Advancing our Online and Liberty

October 28 2009

Prince and I had the most amazing play time together today. It was SO much fun!!!! We didn't ride but we played Online and at Liberty. Prince offered so much and was trying really hard to do what I was asking.

Before we went up to the riding ring I picked up Prince's feet, all four. His right side was a lot better. So that went quickly but his left side was harder. We played for a bit. On his left hind foot he was pulling so after he relaxed a little bit I put it down. I didn't pick it out though. So after that we went up to the riding ring and played. I had three things I wanted to play with: Leading by the ear, Change of directions [getting then soft, smooth and snappy] and doing more with a flank rope.

All three things went really well and we had a blast while we were doing it. We started out with the flank rope. We did some circles and transitions. Prince did REALLY REALLY well. We didn't do any cantering because I was only ont he 12ft line but we did walk, trot, halt, back up, sideways and some point to point. For the most part Prince responded to just the flank rope but a couple times I had to reinforce with the lead rope, no problem considering it was only our second time playing with it!!!

After that we did some leading by the ear. Prince was incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The first time you could tell he was trying to figure out what the pressure meant but just couldn't figure it out so I helped him a little bit with the lead rope. The next time he knew exactly what to do and we walked half way across the riding ring doing turns, stopping and back up. I was so proud of Prince!!

Then I took the lead rope off and we played at Liberty. We did A LOT of things from 40ft away. One time I stood at the fence and sent Prince from zone 5 to the pedestal that was about 35ft away!!!!! It was SO cool!!! Then I sent Prince to a barrel and asked him to check it out. At first he was connected to me but wasn't sure what I wanted him to do but pretty soon he started asking questions and trying everything!!! We did sideways [from 40ft away] to the barrel, over it, around it and then Prince put his foot on the barrel and just left it there, while he was looking at me like "Is that what you wanted??" It was so cute!! Just before we went back Online I asked Prince to pick on his left back foot [the one that we were having trouble with earlier]. Prince picked it up and gave it to me then let me hold it, pick it out and then put it down. He didn't even try pulling back once!!! It was so nice!!

After a rest we went back Online and did some circles. We did don't break gait at the canter. At first Prince kept breaking gait [we haven't done that in a while] but after a little bit he started putting some effort into not breaking gait. After that we played with our change of directions. At first they were kind of sloppy but we kept with it until we got three or four really nice ones then we stopped. Prince had a really good lick and chew over that!!! 

I then let Prince go. Prince followed me over to the fence. I was picking everything up so Prince moseyed away. He was at the other side of the riding ring when I was ready to go so I called him and he came TROTTING all the way over to me!!!!!!!!!! It was so cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love my horse!!!! It was really funny because I was just untieing the gate to let Prince out and he turned around and trotted off!! Then when he get to the other side of the riding ring he turns and looks at me. I wasn't sure exactly what it meant but I went along with it and so we played the catching game.... which wasn't really a catching game because Prince came to be as soon as I asked him too. Once he was with me we walked over to the gate again.... and again Prince took off running but this time added a little buck in there. It was so funny!!! This time I decided we would played alittle bit so when I got him back we didn't go over to the gate but I asked Prince to stand on the pedestal, come sideways to me, and some other stuff. Then we walked back over to the gate, this time I lead Prince by the chin so that he wouldn't leave. Then I opened the gate and Prince looked at me like "Are you sure?" Then he slowly walked out the gate.

It was so much fun!!! It was a wonderful play time to get me back into the swing of things. We have been cleaning out our corral because it freezes so we haven't had a lot of time to play. I couldn't believe how much fun we both had!!! I was totally happy to go back and join the others in the corral after that :)

~K