Tuesday: Try, Target, Riley

Try: the horses spent the night in for the weather and were very anxious to be turned out--however Try was my first pick of the day for play and she wasn't happy about it. Today was a riding day: walk til blow, trot 6 laps canter 6 but inside track. Played with relaxation in rein transitions at a stand still and a walk and Indirect rein at a stand still--both were really improved. Also Try improved huge in her attitude and was quite lovely to be with fairly quickly.

Target: again a riding day--walk, trot, canter. His trot was much more relaxed and the canter was much more together also. Bethanna challenged us to do 2 laps without breaking gait at the canter--we got 1+1 not two in the row.

Riley: I helped BA out--we got the two ponies, I groomed Riley, BA rode Forrest while I held/played with Riley. Next time hopefully I will get to ride Riley while BA rides Forrest then swap--play online with Forrest while BA rides Riley.

Very interesting, oh boy day for me

Went to Try's pasture and waited for her to come to me. As I was putting on halter Haylie backed up to Try and was about the kick. Try sidepassed into me--I took halter and lead and in a personal fury chased Haylie away. How dare she pick on my beautiful, wonderful Try!! Well Haylie didn't care but I scared Try--took 30 minutes for her to decide she could be with me (approach and retreat) before we could halter up and go in.

First: stick together in the play area: much smoother today, I was mixing it up more then moving 6' or so away from her to measure our stick-to-a-tivity, she did blow one time. I did not opt for circling on the rail and draw--instead left that for the ring. The first direction (trot) it took awhile for her to decide she could come to me. 2nd direction good and we quit on that.

Riding 15 min walk passenger then on the rail--one small blow then walking in the center circle, did the stretching and soft feel and release and she started blowing really well. Lateral flex and picking up and dropping reins were way softer more relaxed. Then we trotted awhile (bareback) and a bit of canter--for my strength.

Stick Together Game

Today we continued our stick together game/liberty/round corral. And this was all we did. Goal: watch Try for changes and watch my energy level. It occured to me on the ride there that it isn't fair to ask Try for relaxation if I'm not relaxed first?? However one of my best ways to relax is touching Try. Anyway, we have the life up, focus and walk around thing. I was interested to see if she would blow--only once. I have determined that now that we know this much of the game that it is important to mix things up as to who leads and that I can be a bit creative when I am the leader. Today I wasn't very busy, busy, busy. More relaxed, slower. I did not see any concern in Try except perhaps one time I asked for a send on the rail with more energy than necessary. I did see her relax and look soft a little and I also saw a lot of "oh well I'll do it but I'd rather be doing something else. Stick to me was pretty good. Draw from a distance perhaps a little improved and perhaps not.

3 horse day

whew 9-2:30

Try: considering partial disengagement. Studied dvd from Feb. Walk til she blew then started with lateral flexion; also picking up rope and dropping it with the goal being that it means nothing to Try. (On a hunt for RB stuff to consider/fix.) Then after trotting etc tried the partial disengagement--not really getting it. BA hopped on and asked for it firmly at the trot and she went very RBE and gave BA truly lovely dozen or so strides of canter with gorgeous HQ yields--BA worked with her a little to relax by asking for trotting partial diseng each time Try wanted to canter RB.

Forrest:

Today BA was riding Riley and I got Forrest. We got them, took to barn. I groomed and mostly played friendly with Forrest in the barn. Then to the ring. BA rode and I alternately took Forrest around to sniff different things and use my brain to keep changing things up with different games. Then BA lunged Forrest and he did great on his leads! Back to the barn for more lovin while BA cleaned up Riley. Forrest followed me like a puppy in the pasture and he loves the pedestal.

 

Target:

I was tired by the time it was his turn. Got him from the pasture--he and Lincoln were at the far end  of the big guys pasture. Grooming in the barn, then out to Dwight's paddock for some On Line. It was fairly awful in the beginning--the backing and staying out of my space took 3 steps back again. Eventually we got it improved then some circling, S bends--practicing directing the shoulder, and touch it--used my hat--kept throwing it different places--quit when he got it. Then followed me around at liberty.

Great day yesterday

Riding lesson yesterday on Target with BA: I was proud of how we were learning stay on the rail as a pattern and how nice and consistent Target's trot was becoming. Well not up to BA's standards--wonder when mine will come up to that standard? Anyway, trot not so bad but really worked on the canter--the main issue being a consistent speed at the canter and I was thinking because he is a trail horse to ride him on either a loose rein (casual/on the buckle) or with short reins. He needed more help than that and seemed to appreciate it so I rode with light contact then softened contact when the canter was nice and Target quickly got the idea. I never would have thought I would be comfortable with a bareback canter with yesterday's canter but after the above fixes it was good and I felt strong. Thank you BA! Note: Target was even offering to round up a bit--looking like a dressage horse. What a cool horse.

Then my Sand Savvy friend Marilyn came for a trail ride as getting confident with her horse Shiloh on the trail is her biggest goal. To be sure she could be successful I asked BA if she would go along. So I led with Try and BA was followed up in the rear with Target. She rode him bareback with the lead rope then just put the lead over his neck and let him do it! Target truly has another fan in BA--she would so love for Target to stay at Rollover!!! All three horses were confident and fun to ride and the day was glorious.

Monday - 3 horses

Target: I am just loving this sweet guy. Improvements today. Getting used to each other and he is getting to be an arena horse as well as a trail horse--stay on the rail, maintain the speed of a gait etc. See Target's blog.

Forrest: Sara Austin's adorable pony--yesterday we played 5/7 games and today we took a trail walk to the ring so he could see it for the first time.

Try: Lovely--round pen, pasture, up the road the withers stick to me. Directing turns with this started today--when I turn the direction away from her she would continue and not turn so disengage HQ and start again and by the third time she had it figured out. Also the draw on the circle game at a walk was beautiful.

More...

The emotional/psychological on Sunday:

Try: I did not feel her get emotional RBE at all. Perhaps a bit of concern, a tendency to drift to the sweet spot and even tho it was a laid back enjoy the weather day--I did not feel a joyous desire to be with me. On the ground she was particularly obedient. The circle/draw--Try was VERY happy to come to me.

Me: I was alert to Try's feeling, watching for any RBE tho not expecting to see it. Very careful to make our current learning tasks pleasant, moving on immediately when she got it, etc. I did not remember to watch myself for busy, busy, busy--probably not so bad as it was a relaxed day. The more tense I am (RB) the more busy I get--is that RBE?