Here is the latest video of Boomer and I working. It has clips from Jan/Feb before we started lessons and the rest of it is from May 1st, 2010 after about 10 weeks of lessons.
*For some reason after publishing, the video is not showing up centered which causes part of the video to be cut out. Feel free to click the video to watch it straight from Youtube's site*
Because I know it can be a hot topic, I will explain it here.
Yes, sometimes we use draw reins. For the non-horsey readers, draw reins are a training tool that work on leverage. They attach to the girth or saddle and run through the bit into the rider's hands. They are used in conjunction with regular reins. When used properly, they remain loose or 'inactivated' unless the horse raises up above the bridle. They prevent the horse from tossing its head and give the rider more fine motor control with the rein aids. Because they act on leverage, less 'power' is needed from the hands and they get the same results with less force. Some people think they are a short-cut to 'real training'. I started using them with Boomer under my trainer's instruction to help us get over the 'hump' and improve our canter transitions. It really helped and he totally gets the idea and performs well both with and without the draw reins.
2 comments:
I think you did such a great job with Boomer. He looks great! I agree that Draw Reins can be a great training tool if used appropriately :).
He's looking good! But his canter looks more balanced before you began focusing on his headset - before he was fast, but trying to stay under himself. After, he was slow but hauling around on his front end. His trot is better afterwards though.
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