Fawkes has been difficult to get started jumping. He can jump beautifully, but he could not deal with the idea of more that one jump. He would leap over one jump and bounce around in a panic because there was ANOTHER one.
We have not tried him through a gymnastic in over a month. Gymnastics teach them so much about balance and speed and jump that it is difficult to progress much before they understand a simple grid.
Getting him to watch where he is going has been difficult but stepping up on the flat work and demanding that he pay attention seems to be paying off.
He jumped through a standard 3 jump grid today, watched his distance, jumped beautifully and didn't get frazzled over it. YAY! Big big big progress for him. And he was jumping using his neck and back and picking his knees up - not just vaulting or cantering over. I was very pleased with him.
I did tell his owner that if by the time he is jumping 3 ft courses, he is going around quietly and Nina is going around like her hair is on fire - I will be pissed. I was promised a round on Fawkes to make up for it.
We have not tried him through a gymnastic in over a month. Gymnastics teach them so much about balance and speed and jump that it is difficult to progress much before they understand a simple grid.
Getting him to watch where he is going has been difficult but stepping up on the flat work and demanding that he pay attention seems to be paying off.
He jumped through a standard 3 jump grid today, watched his distance, jumped beautifully and didn't get frazzled over it. YAY! Big big big progress for him. And he was jumping using his neck and back and picking his knees up - not just vaulting or cantering over. I was very pleased with him.
I did tell his owner that if by the time he is jumping 3 ft courses, he is going around quietly and Nina is going around like her hair is on fire - I will be pissed. I was promised a round on Fawkes to make up for it.
Good job working him through it!
ReplyDeletea step in the right direction! hooray!
ReplyDelete