During my last session with Sean he suggested I might think about using spurs. James Roberts had said that I needed around 100 hours riding prior to using them, but Sean thought I was ready.
With this in mind I therefore went out an bought some. 10 point mild western spurs. They are not to get more impulsion, but to give me more lateral control. Filly knew full well she could push on my leg and the consequences were minor. In effect I could not get strong enough pressure with my boot heel to phase 4 her and she knew it.
I decided to try the spurs out in the indoor school, partially because it was really cold outside and partially because I knew we could have it to ourselves. To say I mounted with care is an understatement, I was very aware of this spikes sticking out of my heels. I'm more used to crampon spikes coming out of my toes, not out of the heel.
The ride was.... eventful is a good description. I had to barely touch her with the spur and she reacted. I was of course being even more careful to go up through my phases than usual and Filly was a bit surprised and disappointed that I now had a phase 4. This was not life as she knew it. I could now actually make her yield her hind quarters or go sideways. She could argue at the lower phases but not at phase 4. Phase 4 was NOT me sticking my spur into her hard. On one hind quarter yield I watched my spur most carefully and it barely touched her hair to get a strong reaction.
We still had a few arguments about it all, but they felt more like frank exchanges of view than real bust ups. Slowly these resolved themselves into conversations and she was coming off the lightest phase 1.
Since then I have ridden her just in boots again, but different boots to my old ones. These are again western boots, but they have a ledge at the heel to take the spurs. The edge of this is quite sharp and acts like a very very mild spur. I have found that this is now all I need for phase 4. Phase one is just turning my eyes and my intention to a new focus point. I have been riding her in the outdoor school using a clover leaf pattern. The variation I have been using is to stop at then fence each time I approach it from X (the centre of the school) and wait. Not a short wait but a long one. Minimum 2 minutes and up to 5. It helps to have some music playing for this to avoid boredom. Played it for 1 hour 30 minutes on the first day, 1 hour on the second.
The result is a connection to Filly I have never felt before when riding her. Ok, I have only been riding her for a few months, but this is a connection deeper than I have felt with any horse. We really are having a conversation, there is no other way to describe it. I suggest and if she understands she complies. If not she tries something else and I find that I can very gently make the suggestion stronger and feel her go "oh, that's what you mean". Because I truly believe that it is just her misinterpreting things it helps keep my emotions under control. I don't get angry or frustrated I just try my hardest to make my intention clearer. I realise that the fault lies in either how I have taught her our mutual language or how I have presented the feel of what I want.
I guess we needed the stronger conversation with the spurs for her to really start listening, and when she did she found I had some interesting things to say that were worth listening to.
I hope every riders can feel this lightness just once because once you have felt it you just want to see if you can get even lighter. It feels like an addictive drug this lightness, and one I am very happy to be addicted to.
With this in mind I therefore went out an bought some. 10 point mild western spurs. They are not to get more impulsion, but to give me more lateral control. Filly knew full well she could push on my leg and the consequences were minor. In effect I could not get strong enough pressure with my boot heel to phase 4 her and she knew it.
I decided to try the spurs out in the indoor school, partially because it was really cold outside and partially because I knew we could have it to ourselves. To say I mounted with care is an understatement, I was very aware of this spikes sticking out of my heels. I'm more used to crampon spikes coming out of my toes, not out of the heel.
The ride was.... eventful is a good description. I had to barely touch her with the spur and she reacted. I was of course being even more careful to go up through my phases than usual and Filly was a bit surprised and disappointed that I now had a phase 4. This was not life as she knew it. I could now actually make her yield her hind quarters or go sideways. She could argue at the lower phases but not at phase 4. Phase 4 was NOT me sticking my spur into her hard. On one hind quarter yield I watched my spur most carefully and it barely touched her hair to get a strong reaction.
We still had a few arguments about it all, but they felt more like frank exchanges of view than real bust ups. Slowly these resolved themselves into conversations and she was coming off the lightest phase 1.
Since then I have ridden her just in boots again, but different boots to my old ones. These are again western boots, but they have a ledge at the heel to take the spurs. The edge of this is quite sharp and acts like a very very mild spur. I have found that this is now all I need for phase 4. Phase one is just turning my eyes and my intention to a new focus point. I have been riding her in the outdoor school using a clover leaf pattern. The variation I have been using is to stop at then fence each time I approach it from X (the centre of the school) and wait. Not a short wait but a long one. Minimum 2 minutes and up to 5. It helps to have some music playing for this to avoid boredom. Played it for 1 hour 30 minutes on the first day, 1 hour on the second.
The result is a connection to Filly I have never felt before when riding her. Ok, I have only been riding her for a few months, but this is a connection deeper than I have felt with any horse. We really are having a conversation, there is no other way to describe it. I suggest and if she understands she complies. If not she tries something else and I find that I can very gently make the suggestion stronger and feel her go "oh, that's what you mean". Because I truly believe that it is just her misinterpreting things it helps keep my emotions under control. I don't get angry or frustrated I just try my hardest to make my intention clearer. I realise that the fault lies in either how I have taught her our mutual language or how I have presented the feel of what I want.
I guess we needed the stronger conversation with the spurs for her to really start listening, and when she did she found I had some interesting things to say that were worth listening to.
I hope every riders can feel this lightness just once because once you have felt it you just want to see if you can get even lighter. It feels like an addictive drug this lightness, and one I am very happy to be addicted to.
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