Reading

So Robyn gave me a copy of Retraining the Harness Racehorse that she co-authored. I have started to go through the book this evening, and today I almost finished reading Basic Training of the Young Horse by Reiner Klimke. For the most part in the latter book I've read all that really pertains to me. Klimke believes you should teach the basics of dressage and jumping to all horses and then decide what their discipline should be considering what they enjoy most. Which is definitely a great thing to do. So I am thinking that I'm going to start putting some cavalletti into our little routine once a week or so. Robyn's book also recommends the usage of ground poles, which are basically the same thing. Also Robyn's book has a few excercises in it with side reins. I found my old side reins and will be bringing them tomorrow and have a session with them on Miss Jonza. So far it seems the only thing that they disagree with is the usage of cavalletti with the canter. Klimke thinks its pointless for dressage, but then again Klimke isn't working with Standardbreds now is he??? HA!

So tomorrow when I work with Miss Jonza we will first do 15-20 minutes on the lunge with the side reins, then 15-20 minutes with me on her, getting her to relax that trot some more :). I rode yesterday and it was horrid...mainly because I am sick...Today my head hurt too badly to even consider getting on her, I kept getting dizzy and light headed *sigh*. But I'll definitely work her tomorrow, with a renewed sense of what to do with her. I'm afraid of boring her to death when all we do is walk and walk and walk then trot some, then walk and stop. But I know that this is exactly what she needs :).

Glo did find another book for me to start looking through. Its Right from the Start by Michael Schaffer. He has a pretty awesome website with some video clips that show exactly what he mean whens when training youngsters. So I'm super excited to be able to read one of his books.

I know that Miss Jonza isn't a baby, but obviously since she's never been through the steps she needs to do it now, even if she is a bit older. Its good for her, and I get to have a horse to train all by myself, now that I have a clue of what to do ;). Yeah for books. They are like mini clinics in your hands.