Not MORE bugs :(

Well my sister and I went out this morning and went to the turn around. We got about 30ft out of the corral gate, just past where we would normally turn off to go up to the riding ring, and the bugs started swarming us. Mostly deer flies and mosquitoes but we pressed on. It got a little better when we got to the turn around but not much. We continued playing. It did help in a small way because the horses didn't want to stand still so we got come nice circles, sideways etc. But in the long run I would rather have to motivate a slow horse the deal with all the bugs.

Prince was a lot more responsive today. We did some nice simple change of directions at the trot, falling leaf, sideways really fast at a walk with out a fence, and transitions. We did a traveling circle game, Prince went up and down hills, around stumps etc. He really had to watch where he was going. Then I asked Prince to jump the pile of logs that was stacked in the turn around [we stacked them there for the horses to jump] Prince leaped right over it and turned, faced and waited. I wanted to see how light Prince was so I left my hand open and he turned and faced me and I didn't even have to use the rope.

Prince and I also played with straddling things. We did the smaller logs to start with then we went to the bigger logs. Prince is really getting the hang of it!!!!!

I need to help my sister with something, so I just dropped the rope on the ground, I figured that Prince would just stand there nicely. Well he didn't he decided that the bugs were to bad to just stand around and left..... he went all the way back to the corral. Oh boy! So back I went. After I had caught him again we went back to the turn around.

The bugs had gotten worse [if that was really possible I am not sure but I think they some how managed to get worse] so we didn't play to much longer. We did some circles at the canter. It was a little slippery but not to bad. So Prince was okay cantering around. I asked him for a flying lead change and he did it!!!! Hooray!!! I know he can do it but sometimes [depending on what which way he is circling] he won't do it. But this time he did. It was PERFECT!!! Some day I will get a good one on video!!!

I asked Prince to jump the logs one more time. This time he hesitated just a little right as he was going over the jump and I if I had a asked him to it probably would have stopped right over it. But I wasn't prepared so I didn't. It was still really neat to see him offer to straddle the log.

Prince and I ended there. I decided to take Prince home instead of letting him go in the turn around. We ran most of the way home... well okay I ran, Prince trotted. But he was trotting fast so I think that counts as running right? ;)

Now it is raining.... again..... I don't mind the rain though. As long as I can still play with the horses ;)

~K