The problem with Basse...

The problem with Basse is that he is essentially a very lazy horse by nature. He would far rather walk than trot and he would far rather go forwards than sideways... Which is why when we train, I mainly focus on getting very quick reactions out of him from very small aids because like everyone knows, hot horses have to learn to be ridden with the leg on but lazy horses have to be ridden with the leg off! 

What has really helped in the last few weeks has been that whilst warming up in walk practising walk-halt-walk transitions and paying a lot of attention to how I am riding him. When halting, I've first given Basse a small aid with both legs to ask him to go forwards, but then waiting a second afterwards and seeing how he reacts. If he doesn't react by stepping forward quickly then I've given a second, bigger aid. Then once he reacts to the aid, giving lots of pats and allowing him to go forwards whether this be in walk or trot. Then repeat, bringing the horse back to halt and using the smaller aid to ask him to walk forwards. And repeat and repeat and repeat. And I swear now I give Basse as small aids as I do for hot and sensitive Vallu! It's brilliant, it really sets him up to listening to my legs where all I'm essentially asking him is to just go forwards properly, but it keeps him thinking like this for the rest of the ride.

Another thing I do in order to keep him forwards thinking and happy is to ride the warm up canter in a light seat, as it makes him a bit more 'wild' as he has a chance to pretend that he's a race horse! 🏇 Just a few laps around the arena in both directions sets him up to be happy and willing to go forwards. It's so good to have two horses that are so different and require lots of thinking and learning about how to ride them both. You can't just use the same tactics and methods for both of them!

Happy happy happy