Video Lesson #1

I started doing video lessons for Stinker in August with D.  I did this for several reasons.  One, I was struggling getting him back to work and I was already asking D a million questions since she started him and I wanted a similar program.  Two, I am too cheap to ride him in a lesson with S when we were/are only riding 10-20 minutes.  Three, there are times that I feel like S gets sucked into Stinker's bull as much as I do where D knows how to get past it.  Don't get me wrong S is a fantastic trainer but Stinker is a unique ride and one of D's competition horses is pretty much a bigger fancier Stinker.

These video lessons posts are mostly for me.  I discovered that I am struggling to keep track of all the things we need to focus on and since D isn't here to yell in my ear, I need an easy way to keep track of everything.  Therefore everyone gets to see the videos, D's thoughts, and major take aways.  Feel free not to watch the videos, but I will give time markers if you want to skip around.

Video 1:  08.12.15

D's Comments
0:45-1:66  Get his butt forward.  When he is stuck move his head left and right rhythmically and kick him forward.  He cannot just prance there.  You have to get more active when he is that stuck.
1:15  Decent canter, but unlock his neck.  He got stuck again.
1:23  His hind legs need to cover more ground and be slow.  That happens from your body control.
2:01  The trot is better notice the difference in his hind legs.
2:08  Notice how his hind end has changed.
2:27  Nice canter, but I'd play with his head here and go for a lower frame.  Encourage him down and allow for more forward.
3:00  He is too up and down in the hind.  Get him forward and then bring him back.
3:23  Notice the hind legs.  This is a better slow trot.
3:36  We are back to the up and down.
3:42  Get him forward!
4:04  Better, but cover a touch more ground.  So you need to sit longer or post longer.
6:14  Encourage him down here and allow for more forward.
6:31  Sit on his back and your hips walk.  Don't let him jig while you float on top.
6:48  Cover more ground.  Notice him pulling on your hands.  He is asking to go down, so always follow him in those moments.
7:05  Jiggy trot.  You either need to make him go forward or demand a slow walk.  Either way do something about it.
7:15  Notice how you are bouncing quickly in your sitting.  Tell yourself siiiit siiiiit
7:27  He is asking to be long and low.  Follow him better overall.
7:50  A touch more forward.
8:00  Good slow trot here when it is consistent like this then go for more ground cover.
8:02  Now he is frustrated because that was too much restriction for too long with no reward, when he was asking to stretch.
8:13  Now post and go forward.  This is a good place.
8:19  You missed the reward and just held.  Now is is tense because he tried to relax but there was no give from you.
8:35  Here he has relaxed again.  Now you need to push your hands out and see if he will go find the bit out there.
8:39  Short choppy sitting trot again
8:48  Make him look left.  Do a 10 m circle or left bend and a leg yield off the left leg.  Don't necessarily avoid it when he is that stuck.
8:52  Good give.
8:58  Too slow.  Move him out more.
9:00  Better trot.  Now unlock his neck.  He is in a middle position.  Here it's not a working frame nor is it a stretch frame.  You are asking for a blow up from him, because he is hanging in a grey area.
9:13  Good give.  Now move him out in these moments.

Moral of the story.  I need to give more.  I struggle with this because my half halt sucks.  I don't have the core strength to give and still say no, don't go faster with my body.  I also need to work on disconnecting myself from what is going on under me.  When his legs get going if I can disconnect I am able to bring him back into a better tempo.  If I can't disconnect I get sucked into his bull.