More Pole stuff

[guest@endurance.net]

Kathy Mayeda kathy.mayeda@att.net
Okay, Jim....

When my horse lowers his head that low (2" off the ground) in an endurance
ride at the trot or canter, he is usually pulling pretty hard.  In this
state, Beau is definitely not relaxed - he is fighting and pulling me.  Or
his saddle is bothering him which has become more a thing of the past
since I got the RP. I just "unpull", a technique that Becky taught me, so
that I'm not playing tug of war.  He will however, usually travel with his
head moderately low when he's in his relaxed big trot.  He actually
travels with his head pretty low in his dead run gallop, too....  DOES NOT
MEAN HE'S RELAXED.  When he canters, his head can be pretty high, but he
usually is more relaxed than when his nose is low, his body stretched out
into a dead run gallop.....  He is actually rounding his body better at
that high headed canter, and more softly on the bit and engaging his
hindquarters.  He can do a relaxed canter with his head lower in flatwork,
too, and he's even more powerful then. (I need to do more head low
cantering in the arena to build up his back this winter....)

Hey Angie, I like your list! At least you're managing to keep it down to
three lines.

Hey - in case everyone was wondering about my happy keyboarding, I came
home and had a Woodchuck Draft Cider I got from Trader Joes.  Made in
Vermont  5% alcohol, perfect for an evening of ranting at the keyboard.
One just does fine for the lightweight drinker that I am. Refreshing
taste - I think I'll have another...

(I see a newsletter deadline coming up..... MM, don't remind me..... I
already know.......Hey can you write up about Warner Springs so that all
of us NorCal people can get jealous?)

K.