Refinement

So today Prince and I worked on refining our play and riding. It was a huge success. We started by playing in the turn around. Since it was cold outside they horses weren't in so my mom and I went to find them. When we go to the turn around we called them and they came. It was SO nice not to have to walk through the wet bushes to go get them!!

Prince came right up to me and stayed with me while I caught him. Then we went and did come stick to me, long distance yo-yo and sideways games, Then Prince really wanted to move his feet so we did some traveling circles at the trot and canter. Plus every once and a while I would ask Prince to do a transition downwards just to keep him mind of me. He did SO well. Our last play time really paid off!!! Then every once and a while I asked Prince to change direction. Those were really good too.

After that I asked Prince to put his two in front feet in one hula hoop and his back feet in another one. At first Prince didn't know what I wanted and he was moving around a lot but then he figured it out. It was fun!! We then did sideways over a log. Prince did really well while it was only one log but then part way across when the two logs over lapped he wasn't sure what to do. So we played with that till he could go sideways over them both.

When we were done that we worked on our circles. Prince wasn't paying any attention to me and just running around. So we did LOTS of transitions. Those really worked and he started softening and slowing down in what ever gait I asked him to move at. We did some really cool canter to walk transitions, canter departures and lots more!! Our change of directions are getting there. They aren't perfect but at least Prince isn't running off when I ask him to change direction. One thing that I noticed was that I need to do lots of transitions and make sure Prince is paying attention to me and then I can do some change of directions. Interesting.

Then we went back to the corral. I saddled Prince up and we went up to the riding ring. On our way back to the corral we played stick to me. At first Prince wasn't in tune with me but by the time we got home he was in harmony with me and mirroring me. It was so cool!!! When we were up in the riding ring we did figure 8's, Touch it and then just to make sure Prince didn't have any buck in him I asked him into the canter. He bucked at first but then after the first couple stride of canter he stopped bucking and was fine. Our transitions were even better then they were in the turn around. He was AMAZING!!! We got a flying lead change too!!!

Then I got up and rode Prince. All I wanted to do was work on some small stuff and refine our riding. Normally all Prince wants to do is trot, trot, trot but today he was in tune with me and listened SO well. We only did a little bit of trotting but most of it was just walking. For almost all the ride I just used my savvy string and carrot stick. I had my hackamore on as a safety net but I didn't need. We did sideways, some trotting, direct rein, backing up, point to point, carried and dragged a bucket, and lots more all with just the savvy string and carrot stick!!! I was SO proud of Prince. Near the end we did some figure 8's. I switched to holding my reins just in case I needed them but I didn't Prince listened to my body and carrot stick so well. We did some REALLY, REALLY nice figure 8's. They were AMAZING!!!!

I put my vest on a fence post before I started riding and also tied my 22ft line to a bucket. So when we were riding I rode over to my vest and put it on then took it off. I also rubbed Prince with it. He did really well. We have to work on dragging the bucket. He did pretty good but got kind of worried about it following him. That is okay though. We were able to carry it and he was fine with that. Prince was so in tune with me that near the end of our ride if I wanted him to turn he would turn with just me using my body. Plus when I would ask him to stop all I need to do was relax and he would stop right then and there. It was so cool!!!

To end our ride we did some sideways both way but I used my reins because Prince was drifting forward quite a bit. He did really well but I just needed to ask him to move his hind quarters a little bit more because they were lagging a little. After that he did sideways beautifully!!!

It wasn't a super long ride but it was VERY fun!!! and we got a lot accomplished!!

~K