Day 2 Game of Contact

Monday: started with games in the pasture and stick together in small paddock. Have moved toys to large paddock beside the barn to have a place for On Line and Liberty that is larger. Also it has hills and I may move cavalettis/trot poles for some extra conditioning (for us both?).

Game of Contact:
1. For Try reins do mean go--we did this 3 times and each time Try started walking from smile with all 4 cheeks. Need to give complete release for this some as a reward.
2. New from Linda--relax forearms and remember bicep/tricep is from the shoulder--forearm in straight line to the bit.
3. Forgot Michael Jackson--I know--teach horse first then rider position--anyway add as soon as I have the mental energy free to do so. Back to pilates class today--yeah. Pat was impressed that Try is going to learn to use her abs also.
4. Taking contact from a stand still--twice Try started backing (9 step backup?) then I think realized that was not the answer and did not offer it any more.
5. I did better with the following rein as Try stretched or dropped her head down--remember also can use suspension rein here.
6. SLOW soft steady feel--Cobie's scoop thru abs and back to come up from stretch
7. Am I getting a good walk with out baggage? If so need to trot not over do the walk.
8.Am I making it a game? too serious?
9. Walk when she steps into the feel--complete release at first, then go on to the trot.
10. Trot bicep/tricep, Michael Jackson, shorter reins, increase intensity
11Suspension rein, stand her on her tail to go from trot to walk and complete release.

Catching up

I am back after long trip.

Thursday Thanksgiving went to Rollover to visit with Try for a few minutes in the pasture. She was happy to eat carrot and then go back to eating grass.

Friday: Day 1 exploration of Game of Contact. First take the time it takes in the pasture--Try after 10 days off not interested in being with me--took 15-20 minutes. Then paddock--stick together took awhile also. Ring walked and then trotted until she blew--took longer than usual. Then filmed a bit of Game of Contact stuff to get an idea of where we are.

1. Reins mean go: Try is close to walking off when I pick up contact with my driving seat.
2. Displaced behavior/reaction to bit: stretching down to avoid the bit--a. maintain contact b. wait for a change c. suspension or two reins bring up with Cobie's feel
3. Walk--she isn't stepping into the feel of the contact?? Not real sure of this--need to check it.
4. Trot:: don't do it yet

Game of Contact

I am so incredibly fortunate to be at the Parelli center auditing the Game of Contact. Notes will be posted under PP subblog.

Monday

Fun in the pasture with Try and Haylie
Stick together in the play paddock: draw/connection

Bareback: walk til blow with lots of variations
patterns with sitting trot
canter on the rail one lap each way!
posting trot one lap each way etc.

Tuesday

Lovely day very interesting. Try was a bit distracted by being turned out alone in the paddock by the barn and in the ring by Dwight as she is still in season.

Stick together was easy, light warm and loving and progressed.
Ring: circle online for relaxation: send and stop and relax--did not quite get this--object being a good relaxed send where Try offers exuberance?? Don't understand this as yet??

Walk til blow etc and trot posting and figure 8 in bareback pad. Uncomfortable posting trot (because I haven't used the pad in awhile and am getting very used to dressage saddle??) so changed back to saddle.

Nice trot, leg yields on and off the rail. Lovely soft canter--not on forehand, head down and I am guessing rounding up some but a western pleasure lope.

Finished with a relaxed walk out the gate to the barn. It took a few circles as Try gained energy as we were about to leave the gate--but once she stayed relaxed through the gate we were able to stay relaxed to the barn. This is BIG as this has been Try's #1 RB thing.

Monday

1. Fun in the pasture with Haylie--did not happen as I needed more time with Try so got Haylie and took her in and then went back for quality time with Try. Take the time it takes.
2. Round pen: stick together--spent lots of time on this--did not get to increasing the distance.
3. On line circling bring back--nice--did not get to bring back at the trot.

Riding:
1. mount at the judges stand, walk til blow, lateral flex, pick up and drop reins, 7 step soft feel and release.
2. Trot: lots because Try in season and distracted when Dwight entered the ring. with and without contact, partial disengagement, bending on the circle, stretching. Tried full HQ disengagement from the trot as I'm considering it for the canter--it would be better if for canter to do a 10 meter circle and bullseye in that a full HQ disengagement is my opinion.
3. Canter: lovely and relaxed like Friday's best--did about 2 laps each way and quit.
4. Finished with walking and practicing coming off the rail and circling and staying nice and calm and relaxed.

Thursday big riding day

Walking: Try blew immediately, lateral flexion, picking up reins and dropping, taking light contact and dropping reins and partial disengagement. Latter was smooth and clear with the addition of spurs today.

Trotting with light contact today, working on being particular, steady hands for me, my alignment, etc.
Canter today Try got very forward--almost to the point of my not being strong enough to slow her a couple times. Hopped off to let her get it out of her system on line and back on for 2 truly lovely canter laps each direction.

Some back to basics riding

Tuesday: rode in dressage saddle, walk a couple laps (Try blew immediately), then picked up trot and Try blew a lot. Stopped and picked up reins, lateral flexion, center circle for some leg yields and stretching, canter laps one direction and then walking on the rail and circling off the rail for relaxation, then canter and canter circles both directions--bending on the circle, sitting on balance point, BA said she saw Try rounding up some. Next time it would be good to add in busyness at the pedestal and mount from the rail and keep equipment at the judges stand to change our sweet spot.

Day 5 Going Home

Got to Dancing Branch early, cleaned up everything ready to go. Spent some quality time grazing and playing some of Try's favorite games before time to go. Back at Rollover Shirley was calling for Try and Try was happy to get back to her pasture.

Day 4 a wash for Try and I but fun for me

Got to barn late afternoon--not enough time to prepare Try who when I took her out of the pasture became increasingly agitated--in season etc. So she hung out in the round pen while I watched Wendy and Kaycee ride in the cows pasture and move them around a little. Not much as a particular steer was making Wendy nervous. Then I put Try back into her pasture and went and enjoyed a lovely trail ride with Wendy, Red, Cobie and I. Lovely afternoon, warm, sunny, great scenery--too bad I did not have time to get Try relaxed so she could go along and enjoy it.