hotline call

Gold Hot LineJuly 9 09Kristi Smith1-352-591-56451.

Where’s the joy or fun for Try (she looks miserable on freestyle video)? I have to be more interesting. LBIs learn quickly and you must progress to something new quickly or they get bored. Direct their brain, each day should be something new and different.

Do not be too particular about precision—get the exuberance first. Lots of variety and the unexpected. Do the opposite of what they expect. Start with the fun tricks to get her in the mood then ask for the precision/task.

2. 80/20 80% fun and 20% of something more precise. Loosening the string is enjoyment, tightening the string just 20% of the time.

3. Trail rides to same old place are boring. Walk/jog together because I am moving my feet also. Spanish walk? Pick up things? Hokie/pokie?

4. Question Box: show walk, trot and canter. With simple lead change at a walk thru the box.

filmed some freestyle

For lesson today--Tara not there to film so BA and I played with some stuff and filmed some

Played w/ideas ball tarp and pedestal
Filmed: bucket, patterns--cloverleaf, corners game and question box

uploaded to youtube--will send to Kelly for coaching

play with finding neutral and your horse having an allow. This will help your horse gain self-confidence instead of just confidence in you as a leader.

OR respect you for recognizing her ability to do it without micromanaging!!

Tarp etc

Tarp: we wore it, walked over it and then picked it back up with stick and carried it over head so I guess we are ready to go with this one.

sideways: she doesn't like it, butt drags, ??phases then reward

no stirrups

liberty: started figure 8, ok as stick to me, go back to online w/belly of rope on the ground.
stick to me canter--desirable for us to mirror from greater distances

Question Box

Sunday: question box, measured out the two 45' circles. walked and jogged them online then bareback walk and trot riding. Try was just lovely, very few leg corrections.

Monday: repeated riding portion. not as good a day. Try not as interested--focus on Angel in ring, weather--tense from humidity before rain, circling is boring etc. Also canter on the rail and canter 45'circles and the smallest circle. The small circle always seems to go well--lots of eyes, belly button from me etc.

Did not get to tarp and ball.

Lesson Day Thursday

Lesson w/BA prepping for L3 freestyle. Confusion between us as to how to set up question box. Will fix that this weekend.

Set up the pattern--use rake and ropes to make good 45' circles, then do lots of stuff with Try on the circles so they become a known pattern to us both. i.e. English riding stuff, walk-trot-canter, drag the bucket/tarp, etc

Play with trotting with the tarp as my cape or Try's cape??
Ball: fill ball more fully to see if I can dribble it while circling.

Remember to take my time, relationship first, rest/treats/strokes.

Lovely day

did not get to the barn until 11:00--already 86 degrees.

kept it simple: ball--push with nose only--treat only for three nose pushes in a row and treat and super fuss over her for enthusiastic nose push. She loves this new game!!

no stirrups