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T O P I C R E V I E W
pinkvboots
Posted - 11 Jul 2012 : 2:20:29 PM Sorry this is a long one! I recently moved and the horses are now at home, Arabi is ridden most days for about an hour and a half, i have been using the menage in the yard next door been in there loads of times but he never seems to settle, the slightest thing makes him loose focus which makes it difficult to maintain a consistent way of going. I mainly hack then go in the school for about half an hour, its like his still got loads of silly energy, and uses the distractions as an excuse to be silly, yet on the hack before his quite sensible, he has his moments but generally his well behaved. I always try to get him working in a nice contact while i am hacking so his in the frame of mind when we go back in the school, but once in the school his focus is not on me at all and he will backing off from my leg, and anything that's going on around him will cause him to spook and be silly. I really don't think this is pain related he has had everything checked out over the last few months.
14 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
justine
Posted - 12 Jul 2012 : 1:44:03 PM School whilst hacking, yeilding/half pass, do lots of ground work in the menage, spanish walk, piaffe, passage..... arabs are bored easily and looking for a distraction. Its very rewarding for yourself too to achieve something each day :)
brack369
Posted - 12 Jul 2012 : 1:24:50 PM I have the same problem. At home she goes lovely if a bit too forward but works nicely. Get to a showground and I have trouble getting her to go forward and concentrate. Think it's an arab thing!
glo
Posted - 12 Jul 2012 : 09:34:49 AM My mare used to be like that, I usually ride her like I would hack relaxed and like I don't care, after a few minutes I would trot her around still on a loose rain, and trying to keep relaxed. I will then start to collect her up and work her, I have found this works well and I don't get all worked up and she works in a nice natural out line. I have this year started to take my 2year old (ride and lead) in to the school and work them both together this also works well as we both have somethink to think about.
Pasha
Posted - 11 Jul 2012 : 6:10:48 PM
[i]then after 10 minutes I'm bored and don't know what to do
Ask your instructor to give you a schooling plan with enough variations to get you between lessons - normally in my lessons we work on 2 or 3 things and then the weeks in between lessons I practice them, normally picking 1 out of the 3 for each session, unless we are really struggling with something, then I concentrate on that until we get it! Add in your warm-up routine before and cool-off after an hey presto, 45 mins done
Liz100
Posted - 11 Jul 2012 : 5:39:20 PM Rafi is so like this too. Doesn't matter that we've had a 5 mile trot over to the arena, when he gets there he'll be silly, spook at all the banners, treat any jumps/poles lying around with deep suspicion, spin and gallop off in the opposite direction and generally live up to the stereotypical perception of 'Arab' that people expect him to be and I know he isn't really!
He does settle after a while though if I just ignore his silly behaviour and keep asking for work. If I'm having a lesson he settles much more quickly - RI always says to walk him round a bit first before demanding anything more of him - but even if I do this when I'm on my own he still stays spooky for longer than he would with her there, maybe 20 minutes. After that he usually starts to listen and work nicely, then after 10 minutes I'm bored and don't know what to do
Pasha
Posted - 11 Jul 2012 : 4:47:38 PM Sounds soo much like me and Shesky
I used to give him the reins and it worked as he then got off being on a contact and he happily goes along with his head on the floor long and low BUT if you want to show or do dressage they have to learn to accept the contact!
It doesn't have to be forced, the opposite in fact and it is hard work for both of you, but once you get there, it is fantastico!!!
pinkvboots
Posted - 11 Jul 2012 : 4:31:42 PM Thanks emmo i will give that one a try, its funny he will work perfect on the lunge in the pessoa, my other half said i am too soft with him, i think i have been as he has had a few health issues in the last few years so i think i have been letting him get away with things, he is very healthy now though and can be very dominant and think this is his way of being dominant with me, so i am going to set myself goals and do different things everytime i school him, i will let. You know how i get on, i am also looking at the downloads pasha sent me so will be doing some of those.
Pasha
Posted - 11 Jul 2012 : 4:20:56 PM I will PM you Caryn as don't want to advertise, although they are nothing to do with me, I only wish I was that clever
Kharidian
Posted - 11 Jul 2012 : 4:15:29 PM Pasha, just hijacking the thread - I'd be interested to hear about the training downloads. Would you please give some more information? Please pm if you think it more appropriate.
Thanks Caryn
Emmo
Posted - 11 Jul 2012 : 4:14:14 PM My sisters PBA is exactly the same. She can take him for an hour lesson and he will spend 55 mins messing about, shaking his head, spooking and spinning at nothing at all and generally doing everything he can to avoid the contact. Then he gives in just at the end!
Out hacking he generally works into the contact straight away.
Do you have someone who could give you some pointers when your schooling? One of the other liveries stepped into one of Elliot's schooling sessions and had Hayley drop her reins to the buckle then gradually gather them up again whilst on a large circle. Every time he stuck his head up she dropped them and started again. The difference was amazing and he really stretched down into the contact and was able to work perfectly from then on. She now does this in short sessions through out and for him it really works.
It's really frustrating when you know they can do it, you just need to find a way of persuading them it's the best way to go!!
Good luck x
Pasha
Posted - 11 Jul 2012 : 4:11:36 PM It's more their brain than their fitness that you have to contend with, although I have been getting Shesky ready for the Ashdown Forest ride and I often find myself spinning through the air and facing the other way as he's desperate to get going - he would canter and leap everywhere if he could!
Even though Shesky is 16, if he hasn't been out yet (i'm riding in the morning) or if i've been away as he's had a few days off, I will often lunge him before I ride as I think it's important for them to be able to let off steam and have fun (Shesky LOVES to buckaroo), but when I ride in the school that is 'work' and I expect him to knuckle down and get on with it!
Of course i'm not a 'dictator' and he has a look at things and his mood, how he feels etc is taken into account and dictates what we do, but I know what he is capable of and I expect 100% as if he was in a test in front of a judge!
These Arabs are very clever and if you're not committed neither will they be
... I will just caveat this with saying this is a new development for us - for the past 3 years he has been getting away with murder and our test results have been hit and miss! Since my new found 'no Bull$$$t' regime, he has managed to win a test on 68.8% and come 4th with major pilot error! It does work and he is soo much happier for it - he takes himself into the school and actively marches out waiting to do something fun!
pinkvboots
Posted - 11 Jul 2012 : 3:48:32 PM Funny you should say that pasha,i was explaining the trouble i was having to one of the women i know at the yard and she said, what do you expect your riding a fit arab! try doing some endurance she said. He is a right monkey in the rain especially if its windy i get great leg yield and passage without even asking it does make me laugh though, seems like i am not the only one to get this i will keep trying i suppose we may eventually make it to a show next year, i am hoping to have some lessons so if anyone can reccomend someone in the st albans area hertfordshire please pm me.
Pasha
Posted - 11 Jul 2012 : 3:33:48 PM He sounds like he has got Arabitis! Nearly all the Arabs I have ridden have been forward going and attentive out on a hack and then donkey's or silly billys in the school... until they are persuaded that work can be fun and rewarding!
Shesky used to be a nightmare in the school - his was fear related, particularly with other horses! He also hates the rain (who doesn't), so I make sure I have a plan and stick to it - I ignore any silliness, gawping at the horses galloping and squealing in the field next door, people going up and down the muck-heap and just make him get on with it!
I find training downloads on my iphone fantastic as well - last night we did an iride training download in the pouring rain and whilst to the observer we may have looked like we were walking and then trotting endlessly around the school for 50 mins - we were both concentrating and working hard and Shesky was fabulous! Several other liveries commented on the how well he was going and how brave I was to ride him in the rain (as we have an indoor school).
I could ramble on for hours, but what im trying to say is that it doesn't have to be practising tempi changes for it to be interesting and rewarding for you both - simply working on your contact in a session, or your walk-trot transition will reap rewards - but you have to have a plan!
angelarab
Posted - 11 Jul 2012 : 2:39:56 PM Baz spooks sometimes in the school when he is bored with what we are doing or trying to evade work, i have been putting poles and cones to go between around the arena randomly and that seems to keep him more focused and less time thinking about how he can entertain himself
it does make me laugh though, seems like i am not the only one to get this i will keep trying i suppose we may eventually make it to a show next year, i am hoping to have some lessons so if anyone can reccomend someone in the st albans area hertfordshire please pm me.
