I have been specifically working towards videoing some an audition to get a Parelli level. Which one I don't know yet, I guess I'll do the filming and just submit it. Even if I don't get a pass the feedback should be useful.
With this in mind I have been practising some specific skills with Filly. Lead by the tail is coming on well for example. I have not lost most focus on developing her however and as such I have been practising the required skills but giving them a real purpose by adding in lots of the exercises James Roberts uses when developing a young horse. Thus rather than "just" ask her to trot circles whilst "maintaining gait, direction and looking where she is going I have also been working on getting her to be straight and forward going on the circle. I have explained these concepts in earlier posts, but a quick recap. Straight means that her body is on the same arc as the circle, which confusingly means it is slightly bent !! Forward means that her strides are such that at walk her hind foot lands in front of where her hind foot just left, at trot the hind is just behind the front and at canter the hind is 5 to 6 hoof prints in front of the hind.
I have also been working on getting her to circle on 2 tracks, 3 tracks and 4 tracks. 2 tracks means that the hind foot falls directly behind the front on the same side so that 2 hoof tracks are made in the sand. 3 tracks means that the inside hind falls on the same track as the outside front so that the inside front forms one track, the inside hind and outside front forms another track and her outside hind forms the outermost track. I leave you to work out the 4 track gait !!
To do this I have to lightly drive the hind quarters out, whilst she is maintaining the circle, thus she is going slightly sideways around the circle. This is not easy for her but we manage to get a step or two when I ask at walk. It will be a while before she can do it consistently and willingly, but then that is horse development for you !!
With this in mind I have been practising some specific skills with Filly. Lead by the tail is coming on well for example. I have not lost most focus on developing her however and as such I have been practising the required skills but giving them a real purpose by adding in lots of the exercises James Roberts uses when developing a young horse. Thus rather than "just" ask her to trot circles whilst "maintaining gait, direction and looking where she is going I have also been working on getting her to be straight and forward going on the circle. I have explained these concepts in earlier posts, but a quick recap. Straight means that her body is on the same arc as the circle, which confusingly means it is slightly bent !! Forward means that her strides are such that at walk her hind foot lands in front of where her hind foot just left, at trot the hind is just behind the front and at canter the hind is 5 to 6 hoof prints in front of the hind.
I have also been working on getting her to circle on 2 tracks, 3 tracks and 4 tracks. 2 tracks means that the hind foot falls directly behind the front on the same side so that 2 hoof tracks are made in the sand. 3 tracks means that the inside hind falls on the same track as the outside front so that the inside front forms one track, the inside hind and outside front forms another track and her outside hind forms the outermost track. I leave you to work out the 4 track gait !!
To do this I have to lightly drive the hind quarters out, whilst she is maintaining the circle, thus she is going slightly sideways around the circle. This is not easy for her but we manage to get a step or two when I ask at walk. It will be a while before she can do it consistently and willingly, but then that is horse development for you !!
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