A while back I got pics of Miss Mazy doing her thing as well as her being ridden. What I seen in the pics, wasn't exactly her on her best day. She wasn't "Killin' It!" and there was something needing to be fixed.
I tried this, tried that, gave something else a shot, tried something else and still kept missing the mark in fixing it. So I reached out to another trainer I know and respect and asked if I could pick his brain. I'm having a problem with my ponies and since it's Both of them with the same issue.... His response? What's the matter? Aren't they fast enough??? 😂😂😂😂 He knows me well.... 🤷🏼🤦🏼
I described the issue, sent a few pics showing what was going on and all the different things I've done to try to fix it.... The bit we use, the different one's I've tried. All the things! And there have been a Lot of things!
Mazy is more prominent with the issue, Casey not so much, but at the canter, they arent so much lifting their shoulders and moving off their hind end like they should. See the pic
That front hoof? It should Not be on the ground, but rather still be in the air like the inside hind. There's plenty of room between the hind legs as she reaches up under herself. Plenty of room between the front legs as she reaches out with them as well, but the distance between the hind leg and the front legs should be about the same, not scrunched together like in this photo.
I had tried everything, except one. Or two actually. Bitting them up and using a German martingale. I figured I would start with Mazy and bitting her up. After having a major DUH! moment and a blonde moment (or three) in our conversation, I remembered all the times before, bitting the horse up to lunge them and let them learn to elevate and lift on their shoulders all on their own.
The pic above is towards the end of the workout and she's starting to improve. Its not a one time thing and may take a few more times doing this, but I need to trust the process and let the horses sort their shit out on their own.
To bit the horse up, it's best to use a simple snaffle bit and split reins. If saddled, run the reins down between the front legs and up o the rigging D's on the saddle. Some people just run the rein through the D and leave it that way while others tie it off.
Clearly I prefer to tie mine off since there needs to be some resistance when they pull against it.
Mazy worked well enough like this and we need to do this a lot more, but like the title of this post, its a process... And sometimes I lose my patience in the process. Not losing my patience with the horse, but more with myself and wanting to see the improvements Now without having to wait for it. 🤦🏼
