A memorable evening!

I am not sure if LeeAnn was the least bit amused by any of it but after a few drinks I sure was.  Though I had no liability issues at stake either.  We will start at the demo.  Peter is so informitive.  He doesn't just do the typical "do this, not that" type trainer.  He give the why behind almost everything he teaches.  You may just get sick of hearing all the 'Peterisims' that I have picked up.  If I could get the dang video to load you could hear and see alot of it for yourself, ugh, technology.  Here is the demo in photos.

First, bits, what he likes what he hates.

Gag bridle with french link snaffle.  Like.

Regular single link snaffle.  Hate




Elevator bit.  Like.




Peter: "Do you want to know a quick way to put way more strain on your horses joints when jumping?"  Put your fat melon too far forward.  I may be paraphrasing there :).  Here is your melon on a stick.


Peter explaining how many joints are in one leg of a horse compared to ours.  At one point he was using my leg as an example by touching my calf, knee and ankle.  Honestly can't remember much of what he was saying because all I could think about is the fact that I had not shaved my legs...lol!


It was not easy to hold and that is just the weight of your head.  Not to mention we are usually too far forward with our entire upper body.  Which is putting approx. 500 lbs of added pressure upon impact to your horses joints and ligaments.  No wonder there are so many injuries in sport horses.  Paraphrasing again.



Onto whipping!  Proper whips, a jocky whip.




If this is what you own "throw that thing in the bin!" as Peter said to one of the students in our lesson. 

Item of appearal only!

The three ways to whip:

Wake up!  to the shoulder.


Courage!  Right behind your leg.

                                                          

    And rarely punishment.  Quick and hard to the hind end.  Above.  He cautioned against whipping a horse that has stopped because it is scared.  Saying this may eventually lead to falls if a horse, fearful of a whipping, may jump a fence when it was best to stop.

Me trying my hand at it.

Right after I hit myself in the leg and Peter saying "you probably deserved it more than your 'horse'!"


In the words of Rachel, "Peter who? Courage smack, or punishment? Screw it, Ill just drink my beer."



Wake up?  Courage?  Punishment?


All of that led to this.  Enjoy