4/30/06 Kanuk - Dressage Training
Kanuk is going to get variety when it comes to training.
Most of my horses must hunt, but dressage and possibly
eventing help during the off season.
Because I know every horse doesn't want to hunt, I like to introduce
them to other things while I'm bringing them along.
I've got Kanuk entered in a dressage show this weekend, and
we've been spending the past few weeks working on boring dressage
stuff, along with the fun hunt trail rides and roading.
 

Kanuk is learning to stay soft fairly consistently at the walk.

 

I'm trying to keep his neck long, but get him to tip his nose in and not brace against me.

My photographer said that his head bobs quite a bit at the walk. I work to give every stride with my hands, but not so much that he starts to take the rein away and and hollow.

 

Preparing for a halt. He's aware and listens to my seat, but I still have to go to my hands for the final halt.

Which is unfortunate because he resists the bit.

 

We stand around and work on this, but at the show I'll leave him alone because right now it just makes things worse.

Back in the walk he's relaxed and soft again.

 

Starting a serpentine. He's softer to the left.

To the right it takes some finessing and we're still not soft. I have to be very deliberate in asking, and then the head goes up in irritation.

 

But then soft again and coming close to a bend to the right.

Heading back to the left on the serpentine and everything's fine.

 

And working on the trot.

His tempo is steady and his stride is big and floaty.

 

But there's not much in the way of softening and everything comes up quicker.

Not typical, but what I'd hope for at the show going intro level.

 

If we had the stretch down I wouldn't mind him being more up in front and working on softening from there. Because he doesn't 'get' stretching down at the trot or walk with a rider, I'm going to encourage him to keep his neck long until we get consistent stretch.

This is the most stretch I can get, and it's very fleeting.

 

We tip over a bit going to the left. Of course if I remembered to lift that inside shoulder I wouldn't be encouraging it.

I like this, but I'd like it more if he'd stretch down as I fed out the reins....

Turning to go across the diagonal and not letting him have the outside rein.

Frustration that he doesn't understand down and out. At least he doesn't slow down and he strides out and marches on. The frustration is more with myself. He's very obedient, and if he knew what I wanted, I'm sure he'd do it. I'm sure we'll have it in another month or so.

The photographer was a bit bored. He likes how all the veins pop out when Kanuk and I are working.