A little blog re-arranging

Go to:

http://thequestforsavvy.wordpress.com/

for more recent updates on Hannah, Mocachee & Lucy!

Keep on believing don’t give in . . .

Semester is almost over and that means more pony time!

Been squeezing in as much time with my boy as I can and I know I’ve said this probably a million times, but I feel like I’m really learning how to make every second with him count. I feel like our biggest thing lately has been really learning about the power of MY focus, in all the savvies.

Been trying to up the ante with our online patterns lately. Changing them up a little with lots of transitions and trying to see how little I can move my feet/body and get him to do the pattern. Been playing on the 22 and the 45 and I’m starting to feel a bit more confidant with the 45. Even getting better at handling the 45 with obstacles. Attempted at filming our online last week and it went alright, not exactly what I wanted but I know what I’m going to do differently next time. Hopefully will be able to squeeze in another video session in a few weeks.

Been experimenting with the seven games (minus the circling game) at liberty out in the arena and that’s been going well. Just a matter of trust, focus and being in control of my energy when we’re out in a larger space. Been playing lots of circling game while standing on the 22 (sort of “faux”) liberty to prep for eventually playing the circling game out there. Really have had to separate the pieces of the circling game for that to make sure I can keep him with me every step of the way (he’s best at the “bring back”, lol).

Riding wise, it’s been focus, focus, focus! Lol. And a stunning realization to how much I don’t trust him to go out and do the pattern and feel like I need to tell him what to do every step of the way. I’ve starting noticing the pinned back ears, the tail swishes (especially the tail swishes) every time I “nag” him with my legs, reins or stick. If I can maintain my focus we can do the patterns with me not touching him at all! We got the most epic simple change on the Question Box last week off just my focus and Wednesday we got the most awesome transitions off just my body. I’ve had so much fun experimenting with patterns like that and he puts more effort into our rides, it’s been awesome

Today we had an epic finesse breakthrough, we’ve thrown in a million transitions with contact (haven’t gone faster than a trot) the past couple rides with me focusing on really stopping once it’s gets a teeny tiny bit better. I’ve seen steady improvement (in my body and in his) over the past few rides, but today was the best yet. The best part? It was my LBI’s idea!

We were playing with various size circles and I had thrown in some fluid rein at the trot and after stretching a bit he started to come “up”, so I decided to seize the opportune moment and go with. We had a blast! He had impulsion, I was literally using my reins for shaping and I got to make lots little little tweaks in my body. He was only tossing his head when I would start engaging my biceps instead of my triceps and at those points I was able to make the adjustments in my arms. We started with our million transitions while following the rail we’ve been playing with. Threw in some “Let me help you!” when he got crooked to the right and then played with some partial disengagements both ways and that made a huge difference. From there we played with transitions on the clover leaf, figure eight and question box. I made sure to stop every time something was a smidge bit better and I got tons of licks and chews. I was getting blow outs at the trot, with me having contact, which was super awesome. We ended with a some canter trot transitions and he did great! Had some fluidity issues of my own, but it just gave me some stuff to lick and chew on. I hopped off before I pushed my luck and he did the biggest shake I think I’ve ever seen him do followed my massive blow outs.

I’ve never had so much fun with this boy, he’s the best partner ever. I think I’m starting to grasp your frustration becoming your fascination. Just gotta get stuff on film . . .

 

 

Between who you are and who you could be . . .

First off, many thanks to Kristi Smith for an amazing private lesson and workshop yesterday.

I am so excited about where my journey with my horse is going. Kristi told me yesterday that the foundation was all solidly there, now I get to have some fun and get super creative for my boy.

Took it slow in the morning and brushed him up before our private lesson. He was a little distracted by a visiting horse and all of the new sounds/people/stuff, so I just made sure to play lots of little friendly, porcupine and driving games to keep him “with” me. Went and played out front with some touch its and some new phase ones and more subtle gesture with my body. Hung out with him on the tire, since I know he likes that. When Kristi was ready for us, she asked if she could play with us with some Level 4 concepts online and so began the awesome amazing online lesson I was able to have.

She just watched us play a bit first and said she was glad to see how light things were getting, but now she wanted to see me really asking him to put effort into things and getting his play drive up. Both of which will lead to better flying changes. She had me get more unpredictable with my phase fours and really had his zone one moving out quickly on the send in our circling game. One of the big keys of getting a flying change and one we struggle with, getting some energy into zone one on the change of direction. We also played with transitions and I got some really fantastic upward and downward transitions with simply inhaling and exhaling. From there she had me playing with adding in lots of variety and quickly moving from one thing to the next to keep him interested and engaged.

Then we played with Mocach and I’s zone five driving, something that has given me lots of puzzles lately. Kristi had me following the rail and playing with transitions, then from there showed me how to ask him for a haunches in from zone 5 as we followed the rail. That proved to be a little tricky but with Kristi’s help my boy and I got it! She also helped me with a little mental brace of my own with our zone five driving. When he’d start to get a little worried, I would stop all together. But Kristi showed me how to just give him a rub and give him a minute to think the request through he would do just fine. Another good lesson in waiting. Once we got that good a few times we played with the weave pattern from zone five. I was a little confused with my stick/rope coordination at first, but I watched Kristi do it with him and then I was able to do it was well. We’ve always had a super hard time getting that one in zone 5, was so excited to have some success with that yesterday!

De-briefed with Kristi after that and then it was back to the barn to put his saddle on and eat lunch. The afternoon was a freestyle workshop. Played with the boy a smidge more online and then put his bridle on. Started out the neutral and indirect and direct rein. Really focusing on just getting it in my body and not having to use my stick. From there we followed the rail at the walk and once again played with indirect and direct rein. Once Mocachee and I were getting it nice and light, Kristi played the matador game with it and once again added in asking him to put some effort into it. We went back out and I tried achieving the same results out on the rail and we were starting to get it. I never knew my boy could do an indirect/direct rein so tight and fast!

Impulsion patterns were next, played with point to points and the corners game with my buddy to start getting his life up a little walk and trot. Kristi also had me lengthen my stirrups and tweaked my fluidity a little. The clover leaf was last and there was where my boy almost got me on emotional fitness. My water loving horse who normally does the cloverleaf just fine at the walk decided he couldn’t walk in a straight line because he was not going to walk through any mud puddles. I started getting frustrated and finally I just flexed him and gave myself a minute. Then I went and asked Kristi how she would deal with the mud puddle issue. She reminded me it was just a leadership question and I just needed to prove to him that I was the leader and he wasn’t going to get me emotional. It took quite a bit of effort and lots of deep breath on my part but I just stuck with it and finally my buddy was traversing through mud and back to normal. Kristi also had me start throwing in some transitions on the cloverleaf which certainly got his attention and made the pattern more interesting. Got some transitions off my breathing again and got a corner each way with just my focus and then it was time to horse shoe up. I think the highlight of my whole afternoon was managing to hold it together for my pony and managing to “win one”.

Played with our online stuff a little again this afternoon as I had a few minutes with the boy. Had some moments of unconscious incompetence and a little bit of conscious incompetence but just played lots of friendly game and did my best to make sure my buddy didn’t feel like he was wrong for me getting my timing wrong or messing up with my stick, string and/or rope. We got a step of the zone five driving haunches in both ways and he licked and chewed both times. We’re just taking it nice and slow with that, trying to not to push him while he’s trying to figure it all out. Transitions on the rail from zone five were much better. We had a couple rope failures on my part but he handled them really well. The weave started out so-so and I accidentally got too fast with my phase four at one point so I just went with him, told him I was sorry and I fixed up my friendly game a minute. I thought back to the stuff Kristi was telling me and remembered her talking about the goal being me just sticking my stick out and him making the turn. Went back to the weave and slowed it down and really made a effort to just lift my stick up and we got a whole weave with him at the walk making the turns with me just lifting my stick up and out! The best part of today? A really amazing, clean, exuberant flying change online at a phase one! The boy had so much forward energy I didn’t even have to touch him. Promptly turned him back out once we were done, which also left him licking and chewing.

I think the concepts are what is really going to help me with Lucy. Plus, I got lots out of watching everyone else with their horses. I feel like a year after going to the center it’s starting to click. It’s like it’s not so much knowing the stuff in my head, it’s knowing how to really put it into practice. As well as knowing it on a different level. The concepts just had to sink in and I had to give myself some time to grow, I guess. The best part is, I’m sure as time goes on it’s just going to click more and more. Overall it was a fantastic day and I can’t wait to see what happens next on this journey!

Some pictures that Katie took during the workshop . . .

Bridling

My gorgeous boy

A lick and c ahew when I checked his girth, I think? He’s doing something with those big lips of his, lol

After playing the matador game with Kristi

De-briefing in the “horse-shoe”

Mocachee decided he needed a nap

Yep, it was a long day for my little LBI

Just for fun, my hat hanging out on the fence

How light is light. . .

Just a quick post before class, but something I’ve been licking and chewing on and I’m sure to get more information on tomorrow.

The past week, I’ve played with my horse twice, due to tests and tons of homework. Both times have been in the paddock, Monday on my 22 and yesterday on my 12. I’ve done something different online both times, but both sessions have led to short but fantastic liberty sessions in the paddock. Monday I really focused on how soft my send could be and came to the conclusion I go to neutral a second too late, which is why I get the head toss and pinned back ears on my send. I made that small little subtle change and then started to get a super connected circling game. I let my line drop a couple times and he stayed with, so we played the circling game 2 laps at the walk, 2 laps at the trot and about a 1/4 of a lap at the canter with the 22 foot line attached but me not holding it. He never left once. We’ve also been playing with a fun little stick to me where he trots and I walk, mainly in a small little circle for right now. We’ve had small success, but he still tends to leave. We got a couple steps in either direction Monday, no leaving and called it a day.

Yesterday we did a teeny tiny figure eight on the 12, with me focusing on barely moving my feet and hands. Moved into a falling leaf and finally wanted to try our circling game on the 12. I had the chance to play with a super “grumpy” LBI on Sunday and since then I feel like I’ve been noticing every pinned back ear, “bored” looked and swishing tail from my horse. Things I overlooked before. Every time I wiggled my finger, he swished his tail. So, I decided to just look at each individual foot I wanted to back up instead (trying to do the least that I could do) and my wiggling was phase four. Hello licking, chewing, blowing out, shaking and forward ears, goodbye swishing tail and “bored” ears. Once again, that itty bitty change made him get connected on the circling game and once I got a couple good laps at the walk, trot and canter I un-snapped the line and tried our little trot stick to me we’d been playing with. It was perfect We were able to keep it up for a few minutes and he didn’t leave once. His head was done, his tail out, one ear forward and one on me and he was starting to get his trot in sync with my walk. I quit before I “over did” it with him and was given more licking and chewing in return.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from yoga it’s how powerful little changes in my body are. One little tiny thing and my horse’s opinion of me changed, I became interesting, he wanted to stay with me. The connection I felt, especially when we “tested” our relationship at liberty, was the most connected he’s ever felt with me. I feel like I’ve learned to add a “dance like” quality to my movements, I can experiment with my phase ones now, because I know hot to play with making minor adjustments to my hands, feet, head, ect. My hands, especially, I’ve found affect him more than I thought. So often, I feel like I stay at a phase because that’s the one I learned in the beginning. In my mind it’s right now one. We were challenged in Florida to find out “how light is light” and I never really got it. Funny how a year later I finally feel like maybe I’m starting to grasp the concept. I feel like that about a lot of stuff I heard/learned at the Center. It was a seed that was planted and it had to grow. Kristi told me in May to experiment, I feel like I’m finally starting to get the idea. There are no rules, only guidelines. My horse, especially doesn’t like it when I play by the “rules”. Hopefully this afternoon I’ll have the time to play with softening some more things, but I feel like maybe I’m starting to get “it”. Whatever “it” is, lol. We’ll find out tomorrow, have a private liberty lesson with Kristi Smith in the morning and then a workshop in the afternoon. Can’t wait for more feedback/information!

 

One of the photos taken by Katie Weeks. I never really noticed, but he wants to be "in sync" with me so much lately

*dusts off cobwebs*

We are alive. And doing things. School and work and squeezing the pony in there, so yeah.

Been battling some skin fungus, that got to his back, so no riding for the past couple of weeks, however we have been working on online and liberty. Did circling game at w/t/c sitting on the ground last week, and did some epic figure 8′s and we sideways the entire roundpen in each direction and backed the entire round pen in each direction.

 

That is all for now. I do believe we could film level 3 online soon.

You are the best thing, that’s ever been mine . . .

I’m still alive, I promise.

Finally have some time in between classes and am caught up enough on homework I can sit down and update this.

Open House last month was awesome. Everyone had a great time with their horses and the relationships really shone through!

Most of the past few play sessions with the boy have consisted on 45 foot line play online, trying to “polish up” our liberty play a bit and really get the figure eight going, and playing with partial disengagements, bits and pieces of the “lead change ladder” and refining our corners pattern, question box and clover leaf freestyle. Partial disengagements and the lead change ladder have really been helping me get some “braces” out of my body. Thank goodness I have yoga class twice a week and I have warm up/joint loosening/ore building exercises I can practice just about ever day and before I ride/play! I’ve gotten a few more flying changes since my last post, but I’m not really stressing it or pushing it with him. We’ll get them when we get them and we can film for our Level 3 without them. Speaking of which, weather permitting Lauren & I have a filming session planned for my freestyle audition on Thursday.

Mocachee loves the 45 foot line and my 45 foot line “savvy” is getting better. We’ve gotten some great circling game (really nice canter laps . . .yes, laps plural ) and some nice traveling circles at the walk and trot, working up to them at the canter on the 45. Also have had success with fast sideways. Planning to start playing with figure eight and weave on the 45 asap.

Libertyhas been a test of my energy and how it affects him for sure. Also in lightness, I have to be careful I don’t get too “big” and send him off. That’s our biggest problem on the figure eight I think. Circling game is improving, starting to get him connecting with me more when he’s out on the circle and I’m getting better at not giving him too huge of a send. We started playing with canter/halt/back up (<-fast back up, not his normal little plod, lol) and he had great fun with that. Got it nice and light super fast.

Partial disengagements and swing the shoulders finally clicked with me last week. I guess I finally watched the last Savvy Club DVD enough times. He picked up on the partial disengagements incredibly fast and he loves them. The difference in his self carriage is incredible. I never knew my Left Brain Introvert could be engaged. I’m also getting rid of a lot of brace in my “zone 3″ as well. My fluidity is getting to improve, I’m not used to him carrying himself with so much “up” verses kind of plodding along flatly, so I’m having to make some adjustments and get rid of some tenseness in my body. The ruffles are decreasing instead of increasing, so I guess I’m on the right track. His patterns have also improved since we’ve been playing with the partial disengagements. Swing the shoulders is better than it used to be, it’s getting there. I feel like I have a lot of tension in that department, but I think with more time and focus on what my body is doing we’ll get it. It’s much better than it used to be, though. Our finesse has also improved since the partial disengagements. It’s like now that I’ve got him super relaxed and actually engaged it’s coming along much easier. It’s still not great, but I keep telling myself to just give it time . . .

He’s not a big corners fan, never has been, so I’ve been going back to the corners pattern to try and improve that area. Cloverleaf and question box I’ve just been trying to do less.

Oh . . .Mocachee has an UPHILL shim pattern as of last Friday! My downhill pony is starting to get uphill!

We are also playing on the big rings of our cradle and he seems quite fine with that.

Anything new this boy seems to just love lately. And it doesn’t even have to be brand new, just a slight tweak of a pattern and he’s interested. He’s really not letting me stay in my comfortable little bubble. My time has been limited lately, mostly thanks to school, but I feel like it’s made me really make every session count, even if it’s just 15-20 minutes to groom or just hang out with him. It’s also kept me from doing the same thing over, and over and over again because I have to adjust my plan for how much time I may have that day/evening. I do have some fairly newish pictures from our past couple sessions. Including some professional ones from Sunday, taken by Katie Weeks.

More of a Lucy oriented update in a couple days, I have some ideas concerning our online play session tomorrow, so we’ll see how my “theories” turn out. I do have one small victory, I got blow outs about 5-10 minutes into our little online session Sunday, fastest I think I’ve gotten them yet.

After partial disengagements at the walk :D

Partial disengagements at the trot were a bit more difficult for us, but we got it eventually :)

Playing with “swinging the shoulders”

More “swing the shoulders”

Little bit of corners game at the end at the canter

Gorgeous girl loved posing for the camera (c) Katie Weeks

Hindquarter disengagement with the belly of the line of the ground :) (c) Katie Weeks

Two “touch its” in one (c) Katie Weeks

One of my absolute favorites (c) Katie Weeks

Bridle time! (c) Katie Weeks

I <3 this horse (c) Katie Weeks

Ears forward canter, look out now (c) Katie Weeks

(c) Katie Weeks

Reins got too long for the 999,999th time, but at least I’m smiling :) (c) Katie Weeks

Pretty boy (Note, we are actually playing on the big rings now) (c) Katie Weeks

45 foot line play!

Driving from patch of grass to patch of grass on the 45

Playing with fas sideways

It was so hot that day, he got to go swimming

Baby, you’re the only one I run to . . .

I feel like I’m about to cry any minute now, but in a good way.

First of all we went to Northwest River Park with Lauren & Charlie and my horse was fantastic. I was able to keep my “right brain” side in check and we were comfortable enough to actually go out on the trails and even walk/trot/canter in a big field. It was a great confidence builder and Mocachee was having a blast.

Haven’t had much time with the boy this past week and had some free time this afternoon. After seeing some photos of “Dancin’ Pete” at the  Performance Summit I’ve been curious how our circling game would go if my neutral was laying down on the ground. Being as I generally seem to kind of “repell” my horse at liberty.

Let me just say, my horse now thinks I am the best thing ever, lol. He surprised me with an epic weave pattern at the trot when I first got in there and we followed that with some “stick to me” canter/walk transitions. Then it was time for the circling game and after I sent him it became the game of, “Don’t make me stand up!”. My horse was actually playful. He was coming in and doing small circles around me, especially at the trot. His body was getting into a nice shape and he was keeping an ear on me and the other one was forward most of the time. Laying down made me literally be in neutral. He was drawing to me at the trot and canter with his ears forward and his head down, something I hardly ever get. We played with change of direction at the walk, trot and canter (standing up, though I’d love to eventually do that laying down as well). We even got a flying change on one of our canter change of directions. We did some walk/trot transitions with me laying down and then I just let him stand over me and finish his licking and chewing while I just made myself comfortable on my back.

I saddled him and just hopped on bridle less with two sticks since we hadn’t done that in a week or so. Played with some transitions and follow the rail and then he wanted to hop on the canter figure eight. He was trying for a flying change so I just did my best to “swing my shoulders” in my body (the latest segment on the new Savvy Club DVD was super helpful, plan on watching it a couple more times). He almost got one so we took a break for a bit and then a couple tries later it just . . .happened. My gaited pony gave me a clean flying change! I actually felt it. It was almost like he was skipping, lol. I immediately stopped him and got off and let him just hang out with me while I did chores the rest of the afternoon. I’m seriously so proud of this horse. I know two things I’m never going to forget is him cantering to me with his ears forward in the round pen this afternoon like he thought I was the best thing in the world and the feeling of that flying change this afternoon.

‘Because you’re amazing, just the way you are . . .

So, ponies have been epic-tastic, to say the least.

Lucy

This little girl has been loving her some liberty. I’ve had to get super creative with online patterns to keep her brain and her body with me. It’s really been a matter of recognizing my thresh holds  lately, something I don’t think I’ve done a very good job of in the past. And I think that’s a big key to improving our freestyle. Saddled her up tonight, played a little online and a little at liberty. She loves “stick to me”. Bridled her and actually clipped the reins onto the bit. Let her yawn and simply played with just mounting, dismounting, direct rein, indirect rein, nine step back up and point to points. We both yawned like crazy tonight after we were done.

Mocachee

This boy wants to film, I just have to get the guts up. Lauren’s been “secretly” filming us the past couple of weeks and it’s really helped. Boosted my confidence in how we look on film and made me less “right brain” about a camera coming out. Been playing with our freestyle patterns the last few weeks, mainly follow the rail, the figure eight and weave at the canter. Trying to really refine them and Mocachee has taken it upon himself to try and figure out flying changes. I’ve just been trying to stay out of his way. This afternoon (I have Lauren as my witness) he finally got a pretty clean flying change. He’s really started using himself lately when we’re riding freestyle. Online has been a combination of Zone 5 driving and porcupine games in Zones 1 and 5. We actually had some pretty good zone 4/5 driving today. Liberty has been playing with the send on the circling game and our change of direction. That’s coming along nicely as well, just a lesson in toning my body way down for my sensitive buddy.

Lauren got some pictures today as well.

Let’s run away and never look back . . .

Three horses played with Monday, sheaths cleaned, chores done and feed up twice. I’m beat, lol. But in a good way, trying to get myself back into the swing of multiple horses for the fall. I plan on alternating Linus, Rhapsody and Spike out Monday & Wednesday as well as getting in 3 play/riding sessions a week with Mocachee & Lucy. We’ll see if I can make that happen.

[Re-cap of Monday]

Lucy

This little lady was first. Yo Yo game is already so much better, really focusing on the straightness part now, something she has a bit of a difficult time with. Still we got lots of licking and chewing and I’m finally starting to feel that draw part of the yo-yo game evening out. Played with a little circling, next time I plan in getting her more engaged/more play drive up before going to that. But we just played with getting a couple strides at the walk/trot with her actually focused on me and the belly of the line on the ground. Then moved onto our sideways/touch it pattern and it’s kinda cool to start seeing her really start to figure out the pattern. She’s one smart little girl, that’s for sure. Actually got side nice fast sideways while we were playing with that and she’s starting to really get the “touch it part” and it’s kinda cute when she gets to the end and touches the fence. It’s getting her to ask more questions.

Linus

Played with back up for straightness first with this boy and he found that super interesting. Headed down to the round pen and played a little one 1 porcupine, that’s going to be a big one for him. Then moved on to playing with the figure eight pattern and slowing it down to focus on the bend of his ribs at the walk. Played with keeping his Zone 5 close to the barrel as he came around as Fran has suggested to me. Got a ton of licking and chewing from this. Then played with some transitions on the circling game, really focusing on his downward transitions. Did a little stick to me at liberty before heading back down to the barn. Gave him the “spa” treatment and then turned him back out. I think he was very appreciative of the attention.

Mocachee

Brushed this boy up then saddled him. Online play was a bit interesting as Randy was doing so mowing with his little lawn mower and Mocach wasn’t too sure about that. But, we just played through it and by the time I got on he was back to his normal self. Played with some transitions freestyle and then played with some finesse transitions like we did on Saturday. Much, much, much better. I solved a few puzzles from Saturday (mainly my shoulders) and then discovered some new ones. I watched some DVDs, read some of my notes from the “Finesse Week” at the center and I have some ideas for next time we play with that, in about a week or so.

[Recap of today]

Loni came out and I got trim my horse’s feet today! I watched her do Lucy and I think next time I’m going to give doing Lucy’s a go. Despite some sore muscles it was actually really fun. Mocachee gave me a hard time about his front feet (and I wasn’t very proficient or relaxed doing his front feet) but he was great about his back feet. Just some more little holes in our farrier prep to play with. I also swung up on his back without a mounting block for the first time today. We’ve been practicing for a while now and I haven’t quite gotten it until today. It rained/stormed all afternoo so I ended up hanging out in the barn with him. Which was good, we haven’t done that in a while. Start barn sitting (and classes) tomorrow so hopefully some extra pony time if I’m not swamped with homework.

Now baby I believe this is real . . .

Uh, yeah. Long time no blog. My apologies. Filming is going to have to wait for the fall due to an uncharacteristically HOT and HUMID summer. It’s just now finally starting to cool off. I spent a week in San Fransisco, CA last week and missed the ponies terribly, lol.

Lucy

It’s getting there. Really learning the value of patterns with this girl and adjusting to fit the situation. Also spending a lot of time trying to get her online softer and lighter. I mean, a lot of time. She’s still a challenge, but I really am learning a lot from her. She’s not “easy” like Mocachee, she really tests me. The drive part of the yo-yo game has gotten so much better. The draw part still needs some more savvy but I have seen some improvement. She was a little “wild and woolly” after a week off but I just did my own pattern interrupt and we played through it. We’ve been playing with Loni’s “fast sideways/touch it” pattern and this afternoon I felt like she started to “get it”. She also offered nice walk/trot/canter laps on the circle today. Breaking the transitions down is helping. Figuring out how to break everything down so it’s understandable has been a good lesson.

Mocachee

Thank goodness I have this boy. Despite causing  some innocent trouble while I was away (discovering how to open the barn doors and opening his stall door . . .I guess he missed me? Lol) I still think he’s the best. I got some great shimming advice from Fran a few weeks ago and we are dry spot free and he’s overall so much more round. Juliana played with him/rode him while I was away so he got some exercise and stimulation for his LBI mind. We had a great Freestyle ride Thursday night after I got back. Got an exercise from Loni last time she was out with getting a partial disengagement at the walk and trot with two sticks. The walk is getting really good, the trot is still iffy. But we’re just going to keep playing with it. Also been playing with really refining our indirect/direct rein and back up with two sticks. That’s been going really well. He’s actually putting effort into backing up when I use my legs/sticks. Also been playing with some jumping with him and as long as we don’t “over do it” he really seems to enjoy himself. Friday evening I started his “Back up by the Tail” pattern. It’s one of our weak spots that I want to improve. Had time for a little online/liberty play. Played with transitions on the circle and started throwing in walk/canter transitions. That and playing with soft canter laps went really well. His change of direction is getting really nice too, he’s really starting to get consistent with keeping the belly of the rope on the ground during that and I can generally be all the way at the end of the 22. He was drawing to me at a trot/canter online so we did some “Stick to Me” at liberty in the paddock and I got him to draw to me at a canter! He came in with snotty ears initially but then changed them once he got closer to me. This morning I got a trot from a good couple feet away with ears forward. Played with backing by the tail again today (much better), transitions and getting him o draw to me and jump the double barrels online. Played with a little bit freestyle then a little bit of finesse and came across a brace of mine I have in my shoulders when I pick up contact. Played with getting my own brace out his afternoon and that really seemed to help him. Pretty excited about where things are going with this boy. He’s trying super hard for me and I can’t wait to play with some filming once it gets cooler.

School starts soon and I’m taking a full time load, so that’s going to cut into pony time but I’m excited for cooler weather.

Pictures were taken by Lauren Thursday night

This right here made my evening. And it was caught on camera. <3 this horse.