Training Log for Zamboni Loewe

2/10/08 Jada had worked him in the morning and I got out there around 2, tacked up and rode. He warmed up very nicely in walk work and we focused on halting as he likes to have a lag of a stride or two before he starts stopping. He went very well in his trot work. In canter work today we introduced lengthening and shortening stride on a large and small circle. He did very well.

1/3/07 Breezy south wind, but a relatively mild 26. Worked in the indoor, with a fairly long walk warm up, focusing on him stretching in his neck. Then on to trot, including shoulder in and leg yield which went well, just a few tweaks here or there. Canter work was very nice in both directions. Warmed down with a walk around the hay field, insisting on his neck being down. Very good.

12/21/07 Denise had taken a driving lesson with Z in the morning, but Jada assured me that it wasn't that physically taxing for Z, so I rode in the afternoon. I was able to keep it short anyway, because today I just wanted to make sure that the items we had discussed earlier were taking hold. After a walk warm up, we did walk halts, the first of which were quite craptastic. He is not averse to walking right through the bit and stopping when he feels like it. After about 8 walk halts he did quite well. Then on to trot in which he did very well. Canter work started out well, but when he got into the spirit of the thing he got a bit unbalanced, but then I got to use my half halt which he is developing very well. Good day.

12/20/07 Lovely day. Rode in the indoor, warmed up in walk and trot, focusing on him letting go in his neck and going lightly. Canter work was much improved over last week, with downward transitions coming along nicely. Cooled down with a nice walk outside in the sunshine.

12/13/07 Brought him in and tacked up. Removed the flash noseband from his bridle so that he can have freedom in his mouth and jaw. Worked on letting go in the poll in walk for the first 20 minutes. He is very deceptive. He can appear to have let go, but he is still tight. When he is chewing the bit he is finally free. Managed to keep it for the most part in trot, but many reminders needed about relaxing and letting go. Canter work was pretty tight, but some improvement by the end. He had one big shy at something in the far corner for which he got to do a lot more work and more letting go. He did well.

7/28/07 Hauled down to Julie Kuhle's place in Indianola to school her course. He did very well. Did a stone wall, drop fence, T level sized ascending rail, a very bright red coop, drop bank and various logs. Good outing. Proud of himself.

7/26/07 A very good day. After a walk warm up, I picked him up on contact and his back came up and he came underneath and forward to the bit, and for the most part was able to keep with it the whole ride. Had some nice canter work, though he needs the occasional reminder that once he is cantering it is his job to canter until told otherwise. He continues to figure it out. Rinse and out to play.

7/24/07 Had a serious discussion, after warmup, concerning coming forward in his body and eventually his neck. He likes to suck back behind his rider's leg and wobble in front and I applied liberal, often and light use of the dressage whip to convince him that coming through his body was a much better idea. He did have some nice moments by the end. Pretty hard work out for him and it was hot so a nice long cool rinse at the end.

7/22/07 Worked in the arena. Spent the first few minutes discussing unlocking in his neck at a walk. Worked on getting him to move forward off the leg with some moderate success. His wobbliness is due to the fact that he likes to be behind the rider's leg. Since he sometimes isn't truly going forward, he wobbles like a bike that is going slowly. Some good progress.