Jonna Mclean Clinic - Coolie

Coolie also got 2 jumping lessons, having missed out last time Jonna came over.

I mostly wanted to work on his rhythm and me knowing when I got it right. It seems to be my biggest struggle!

Again we warmed up on the flat, making sure he was off my leg, that I was able to move his shoulders and our transitions were prompt.

We started trotting over a cross rail, which he popped quietly, then we cantered it a couple of times. That was easy (as it should be!) and so we moved on the course. We had to canter a jump with a liverpool, then the little cross, turning right to an upright, then a related distance to a second upright, then right around over an oxer, then left to an upright and keep turning left to a triple. Easy!

We hit problems quite quickly with Coolie not picking up the right canter lead. He was pretty convinced that left was best, and sorry, but what are flying changes?

Jonna told me that on the approach to the fence, I needed to use indirect rein so I could see Coolies eye and so he was flexed in the direction we were turning in order to pick the correct lead. I had to do this a few strides out, but leave him alone 2 strides before the jump.


This was seriously tricky and Coolie remained unconvinced about picking the right lead up. He was also changing the rhythm just slightly right before the jumps and towing me a little bit down the related lines.

Jonna wanted me to sit him on his hocks, so we did a few canters to halt. Then I went and did the course, and Jonna had me half halting as soon as Coolie had locked on the the jump and then sit quietly. It really helped to back him off, especially down the triple line.


With the in-direct rein, I had to aim for the right wing, then use in-direct rein to position us back to the middle of the jump. This worked quite well and we almost got the right lead a few times. Jonna called me in for a break and a chat and after a few minuets went and had one more go. Would you believe we got it? I was amazing and so pleased with myself. Jonna told me a secret.. when the horse get's it, or nearly gets it you give them a rest for 4 minutes. Then you go and repeat the exercise and viola, you can do it! He said the break means they aren't trying to do what you want tired and gives them a chance to recover.


Day two and we warmed up and got cracking with similar exercises again. Coolie was so much more supple, in front of my leg and his transitions felt very prompt.

This time picking up the right lead was much easier, and we were getting almost every time.


The only rail we knocked was when I set Coolie up about 5 strides out and sat quietly waiting for the fence and he changed the rhythm. Again Coolie was taking over just slightly about 2 strides our from a fence, so Jonna had me really make him sit up using a half halt once he had locked onto the fence. Ideally I need to do this about 4 strides out after riding forward through the corner to the fence, but I found myself doing it a bit closer since that's when I felt Coolie surging forward.

We kept the second session pretty short since we were getting everything right, and there was no need to push it and make him tired. We finished by getting all our leads and having a super smooth round.


Over both our sessions we kept the jumps low, and focused on the technical aspects of jumping.

Our main homework was to use indirect rein to see the eye of the lead I want to land on, keep all transitions prompt and train a better half halt. Jonna said I was quite a brave rider, not holding my horse when he was likely to run forward at the last minute and just sitting quietly. He said Coolie will keep teaching me a lot and that he is a good boy really! I agree, I love my pony.


Comments

  1. Sometimes I love working on those seemingly simple technical details. And yea my horse sometimes forgets his leads too, tho recently he changed his aid for his leads all together. Like. Consistently striking off nicely into the incorrect lead every time both directions - a pretty sure sign it was a me problem. Idk how he learned to change his aid like that but oh well, I just gotta keep up! Lol

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  2. Haha luckily we don't have that problem, but every problem we have are usually me problems! Funny that

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