Just bought a lovely seccy D mare and she's a dream come true. Very forward off the leg, excellent brakes, fairly brave, affectionate, jumps well, the whole package.
She's been very well schooled, recognises 4 ways of being asked to stop (reins, shifting weight in the saddle, squeezing knees and "stand") does some mid level dressage stuff and an angel to lead anywhere.
The only problem is, she doesn't work in a nice outline. She engages her hind quarters, she moves energetically, excepts a good contact but wont put her head down. After I've worked her I hold the buckle of her reins and let her stretch off walking round with her nose on the floor for a few mins (this is what her previous owner did and she enjoys it) She doesn't seem to realise there is something between nose on the floor and head in the sky. My friends have told me this is a 'section D thing' as they are built very upright and while I can appreciate how well built she is when she's standing tall in her field, I would rather she didn't do the classic section D thing while I was trying to ride! I've also noticed she has quite a lot of muscle on the underneath of her neck, possibly suggesting she's never really put her head down? Any advice?
She's been very well schooled, recognises 4 ways of being asked to stop (reins, shifting weight in the saddle, squeezing knees and "stand") does some mid level dressage stuff and an angel to lead anywhere.
The only problem is, she doesn't work in a nice outline. She engages her hind quarters, she moves energetically, excepts a good contact but wont put her head down. After I've worked her I hold the buckle of her reins and let her stretch off walking round with her nose on the floor for a few mins (this is what her previous owner did and she enjoys it) She doesn't seem to realise there is something between nose on the floor and head in the sky. My friends have told me this is a 'section D thing' as they are built very upright and while I can appreciate how well built she is when she's standing tall in her field, I would rather she didn't do the classic section D thing while I was trying to ride! I've also noticed she has quite a lot of muscle on the underneath of her neck, possibly suggesting she's never really put her head down? Any advice?