Monday

I feel energized by the tour stop.

What I have decided:
1. As much as I am physically able to do so--to treat winter 3 months as if it is summer i.e. go for it without wimping or whining over the cold.
2. To keep my focus on
     a. Helping Try and I to forge a better and better connection
     b. Help Try know it is a good deal for her--that she can trust me to give up control as needed
     c. To focus on improving my finesse riding.
     d. To focus on finesse L4 with Try for physical development in lessons with Kathy.
     e. Work for balance of fun and variety for Try and Keystone.
     f. Continue every opportunity to learn from Dan, Kathy, etc.
3. What I will NOT do as a way to further the aims above.
     a. I will not get sidetracked by other things to learn or play with unless they can fit into my overall goals.
     b. I have dropped my PC membership to digital and I will not watch the dvds unless desperate for something new.

Monday

Try: catch me in the pasture and a bit of sticking together. BA rode by and was impressed that Try would come to me from ??40 feet while her pasture mate trotted off the other direction. In her pasture--played a little with drawing HQ only from intention then dwell, walking in together, groom, and finished our riding with more draw HQ--just a bit each time until she figured it out. Started in the ring, walked and I did my warmup pilates, passenger, meandered and jogged awhile so Try could get used to 2 new geldings on the farm next to the ring. She was still a little distracted for what I wanted to do so we left and rode in her pasture. We trotted for quality of gait, Played with weighting the stirrup and follow my shoulder/focus. When she knew that was what I wanted she had it but it took a little while. hmmmm. We did a little taking contact and light flexion review to prepare for Tuesday's lesson.

Keystone: Lovely catching game in the field--saw me and sorta wanted to come from ??40 feet and was able to come from about 25 feet!! Long slow walking together in from the field, good grooming and shower at the end and hanging out in his field at the end. warmup on loose rein: walk/trot/canter. clover leaf/serpentines, inside track etc. Good impulsion and he felt good. light contact and flexion--2 laps