Wednesday

Catching up a bit here.

Monday was a really nice day. Try and I played in the round pen that has been set up in the ring. It is smaller than the paddock we generally use for liberty play but something different and that is good. We had awesome read my mind slow play as a warmup. Then when I asked for figure 8 at a trot Try left me so ha ha game on: circling but I was pleased that it remained fairly relaxed and Try did not seem very emotional about it. Then I did get a bit of figure 8 trot at liberty. Riding: pleasant warmup--walk til she blew, some isolations for FQ/HQ flexibility, some no stirrups posting trot for my strength and canter for fun, including around the outside of the round pen. Then we rode off the property to check out the farm across the street where they were harvesting cotton--Try's energy came up, I chickened out and we returned without working through it.

Tuesday: day off for Try but a fun day sharing/discussing info from weekend with Dan with a friend. It helped to talk about my tendency to wimp out that seems to be tied to either a fear of making Try unhappy so she won't love me or a fear that Try's getting emotional would be dangerous to me. Both of these are clearly unrealistic.

Wednesday: Back to the round pen for some awesome 360's from zone 5--two in a row with good energy. Asked for figure 8 and again at a trot she left (hmmmm) so circling game. I was curious to find that because the past few months I have been causing her change of direction when she would turn away from me towards the rail. When I asked for usual slow down cues, Try took them as my asking for change of direction! Sooo, I went back to basics studying which zone I was in, my use of energy, my timing to increase/decrease pressure etc and began to get good downward transitions again.

Then played with a medium jump--with side poles--great at liberty with my standing 10-15' away so added the puzzle could she jump, then turn and face--stop/relax. The first we blew, the second she did it but a little messy. Went online and barely used the rope and it was gorgeous.

Left on that great note. Saddled up in western saddle for my confidence and went back out to the cotton field. Try was super relaxed, casual rein until the huge noisy picker was coming right at us. She picked up energy and did a little piaffe---ggg then relaxed again. We walked a little then turned and went back and she was great. I learned--I should trust my horse--my fear that she would run off with me and that I could suffer great injury seemed pretty silly. She is nearly always the bravest horse in a group.

Thursday plan is to check those downward transitions, see if Try will offer a jump/turn and face at liberty with just a look at her butt then some serious no stirrups for me (and no pressure for her). Friday plan is trail ride.