Sunny Sunday with Try

Try and I had two lovely hours together. She was in another mind reading mood today.

Met her in her pasture on the bank between her two pastures. We went to the small paddock where we hung out, went slow, liberty catch me and sticking together. Try was willing but not fully connected so went on line. I asked for backup and from life up she backed all the way out. Tickled me at how smart she is but she was assuming or perhaps that stance in that position has only meant back up. I could really see her thinking. Next she went to the pedestal--front feet and we played friendly there for awhile. Then she stepped off with her front feet straddling the pedestal and I used carrot stick to put her LH foot on the pedestal and asked her to put weight on it. We finished up here with circling game--lightest possible cues, neutral (?not equal to life down???) and transitions walk, trot, walk etc from cluck or vocal cue--no further cue needed.

Saddled up with dressage saddle and went to the ring. We did walk til blow and Try blew immediately and lots the whole morning. We did stretching and when I asked for a little contact with 7 step soft feel Try assumed I wanted backup and backed 10' or so with good energy. Not what I asked for but how great! We did wheelbarrow turns and she has that. Also falling leaf and she will do 360 on HQ really swinging her shoulders--I used the carrot stick. I am trying to keep my hand and reins on the mane. Then did a little cloverleaf at the trot--did not count the corrections--needed a few using leg for maintain direction. I have learned that these corrections come on the long straight aways--that Try (and Spiderman) is great on turns from my body weight.

Next I told Try it was passenger time--she circled to the mounting block a couple times before she got the idea and walked out of the ring--with happy but not emotional energy. She walked up the drive and turned right and up the road. She had a mild, happy, curious extraverted energy. Unfortunately as no one was around we just went to the bend in the road and came back.

Next we went into her pasture with our "hills" and tried out a big figure eight using the whole pasture, cantering uphill through the center and alternating trot and walk otherwise. The pattern lacked precision and I want to rethink where Try's weight is cantering up or down a hill.

Thank you Try for a lovely morning--I needed that dose of lazing in the sunshine!