Framework

The rain stayed away yesterday so I got a nice hack in on Poppy.  I worked her in draw reins and really made her work up into my hand and use her hind end.  Correct frame is something we can easily slack on.  I find that when in the show ring if my horse is not balanced we miss changes, distances, and we are unable to make those quick tidy jump off turns.  Correct frame, which translates to a balanced horse, is something that took me a long time to learn.  Long and low (aka pushing peanuts) is not a correct frame people!  Poppy would love to go around on a loose rein with her nose pointed out but this would not fare well in the jumper ring.  My marshmallow puff has a case of the lazies at home and although that is her preferred head carriage, it leads to a disengaged hind end.  We need that powerful hind end for jumping big jumps so I like to make her go correctly.  I will follow this up with hacking without draw reins next ride as I simply like to use them as a tune up not an essential aide.  

She was great.  She is always a little fussy, she likes to question if I am sure she has to work but once I make contact with my hands and push her with my legs she gets to work.  I always reward her at the end of our hacks with a big trot on a loose rein where she can stretch out (this is where long and low is ok or if you have a nervous horse to encourage relaxation).

Next I lunged Baby L.  He did a great impression of Speed Racer on the lunge line.  The Eventer is coming today so I let him just get it out of his system.  Afterward he got a nice bath then dinner and turn out. Remember the issues I had with him rearing leading in from turn out?  Well he is back out in the far paddock so I've been waiting to see if the issue comes up again.  I have "graduated" him from the rope halter to a nylon breakaway.  I have been leading him out and in from the paddock with this and a chain lead over his nose.  This morning my barn kitty decided to hide in the bushes and pop out as we were walking by.  L spooked hard but came right back to me like a solid citizen.  Big pats and we walked on toward the barn.  Yay!