Paddy thing was pretty rough on him, he really misses his girl. But he seemed a little more like himself this past weekend, so I'm glad he's coming around.
We had a lesson with Syl on Saturday, where we worked on some turns on the haunch. We started doing an exercise I used to do with Thunder. His turns start out alright, but he loses his forward momentum and starts crossing behind and stepping out, so we start off, do one or two steps into a turn, and then walk very forward out of it. He really started picking up and keeping momentum in his turns and kept them really neat.
We also were doing work on downward transitions. Syl was getting me to really work him in the corners, getting him back on his hind end and working from behind, working on collection and all that stuff.
After our lesson, Erin and Sundance and me and the boy went on a short trail ride, just out to the fields and back. We played around for a bit, Sundance and Reo had some fun and did some munching (as if they weren't fat enough already) and then we headed home.
I can't even get over him, the first time I took him on a trail ride, EVERYTHING was absolutely terrifying. He was nervous enough when he had another horse in front of him, let alone when he was leading, all he was was like a bomb just waiting to explode. In just the past couple months, he's gone all the way out to behind Butterpot, got "attacked" by two huge dumptrucks, kept calm when other horses were freaking out, waded through a belly-deep river, lead the group of horses manys a time, and even gone off by himself on separate trails without blinking. I'm so proud of him.
In the next little while, we're going to start getting private lessons with Syl every two weeks or so. I really want to work on my reining over the winter/spring for next show season, and private lessons are the best way for me to do that. Then I'm doing my Rider Level testing, Level 1 and 2 I think, Rememberance Day weekend, and a trailride out to Butterpot with Steph, Queen, Tammy and Kokanee is in the cards in the next little while too, I think.
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Reo
Nov 1, 2006 22:37:23 GMT -3
Post by Danielle; on Nov 1, 2006 22:37:23 GMT -3
Jess, you've done so much work with that horse, it's unbeliveable. From a horse just living his days out in a paddock, who spooked at EVERYTHING that came his way, now back to his showing/wicked ass/bomb proof self because of you! I'm so proud of you! And now look at all the work you're doing with Oreo, you're amazing bud! Congrats to you and Reo, you guys make a PERFECT team!! Good luck in the future.
Danielle and Vaquero <3
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Reo
Dec 30, 2006 23:30:23 GMT -3
Post by Jess on Dec 30, 2006 23:30:23 GMT -3
So, an update on my fat horse : The ride before last, I switched him back into a snaffle. He's been doing well in his curb, nice and light, but Sylvia suggested, and I agree, that since he tends to get very distracted at shows, if I could put him back in a snaffle for schooling, soften him up and then show him in his curb, I'd have that extra little bit to be able to keep him focused in the ring. The first ride I had him back in the snaffle, oh, what, two or three days ago I guess, I stuck his martingale on him, just because I was anticipating him tossing his head up and evading the bit, but today I had a lesson with Rhonda, and I decided not to use the martingale, and he was great, considering it was his second time in a snaffle in god knows how long. Today we did an exercise where we had a circle set up with pylons, and loped the outside of the circle, and Rhonda would call out to move to the inside or back to the outside of the pylons. Reo was really struggling with it at first, he was so on the forehand and leaning on my hands, plus he hates the indoor, so he was pulling himself around pretty laboriously, breaking gait and whatnot. But I kept my hands steady, and really pushed him forward into the bridle with my legs and seat, and I could feel him just lift up and rock back on his hind end. Once he really started working like that, he stopped being so pissy and was moving around beautifully in that little space for such a big lug. But that's definite improvement, even though he still needs such encouragement to do it, because when I first started leasing him, he didn't even know he had a hind end. His stops are becoming much softer and his backups are really improving, he keeps that forward impulsion going through it. He got lots of stuff for Christmas, new cooler, leather halter, boots, new saddle pad, I took a few pictures of him looking all decked out and handsome, so I'll have to post 'em soon. Anyway, I think that's about it. I have to remember to keep this thing updated.
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Reo
Jan 4, 2007 15:43:26 GMT -3
Post by Hilary on Jan 4, 2007 15:43:26 GMT -3
Get some photos!!!!
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Reo
Jan 4, 2007 16:37:53 GMT -3
Post by stephaniec on Jan 4, 2007 16:37:53 GMT -3
I've ridden this horse, and take it from me, Jess does a hell of a job making him look like he does. It doesn't even look like she's working, yet when I rode him, it was all I did. He loves her and works his a** off for her. Its amazing. To see them together is to see what a real horse and rider relationship is like.
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Reo
Jan 15, 2007 20:16:17 GMT -3
Post by Jess on Jan 15, 2007 20:16:17 GMT -3
Had our lesson again this weekend. The latigo on Reo's saddle was wearing thin and needed to be replaced, so we rode in Syl's saddle. Oh man. You don't even know how much I love it. He moves SO much better in it. I already knew his saddle was a little tight in the withers, and I suspected that it contributed to why he had so much trouble extending and really stepping out, and turns out I was right. I don't think his old saddle hurts him, (believe me, if it did, I wouldn't be on his back for long before he let me know) but he's much more relaxed and comfortable in this one. I wish I had the money to get a new one, but I really can't afford it. Anyone want to volunteer to tell his owners they should buy a new saddle for him? Anyways, Syl's saddle is incredible. It's a reining saddle, so it made me a LOT more conscious of my position, seeing as it didn't just hold me in place like the other one, and it is ridiculously comfortable. One of these days... Anyway, we worked on overbending circles at the walk and trot, and leg yielding into the corners at the trot. His overbending circles are really really improving. The first time we did them in a lesson, he yanked his head up, tensed up, and braced himself against the bit. Now, though there's still a little bit of initial resistance, he's much more soft and supple, and he's really giving with his whole front end, bending his neck around and almost touching my boot, rather than just tipping his nose in whichever direction. Plus he holds the bend for a few seconds after I release to him and let him walk out of it, rather than just snapping back like a stretched rubber band to his original position, which really shows he's putting in the effort to give to me. We're doing these overbending circles, and now overbending except getting him to move his shoulders around, to prepare for starting spins. He's keeping his forward impulsion in the circles, though sometimes he needs a little reminder. Leg yielding... Leaves a little something to be desired, but it's just something to work on. At first, we had the forward impulsion but no real bending and giving, and then we had some bending but lost the forward impulsion. We were really improving towards the end of the lesson, though, and he was starting to get the hang of it. Some boy I got.
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Reo
Jan 15, 2007 21:19:38 GMT -3
Post by nat on Jan 15, 2007 21:19:38 GMT -3
jess he sounds amazing...even tho i dont know anything about western u guys sounds like ull be stars...and i can only bet how comfy sylvia's saddle is!! ...im thinking of taking some western lessons...im so pumped..and now reading about how much passion you have...makes me only wanna learn more...im so english..lol!!
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Reo
Jan 20, 2007 20:58:18 GMT -3
Post by Jess on Jan 20, 2007 20:58:18 GMT -3
Had our lesson again today. Overall he was a really good boy. For about the first ten minutes we had a little bit of a power struggle, and he got a little pissy because I upped the bar and was expecting more out of him, but he was finally like "Ok, sorry, I'll be good" and he was fantastic for the rest of the lesson. He hasn't been feeling the best lately, I think he may have a little cold or something, he's been huffing and puffing a bit during our lessons the past couple weeks, having a little trouble catching his breath and stuff. But we worked some more on our overbending, except this week we started incorporating a direct rein with the outside rein into it, asking him to move his shoulders over as well, but keep his forward momentum. This is where our button got kind of stuck for the first little bit of the lesson, but he calmed down and was moving fantastically after a few minutes. Then we did some work on transitions from the jog to trot and back again. Worked on getting him responding to my seat rather than having to half halt him. He had a couple moments where he didn't want to come back from the trot, he was moving out SO nicely, but after once or twice he really caught on and was responding beautifully. Then we did work on giving to the bit on a straight line. We'd just apply a soft direct rein in either direction, wait til they gave but all the while keeping them walking on a straight line down the arena, rather than circling. It was more me than anything that was hindering us, it took me a second to figure out the most effective way to keep him straight, but once I got myself sorted out, he was so soft and supple and giving so quietly, all while keeping right on that straight line. Then we just cooled out, I was using my legs and indirect rein. He gives so quietly and he's so much more responsive, even since the summer. He was moving around nice and easily, negotiating his turns really well and keeping his impulsion, and had a nice forward walk the whole time. After we were done I put his cooler on him, he was a little sweaty and where he hasn't been feeling so hot, I'd rather be safe than sorry and make him as comfortable as he can be. Then he got lots of cuddles and kisses, but I had to abandon him to go teach a lesson. I'm so so lucky to have such a sweet, amazing, willing boy.
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Reo
Jan 20, 2007 21:10:36 GMT -3
Post by stephaniec on Jan 20, 2007 21:10:36 GMT -3
Jess, I can only hope that Queen becomes half the horse Reo is. He is amazing. If there is any horse at that barn that I'd want to own its Reo. Everyone on this forum should go watch you ride sometime, especially the people who want to try western riding. This horse is amazing, and works his butt off for Jess. His jog...OMG. You literally don't know he is jogging. Its amazing. And he's wicked cause he's a reiner, and a pleasure horse. And he's great on trails too. I honestly can't say enough good stuff about this guy, and his rider too
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Reo
Feb 4, 2007 20:35:27 GMT -3
Post by Jess on Feb 4, 2007 20:35:27 GMT -3
And again, an update on my boy:
We had our lesson yesterday. He was the best that he has been in a long time, he gave me 150%. Warmed up, did overbending circles for about 20 minutes. He was SO so soft and light, he gave right away when I touched the rein. Did both directions, then went out on the rail for a trot, did a little follow the leader around the arena to let them stretch out. We couldn't use our hands to slow, and could only steer with an indirect rein. He was such a good boy, especially for neck-reining in a snaffle, and not having neck reined since the summer.
Then, one by one, we went out, and did a different exercise to help prepare for spins. We'd get them to bend just a little to the left, then apply a direct right rein, and use the right leg. I was expecting him to be a little rusty and try and pop his shoulder out, but did I ever underestimate my boy. Easy and smooth as anything, he crossed right over in the front and made a little pothole. We started out only doing a step or two, and then pushing him very forward out of it, to keep him off his forehand and prevent him from sucking back.
Last going off, Syl had us do a turn all the way around. He was incredible. Just goes to show how much all our hard work is paying off. He was light as a feather on my hands, and kept his impulsion all the way through. The number one thing, is, that he was so WILLING to do it, and moved so easy off my leg.
Today I just went up and he half fell asleep in crossties while I practicedmy bandaging for Rider 3 next weekend. Silly old boy.
So, basically I just wanted to say that, my boy is amazing, and I love him x 1000000.
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