Introducing Free Jumping and the Surcingle

This week Curio and Faline were introduced to the saddle pad and surcingle, as well as starting to work on a lunge line in the round pen rather than just at liberty.  I keep the routine as similar as possible, so that they know exactly what's coming and it always happens in the same order.  That way, when I introduce something new they focus on only the new thing because everything else is old and familiar.

I took Faline out of her paddock and tied her by the barn.  I groomed her with the curry, hard brush, combed out her mane, picked up and cleaned her hooves.  Then I grabbed my extra equipment (saddle pad, surcingle, girth, pocket full of cookies) and we walked to the round pen.  I let her loose to play a little, and set up some poles for her to start experimenting with free jumping.

I love the engagement she has in her hind end as she begins to take off, she really sits and bends all the joints of her hind legs to create springs with which to take off.

I was also impressed with her use of her back and how she lifted her knees well.  Often when I first introduce jumping to horse they sort of climb over the poles, and there was some amount of that, but both Faline and Curio figured out how to actually jump the cross rail fairly quickly.

Here is a series of short videos showing the progression Faline made from slowly thinking about each foot over the poles, to just hopping right over.

 

Here is Curio's first introduction to free jumping video:

 

After each horse had played with the cross rail for a few minutes and expressed some of their "ye-haws" I started introducing the tack once they could focus.

Curio stood quietly while I put on the pad and surcingle, even taking a snooze at the beginning.  I then put him on the lunge line and gave him a chance to walk and trot while wearing it in a controlled manner.  He was great at the walk, when he picked up the trot the girth surprised him a little, and he did some crow-hopping at the funny feeling of having a belt on.  He only went around a circle or two with the hopping, then settled in and trotted nicely each direction.

Faline also was quiet and confident once she had on the tack.  She did a very nice walk and trot each direction on the lunge line.