Headed to the barn late this morning to ride G in his new Rockin S Raised Snaffle. I had reserved the arena for 12:45 but a lesson was running a little late so I decided to ride G outside for a few before heading indoors.
Well G did a great job at picking me up at the mounting block and he stood still for me. I picked up his reins and he wanted to walk off. So I asked him to stand. Easy right? Not. Here comes the red farm truck down the center drive with Sue standing in the back throwing lunch hay. Aha, it's lunch time and as usual if its feeding time and I'm asking G to work he wants to throw a tantrum. Oops, there I go again. G is acting out because..... no making excuses for his poor behavior so I asked him to back up. Not a happy camper. I could feel his frustration mounting, but I held fast and continued to back him up in a circle until I got some softening. Since the truck was rolling toward us and the barn I decided I'd take him around back and head into the arena.
Once inside I dismounted and went to the mounting block and asked him to pick me up. Not so good as outside. "The hay truck is here mom, I wanna eat". Such a spoiled child. I kept my resolve and on about the fourth attempt he relented. I then asked him to soften by closing my hand on the rein mid way up his neck. This took about 5 minutes before I got a release. Okay not so bad. So I mounted up, sat and got myself situated and asked him to walk off.
Up, up, up. G's ears were forward and he was very up and ready to go. So this tells me I didn't change his frame of mind at the mounting block and should've spent more time on softening. I only had 30 minutes so I took him to the centerline in the arena and started backing. We had to traverse the center line back and forth twice before he let go of the bit and softened. I then gave him a little more rein and asked him to walk along the wall. Much more relaxed at the poll; but every once in a while the head would pop up but I simply vibrated my ring finger on the inside rein and he softened. We did more work on backing; stopping in a soft frame; and walking walking walking.
So far I'm really pleased with this bit and how G is reacting to it. Far more responsive with far less cue. To have him back with me simply closing my hand on the reins and thinking back just amazes me. A horse that wouldn't back for "you know what" now backs in a more relaxed frame. When he gets going, it feels so cool to feel how his hind end is working. So now my two Herm Sprenger bits are in the hands of a fellow boarder who is going to try them both out this week. We just happened to start talking bits and she mentioned that she had tried an HS and her horse liked it so she was going to go buy a new one. Great timing! Hopefully one will be sold by the end of the week and the other I can hopefully sell to one of our prior trainers. This will make DH very happy! Buy a new bit, sell two!!
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