A month has passed

Dino on November 11, 2009

Dino on December 9, 2009

Amazing what four weeks of good food, exercise and grooming can do, huh?

I've learned a lot about Dino in this first month of ownership. For one he's a moody boy. I don't know if it's due to the weather change, as winter has finally arrived here, if he's cold, or my changing his 'routine' has caused this. I know he's usually always in a better mood after we work. But I have tried to change some things, I bought him a new Amigo sheet to place under his blanket on cold days and on top of his usual alfalfa hay, I'm adding two flakes of timothy hay in the afternoon. I've also come up with a more permanent schedule:

• Saturday & Sunday: ride
• Monday: lunge
• Tuesday & Wednesday: ride
• Thursday: groom
• Friday: lunge

Unfortunately with the arrival of winter, things will become complicated and we'll just have to work around super cold days or winter storms. I don't plan on doing any riding when it is in the low 20's and below that will probably lead to absolutely nothing outside of short grooming sessions, turnout (if possible), and cleaning stalls. The weather will break in three months and it'll get better.

Dino's poor attitude has also led me to consider ulcers. Studies have shown that more than 90% of all racehorses have ulcers and with all the moving around Dino has done in the last year, I can't help but think he could have gastric ulcers. I'm going to have to call my vet and discuss this with the benefits of a treatment of Succeed or Ulcer Guard.

I have also learned that Dino is locked at the poll. He very well could use another adjustment from the chiropractor, but until then I will try to get him to loosen up with exercises.

First, at a halt on the rail, while keeping my fingers softly closed on the reins and keeping my hands side by side, I turn my wrist (like I would unlocking a door). If I'm suppling the poll to the right my thumb will point to the right, my fingernails upwards and my baby finger diagonally to my opposite shoulder. I hold for three seconds and return to my original hand position.

My hand should never cross Dino's withers, only come close to them. I also need to support Dino with the opposite rein so he doesn’t just bend his neck. That is keep the rein still with contact.

A good check is to pick a position and put my hand forward toward Dino's mouth with a little slack in the reins. If I've suppled Dino properly, he’ll stay flexed in that direction and not go back with the slack in the rein. (Example: flex him left, give the left rein, and see if he stays flexed left without my hand.)

After success at the halt, we'll move on to the walk and so on.

Dino is also learning to relax his trot and a little bit of give and take.

For his trot, Dino needs to learn to step up under himself with his hind legs, letting the energy travels up over his back, creating a round back with a lifted belly, then over the top of his neck, creating a relaxed softly rounded neck, relaxed flexion at the poll, and down to the bit.

To do this I lightly close both legs to send him forward, when I feel the surge of energy coming from behind, I close my outside hand in a fist to capture the energy and recycle it back to the hind legs. I do this for three seconds, release for a few strides, and repeat. This is connecting his back end to his front end.

Once Dino has learned to round his back, we will move on to more giving and taking. The term "give and take" means to create bend or flexion. This is never a pull on the reins, always an invitation. If the horse resists, a more persistent invitation is given. It is also never a see-sawing action on his mouth, which only accomplishes a resentful horse.

By learning to give and take, Dino is ultimately learning about the indirect rein. If Dino gives (or flexes) his head to the right or left, he's also flexing at the poll. I know he's doing it correctly when I can see his inside (or outside - counter flexion) eye and nostril. His head should come in (or out) by no more than one inch. (The same technique for supplying or unlocking Dino's poll mentioned above.) Right now, we are working on flexing in.

When Dino flexes in, he should also flex at the jaw and close the angle of his throatlatch. To accomplish this, I first close my legs and send him forward through my outside hand to get his back round. AFTER his back is round, I ask him to flex his jaw by moving the bit in his mouth - with only one rein.

It is only after Dino has learned to flex at the poll and the jaw that he will truly be on the bit. The trick lies in Dino must be connected over his back, if not he's just turning his head inward. So I need to be sure that I support him with my outside rein to catch him from drifting out, rather than just bend his entire neck.

When Dino is correctly on the bit, he will feel soft in my hands and light on his feet. The message I need to remember when asking Dino to flex (or give) is to ride him from back to front.

Until Dino is moving consistently through or if we have a break in communication, I need to keep good contact and encourage relaxation and impulsion. Every training session has the primary goals of setting Dino up for success with a good experience. I then build on that to take us to the next level.