I just wanted to clarify that Rusty doesn't just put his ears back when I ask for a gait change, he keeps them pinned most of the time... See picture below. Keep the comments coming!
Name That....
2 days ago
Friday, October 03, 2008
Rusty's ear pinning - a bit of clarification...
Thanks for the comments so far - I will take all into consideration. Brown-eyedCG - thanks for the specific tips for what to look for while lunging/trotting out...
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Okay kiddo(yes, I can call you kiddo-even though,*gasp* you just turned 34-hehe), this is what I "see" from your picture, although I couldn't get it to enlarge, so I could really see his eye and mouth in detail...Rusty doesn't look particularly pissed off or uncomfortable to me. He actually looks like he is paying attention to you, like maybe you just gave him a cue or asking something from him.
But, I do see that perhaps you are sitting a bit flat on his back. What I mean when I say that, is it looks like you are rolled back on your hips and sitting flat on your buttocks. You do want to sit deep in the saddle, but if you brought your feet back a hair, it would cause your hips to roll forward and you would be more centered, balanced and that would allow Rusty to use his back a bit more. An easy way to feel the difference is to sit on a chair and stretch your legs out in front of you...feel your hips sink into the chair? Now pull your heels back. Now you should be able to feel your hips rising and your lower back pull up. You never actually moved your body, but you can feel the difference. Now try to stand up with your feet in front of you, it is difficult to rise out of that sitting position. Try it with your heels back and it is much easier to spring up. Unlike the chair seat, Rusty's back will spring up when you relieve the pressure on it, making it easier for him to move with his hind legs up underneath him.
I think Rusty is traveling a bit hollowed out in his back and is strung out behind-see how far back his hind leg is? If you can release the pressure on his back, it will raise up and allow him to bring his hips up underneath himself and he can stay more gathered up.
becg - you can call me kiddo anytime... lol
Thanks for the tips - I know my seat and leg positions need alot of work - so I'll try that tomorrow.
I'm going to lunge him first and see if he acts all grumpy there first...!
another thing - I have a really hard time finding saddles to fit my stumpy legs - the stirrups always hang in the wrong position. Guess I'd better go tack shopping! (as if I need an excuse!)
Booster always keeps his ears pinned, its when they go forward I have lost him and soemthing not so good is about to happen. It took me a long and $$$ to figure out that is just who he is.
Eww have you tried riding with out your stirrups??? I have found that when I struggle with my seat and legs, I lose the irons and it all comes together.
When you lunge do you use side reins or vienna reins to encourage him to work his back more. Cavaletti also will help to gain back muscle. You can also try to work him in a long and low frame to stretch the back and encourage him to use it more. This is one of the hardest thing to get a horse to do, when he is working ion the right frame you will feel and see the difference.
BECG chime in here as its been years since I did much western but I do know that the classic western position and the Dressage position are very close.
I'm thinking he's listening to you. His ears are swiveled toward you, and not pinned down. If this is a totally new behavior for him, have you changed anything in your riding routine? Like do you talk to him more when you ride, or are you using your legs or the reins more? Lostine scared me the first time I rode her because she had her ears back the whole time. I thought she was angry and on the verge of bucking, but she was just listening for voice cues, because that was how she had been trained.
Not to ruin your saddle shopping spree, but...
If you like the saddle you have and it fits Rusty, I would take it to a saddleshop and have them put smaller fenders(youth) on it. This will allow the fender to hang properly and make it much easier for you to bring your leg back.
If you know you are going to be keeping this saddle-they could even trim your existing fenders down some.
At the very least the saddlesmith can tell you if the fenders would hang better and make it easier to maintain correct leg position.
See...sometimes our problem isn't really our problem.;)For now you can blame the saddle, like I do when my "correct" equitation goes to hell-hehehehe
Oh yea, and 20M is correct about the equitation position.
I hope some of this helps. Rusty is such a nice horse and you two seem to really click.
And the other thing I though of...Rusty has been getting quite a bit of extra feed to help him gain his weight back, he might just be feeling a bit "squirrely". Cooler weather and good feed can make the quietest of horses kick up their heels a bit. It might just be a good sign?
Okay, I am done hogging your blog, sorry!!
I think BECG has some great advice (I want to head south and take some lessons from that lady!!)
Also, I agree with some of the suggestions already made... such as feeling a bit goofy from extra feed & crisp fall weather or that he is possible just listening more. I know the horses I've ran barrels on all tend to put their ears back, kinda like how sidetracked's horse Possum "attacks" his jumps.
(Cessa actually used to pin her ears back so flat when she ran home that I lost my double-ear headstall at the gate! Bit was still in her mouth so I just nicely asked the lady working the gate to give me a hand putting it back on. You should have seen her face!! lol)
BECG - lots of good ideas, thanks. I'll keep that in mind about the saddle alterations. I know a guy that does alot of work on english saddles - not sure if he works on western.
Thanks for the great tips everyone. I will work on trying all of the reccomendations.
20meter - I do have side reins, but haven't used them on him yet - I know his previous owners lunged him that way.
Cdn - kinda funny that you almost lost your bridle! I lost a one-ear once - but it got caught on a tree branch and come right off!
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