I love this time of year because it allows me to work on all the details that sometimes get missed during the season. My motto is: try to get a little better every day. After Morven, I didn’t give Storm the huge break I’d intended because he was causing havoc in the paddock! Some horses don’t care, but Storm is such a people horse he decided he wanted to go back to work.
Endurhing Farm and Meghan and Kelty O’Donoghue and Kendyl Tracey were asked to host Tim Price for a clinic. I decided to sign up for all three days with Tate and the dressage and show jumping with Storm. My first impression is that Tim is quite laid back but really specific. He had some great exercises for Tate to get his body moving through his ribcage. Tim was very specific about the 10-meter circle line and the importance of staying on the line. That was a theme for all three days—if you didn’t focus on that you could be in trouble.
With Storm, Tim had me focus on riding his hind legs, straight when straight, sideways when going sideways. That’s my new goal for winter. In the canter/walk transition, Storm argued and Tim asked if he always does that. My reply was sometimes, and though we moved on, it was clear that he can’t do that. What Tim didn’t say was—that’s not good enough if your horse argues when you ask for something.
The next day in show jumping, we worked again on holding the circle line starting with cavalettis and inside leg to outside rein. The idea is to keep your horse using their body. He had me put a running martingale on Storm. Every time I asked for forward or back within my exercises, every time he argued. Tim said that will cost me a rail or worse, and he’s so right.
Endurhing Farm and Meghan and Kelty O’Donoghue and Kendyl Tracey were asked to host Tim Price for a clinic. I decided to sign up for all three days with Tate and the dressage and show jumping with Storm. My first impression is that Tim is quite laid back but really specific. He had some great exercises for Tate to get his body moving through his ribcage. Tim was very specific about the 10-meter circle line and the importance of staying on the line. That was a theme for all three days—if you didn’t focus on that you could be in trouble.
With Storm, Tim had me focus on riding his hind legs, straight when straight, sideways when going sideways. That’s my new goal for winter. In the canter/walk transition, Storm argued and Tim asked if he always does that. My reply was sometimes, and though we moved on, it was clear that he can’t do that. What Tim didn’t say was—that’s not good enough if your horse argues when you ask for something.
The next day in show jumping, we worked again on holding the circle line starting with cavalettis and inside leg to outside rein. The idea is to keep your horse using their body. He had me put a running martingale on Storm. Every time I asked for forward or back within my exercises, every time he argued. Tim said that will cost me a rail or worse, and he’s so right.
Cross-country day Tim kept things super simple. His tips for me, because Tate gets a little race-horsey and I was saying woah the whole time, was to stop that and instead suggested meeting him half way. Let him gallop and bring him back with your body, work with him. Change your body three or five strides out from your jump every time, because even if you don’t have the right pace, the balance will be right. Practice keeping your pace up when you’re cross-country schooling. They have to learn to jump the small jumps well, it’s not about putting them up. Get used to the pace, and use that to make the jumps work out. I didn’t want to because it felt uncomfortable, but every single jump worked out.
I loved all three days of the clinic because it really gave me some specific ideas to play with and add to my book of knowledge, and put some basics back in the forefront of my mind. I will keep you updated on my progress, and how I work within my program to add those details.
RSS Feed