To ride dressage is to dance with your horse, equal partners in the delicate and sometimes difficult work of creating harmony and beauty.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Simple set-up

I'm still exercising Lance during these two weeks of 'back rest.' Sometimes I free-lunge him in the arena; sometimes I put a bridle and lunge line on him for a more structured work-out.

Even when twisted and tied up with the throat latch, reins are a bit of a hassle, so today I grabbed an old bridle with a single-jointed loose-ring snaffle attached, removed the reins, and used it for a lunging headstall. The color looks good on him – just as it did on the bright chestnut Swedish Warmblood mare I originally purchased it for many years ago.
Notice the fuzzy spot at the middle of his crest? This is what it looks like on the other side:

Yeah, SOMEone has been rubbing his mane out! :-(
Yeah, YOU!

5 comments:

Paradise Found Farmgirl said...

Out of curiosity, do you attach the lunge to the opposite bit ring and then when he changes direction, you move it to the other side?
He looks happy and relaxed.

Michelle said...

Yes, I run the lunge line through the near bit ring, over the poll and fasten it to the far bit ring. That way if I need to check him, the action of the bit is more equal – not perfect, but far better than clipping it to the near bit ring.

Lance is VERY 'relaxed' . . . and lazy. Yesterday I had to keep reminding him that HE is responsible for maintaining the gait I ask for! In every gait he kept trying to throttle back to the lower one: from canter to trot, from trot to walk – and from walk to halt!

Theresa said...

It is so nice to have dedicated equipment isn't it?
Everyone here is suffering from the shedding itchies. Mane parts are missing, belly hair falling in clumps and let's not forget pine pitch...Soon, I'll trim or roach up those manes, bang their tails and discover again I have some pretty handsome horses. Lance is already looking quite handsome. How is the bumpy lumpy doing?

Michelle said...

No bumpy-lump because there's been nothing on his back. Next week I'm going to add the lunging surcingle and see what happens.

Mary said...

Lance looks terrific Michelle. I hope he continues to be lump free. The dedicated equipment is a great idea-though I just weave in my reins under the throatlatch.

An aside-the cowboy manager at my boarding barn gave me some unasked for advice on NOT running the lunge line over the poll. SIGH...I tried to explain the logic of doing so with a simple snaffle but the idea of inside rein and outside rein was apparently too much for him. His parting words "It's up to you but you'll ruin your horse's soft mouth". End of rant-thanks for listening.