Thursday, July 6, 2017

Things to look for

The photos in this post are of a 3 y/o pinto filly at the barn that is just getting started in life. Her owner has agreed to allow me to post the photos. Hopes for this pony are for her to be a little 'All Around' pony. Dressage, hunter over fences, driving, western and trails. Since this is a driving blog for the most part, after we establish the ground driving and long line work, posts will be about harness parts, fit and the purpose to each piece.

These photos are from her second time in the lines and while she isn't working perfectly yet, she is progressing very quickly. Her head is still a little high and as a result her back is a bit hollow at the trot. At the walk, we're Gucci.


Notice her head is down, she is comfortable and relaxed, working like she should. Her withers are lifted and she looks uphill, reaching under herself with the back legs with plenty of overstep. Her rear hooves typically land one and a half to two hoofprints ahead of where her front hoof was.



Change of direction and you can see she is starting to reach and coss over with her legs in the turn.


Reaching out with the front legs and up under herself with the back legs.



Again- plenty of overstep in the walk.


Moving into the trot you can see her head has come up, back hollowed and she's not reaching under herself.


She is still a bit hollow, head a little high but she is really reachng up under herself and with her front end nice and light, her length of stride is increased.


Head starting to come down a little, and still reaching forward.


Head coming down, she's starting to relax, nice and balanced and showing progress.


Her head came up a little more and someting has her attention outside of the round pen, but she's still trucking along. Rather than correct her right away, she was allowed to keep moving, waited for her to relax and come back to where she is supposed to be.


A bit out of balance and that's ok. Remember this was only her 2nd time in the lines. She's still figuring it all out.


And figure it out, she does. Head still a touch high, not in the bridle or on the bit, but moving well and improving. Since these photos were taken she has been in the lines a total of 5 times now. She has also been mounted from both sides, sat on, learning to walk off on her own and making a lot of progress. She is a nice filly and going to make an awesome pony when she's finished.

1 comment:

L.Williams said...

So Miss Izzy is at your barn!