it was blowing a howling gale most of the day so i didn't expect to be able to do anything, but it dropped as i got to the yard (nice co-incidence!)
i decided to take her for a walk in hand - and was amazed she went past all the places she'd balked at last time we'd tried that! out of the yard, past the house, under the willow, up the track and quite a way along it. well pleased.
jean, the easy bit is the actual lunging; the difficult bit is that she won't let me round that side of her at all when she knows that's what we're going to be doing. takes about 1/2 hour or more of argument, usually putting the lungeline over her head, walking round behind her, try to send her away, she turns back in, and so on. stand her still at the fence line and go under her head, she puts herself back so i'm on her left again ... and as for trying to put side reins on. but she'll loose school right rein no problem so go figure! i can stand on her right hand side in the stable, not a problem. in the arena, a problem. last time i did eventually get there after the argument, she did eventually give in, but it's a debate or more every time. and last night i didn't win as we ended up with the lunge line caught on the bit ... not a clever idea.
I try to vary what we do
hey ho.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
H-m-m-m-m. This is interesting.
OK, you might try this. First, do some carrot stretches. (I call them "necksercises") Use a treat or carrot and hold it back at Molly's girth area to get her to reach around to get it. Do this twice on the right for each once on the left. Do this when you are grooming her or just playing with her. Get her used to wanting to bend to the right when you are over there. Do some of your ground leading from the right side as well, always thinking that you do not want to handle her in any way that contributes to her being one sided.
Once you have established with her that your being on the right side is a good thing, begin, in hand circling her to the left and right when you take her for walks. Swap sides when you do this and use the carrot trick once in a while to let her know bending towards you on the right is a tasty thing to do.
Eventually, work up to getting her to circle around you in hand. From there try progressing to the lunging as if it's just an extension of all those exercises you have done. The carrot stretch before you work her will help loosen any muscular stiffness that may be contributing.
Also, once you do get to the lunging, start her off on the right rein instead of the left. That way, if fatigue comes into play, she will not be tired when you ask for the right rein work.
Do you think any of this might help?
Post a Comment