Change of Direction (i.e. Draw)

1. The draw in change of direction is an issue at liberty circling on the rail at a trot or canter: I can draw by looking at HQ but simply backing up did not work today.
2. Online: Try gets snarky ears for circling game and change of direction at trot and canter.
3. Circling on the rail--better to get closer to draw.
4. Suggest: more rest when she comes in, the harder it is to come/the longer to rest. So Try can understand that coming to me is the source of safety/comfort/friendly/treats.
5. Also varied it with walking the figure 8 at liberty and rewarding the draw. Also walking stick to me on the rail short distance and rewarding the draw.

Friday

Got to the barn at 7am.

Try Online and Liberty in the round pen: We played various ways toward change of direction at liberty and I need more research as it happens online but Try doesn't like it and liberty not so much. Cue: both from 2 eyes and my backup. reward with stopping and treat. Make the undesirable thing difficult--continue to circle????

Riding: played for the first time with dressage saddle/stirrups/rope reins/parelli bridle plus confidence snaffle.
Pilates warmup and considered Linda's alignment/use of muscles etc (forgot bicep)and to improve this I need to do it longer.
9 step backup and a little contact--film and send to Kelly.
also did no stirrups--only 3 laps and ??harder in dressage saddle??
little bit of canter

Thursday

What an interesting day today. Adding the LBE info keeps changing my thinking.

Riding lesson today in the field. Try was pretty LBE as expected. Bethanna helped me to block Try's tendency to go to the gate and to go from my balance point to a more forward position rather than constantly adjusting the reins from casual to concentrated as Try was transitioning so quickly. Try was in a good mood and seemed to be enjoying her self pretty much. Actually, she might have like to take off at a galop but I don't feel confident with that nor the stamina to ride it as long as it might take for Try to have her fill of it. Not bad for a 19 year old.

Keystone in the round pen. He seems mildly right brain to me--maybe even cusp as well LB/RB. Certainly not as confident as Try by a long shot. We did friendly, porky head down, figure 8 for the first time and continued playing with touch it.

Started watching the June gold dvd--great stuff--1. Pat and Sam on test your liberty and 2. Linda and Leslie on what it takes for Leslie to ride Remmer in Linda's absence.

This in from Stacey and Linda re horsenality cusp scores

"Hi Elizabeth!

I'm finally getting back to you, had a couple of weeks of madly writing lots of stuff, including the new information on cuspal Horsenalities.

Reading your modified report was actually great confirmation for me because the problem with people borrowing someone else's report on LBE (as in your case) is that this is not the core horsenality, so only parts of it will apply. So you have to start as LBI, the main training concerns are LBI, but as soon as the horse gets motivated (which will happen more quickly when they're on the cusp) you need some LBE tips - also how to recognize it.

So what you've done for Try is great - you took the LBE parts that would relate when Try goes there. I must say I am impressed by your grasp of this, you obviously have put a lot of time and effort into understanding horse behavior in terms of horsenality!

The reports that have been launched now have the cuspal information automatically attached. We will then be going back through our Silver and Gold members whose horses showed cusp scores and making that portion available as soon as possible.

I trust all is going well with you and Try :)

Yours naturally,

Linda"

Update

Sunday: day off.
Monday: not feeling well, but was able to do my no-stirrups strength exercises with Keystone and spend a few minutes with Try on stick to me from the May mastery dvd On line and Liberty/balance and counter balance. All was lovely.

Tuesday: trail ride with Try, Ruby and Splash. Try was a super star--she led the way much of the ride with great confidence. Did not even need reins--she knew what she was doing and was happy and curious, looking all around. My great thanks to Ruby for making this happen.

Wednesday: catch up day at home and study/reconsider goals.

Saturday

On Line

Try: really nice sideways with change of direction, backwards 1/4 turns and yoyo draw--from watching May mastery lesson

Keystone: progress thru 7 games plus touch it. Need more fun, friendly, dwell, grazing, touch it.

Friday

Try and I had a big morning:
1. played online with material from May mastery dvd: balance and counter balance. Did sideways and the change of direction and counter balance of the backing 1/4 turns. Then change of direction on the circle was lovely tracking left but got the nasty ears tracking right???? So Try decided she would like to move and I offered to help her with ??20 laps of canter--relaxed but mostly snarky. Afterwards we went on to some bareback freestyle: the best ever question box pattern--she soooooo knew it and I did not need anything but occasional bit of leg!! Then I did a little no stirrups posting trot for my strength. Cathy arrived and she and Shirley Try and I walked and trotted in Matrix's pasture with a nice big hill to go up and down.

Finished with Keystone in round pen. HOT by then and his first time in round pen--not hugely successful--just neutral. Next time do in the ring again, in the cool of the day and maybe play with the tarp.

Watch the level 1 online for ideas for Keystone and reward the May mastery dvd.