Oct 20 2009
Little bit of a height and with difference eh?? hehe In Prince's defense he was standing on a little bit of a downhill ;)
Okay so we took Prince and Knightly out to our friends farm again. The weather was perfect, not to warm but not to cold. It took us 20 minutes from the time the trailer pulled in the driveway till the time we were pulling out. Much quicker than last time!! :) I played with Prince a little bit around the trailer. Just for fun. I asked him to back into it. He did it perfectly!!! I just kept feeding the rope out and he kept backing up until he was all the way into the trailer!!! It was fun!! Then one time I sent Prince in and then backed him all the way out by the tail. When we got to there we unloaded the horses. They did really well. Both had a little bit of trouble backing out straight but it wasn't to bad. So I just asked the horses to back up a little bit farther then just off the ramp.
Prince and I then went into the arena and I saddled him up. He stood perfectly quite while I did everything. Then we played in the arena for a couple minutes. After the saddle was tight enough so that it wouldn't slide around Prince and I went out into the field and did some circle game. Prince trotted 6 circles with relaxation, rhythm and connection. It was so cool!!! Then we went into the arena and did some sideways, jumping, and figure eight. We also did some circles at the canter. Prince cantered 4 laps really nicely!! Plus he had to jump the log every time!!!
Then I sat on the big log and asked Prince to go sideways away from me over the other log then come back doing sideways towards me. He did SO well! I was really proud of Prince. Normally Prince had a hard time coming sideways towards me when I am farther away, he wasn't sure what I wanted. But this time was perfect!!! It was so cool!
After that we went over to the line of barrels, they were set up for a weave so we did some Weaving at the walk and trot. Prince did really well at that. He was really in tune with too!! Then I got an idea of asking Prince to jump a single barrel then walk or trot to the next barrel and jump that one. At first Prince wouldn just jump the one barrel and go around the second one so we kept playing with it. Then after a couple minutes Prince did it!!!!!!!! It was SO cool to see him change and really try to figure it out!!! It was really beautiful too!! Prince jumped right over the first one, trotted to the next barrel and jumped right over it too!!! Then he turned and looked at me and asked a beautiful question!!! He got a big rest for that!! Prince had a really big lick and chew also!!
Before I got on and rode we set up the Question Box pattern. Prince stayed with me the whole time even though I wasn't holding him. He is such a sweet horse!!! Even when we had to put the rope over him, under him etc he just stood there until we were done!! :) My horse is so cool!!!
Then I got on and rode. I put my savvy string on my halter and rode around like that for a bit. It was really fun!! One thing that it showed me was that I had to be lighter with Prince!! Every time I picked up my savvy string to direct Prince I was reminded to be as light as possible. Prince did so well!!! We did Direct rein, refined direct rein, transitions, sideways, pivoting and lots more!! It was SO cool!!!! It also helped because Prince and I did a lot of standing around [I was helping my mom with something] so it helped Prince realize that as soon as we get into a big space it doesn't mean that we have to trot ;). When I did ask Prince to trot though he was really soft and responded at a phase 1!!!!! It was a beautiful transition!!
After a while I switched to my hackamore. The reins were so big!!! I wouldn't have loved to just stay with my savvy string and halter but I needed the two reins. Next time I am thinking about taking my red savvy string and attaching that to my halter as well so that I can have to reins but they won't be as heavy! Should be fun!!
Once I had my hackamore on we did some more walk/trot transitions, Follow the rail, and the Question box!!! We also did some carrot stick riding At first our Question Box awful!! Prince wasn't staying on the circle, he was heavy on the reins etc. So I got off and fixed our Porcupine game on the ground then got back up and it was much better. It was funny though because at one point when we were on the circle I trying to figure out why Prince kept walking right over the tire [one of the markers for the circle] then all of a sudden it hit me and I felt rather stupid..... it was because I WAS LOOKING AT THE TIRE!!!!!!!!!!!! Hehe no wonder ;) So once I stopped looking at the tire and made sure I looking where I wanted to go, everything go a lot better!!! I even felt confident enough to start the trot!! At first Prince was a little off on the circle but pretty soon we were trotting the circle with 2 or less corrections!!!! Since that was going really well we then went to the other side of the Question Box. Prince was really really good and that went really well. He got a long rest in the box then we went and did some point to point at the trot. Prince was great!!!! I made sure to keep my focus and everything was fine!!! We trotted the whole length of the arena, took a rest then trotted all the way back down again!!!! It was wonderful!!!!
After I got off I let Prince eat some grass out side of the arena. Then Prince and I went back to the trailer to grab the video camera for my mom. I wanted to ride Prince back but I had loosened my saddle already so I didn't but on the way back since I had taken my saddle off I hopped on Prince bareback and we rode on the outside of the arena all the way back down to my mom. When we got closer to them I asked Prince to trot and we trotted the rest of the way!!!!!!! I was SO happy!!! When we were riding down to the others it suddenly hit me that I was riding Prince bareback in a wide open space!! I mean just less then a year ago Prince wouldn't even let me get on him bareback let alone ride him [or even trot!!]. It was so cool!!! Prince is so amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love him SO much!!!!
While my mom filmed our friend [she did her Level 3 Online Audition] I held both Prince and Knightly while they ate. They both did really well. Every once and a while Prince would come over to me and eat really close to me, sniff me out then slow eat his way over to Knightly. It was really fun!! I am so blessed!!! Then all three of us [Prince, Knightly and myself] trotted all the way from where we were to the others. Prince stayed right with me and Knightly was a little farther behind but not to much. It was a lot of fun running with both horses!!
After lunch we went back out and I played with Prince at Liberty, both in the big arena and in the round corral. When we were playing on the arena we did Stick to me, Touch it, Sideways towards and away, leading by the tail, jumping, draw at the trot, rolling the ball, and also sideways over a log with me about 10ft away and with no carrot stick!!!!!
While we were in the round corral we played with our circles. The last time we did Liberty in a round corral both out Transitions and Change of directions were awful, this time just our Change of directions were :) It was really encouraging though because now I know what we need to play with!!! I could NOT believe how in tune Prince was with me though!!! We did all sorts of transitions and all of them were at a phase 2 or less!!!! It was incredible!!!!
On our way back to the trailer we were still at Liberty and so I started running across the arena and Prince pretty much stuck with me!!! He got a little bit behind but not to much. It was so much fun!!!! I was running really fast and Prince was just trotting along. It much have been a funny picture ;)
The horses loaded up quickly. I think it was something like 5 minutes and they were both in and ready to go. Knightly didn't want to leave. He kept dogging out and eating again. What a funny horse!! When we got home we unloaded the horses and then I saw my dad come walking down the road. So Prince and I went to meet him. Then we walked back with him. After that we just stood on the driveway talking with our friend before she left. I put the rope over Prince's back and just stood there with him. He just stood ther happily and didn't try to leave even though there was grass near by. It was really neat.
It was a WONDERFUL day from beginning to end. I hope we can do it again soon!!!!
We didn't get to many pictures.... we were to busy playing :) But I got a couple of the horses in the trailer....
That is all for now!!
~K
After that we went over to the line of barrels, they were set up for a weave so we did some Weaving at the walk and trot. Prince did really well at that. He was really in tune with too!! Then I got an idea of asking Prince to jump a single barrel then walk or trot to the next barrel and jump that one. At first Prince wouldn just jump the one barrel and go around the second one so we kept playing with it. Then after a couple minutes Prince did it!!!!!!!! It was SO cool to see him change and really try to figure it out!!! It was really beautiful too!! Prince jumped right over the first one, trotted to the next barrel and jumped right over it too!!! Then he turned and looked at me and asked a beautiful question!!! He got a big rest for that!! Prince had a really big lick and chew also!!
Before I got on and rode we set up the Question Box pattern. Prince stayed with me the whole time even though I wasn't holding him. He is such a sweet horse!!! Even when we had to put the rope over him, under him etc he just stood there until we were done!! :) My horse is so cool!!!
Then I got on and rode. I put my savvy string on my halter and rode around like that for a bit. It was really fun!! One thing that it showed me was that I had to be lighter with Prince!! Every time I picked up my savvy string to direct Prince I was reminded to be as light as possible. Prince did so well!!! We did Direct rein, refined direct rein, transitions, sideways, pivoting and lots more!! It was SO cool!!!! It also helped because Prince and I did a lot of standing around [I was helping my mom with something] so it helped Prince realize that as soon as we get into a big space it doesn't mean that we have to trot ;). When I did ask Prince to trot though he was really soft and responded at a phase 1!!!!! It was a beautiful transition!!
After a while I switched to my hackamore. The reins were so big!!! I wouldn't have loved to just stay with my savvy string and halter but I needed the two reins. Next time I am thinking about taking my red savvy string and attaching that to my halter as well so that I can have to reins but they won't be as heavy! Should be fun!!
Once I had my hackamore on we did some more walk/trot transitions, Follow the rail, and the Question box!!! We also did some carrot stick riding At first our Question Box awful!! Prince wasn't staying on the circle, he was heavy on the reins etc. So I got off and fixed our Porcupine game on the ground then got back up and it was much better. It was funny though because at one point when we were on the circle I trying to figure out why Prince kept walking right over the tire [one of the markers for the circle] then all of a sudden it hit me and I felt rather stupid..... it was because I WAS LOOKING AT THE TIRE!!!!!!!!!!!! Hehe no wonder ;) So once I stopped looking at the tire and made sure I looking where I wanted to go, everything go a lot better!!! I even felt confident enough to start the trot!! At first Prince was a little off on the circle but pretty soon we were trotting the circle with 2 or less corrections!!!! Since that was going really well we then went to the other side of the Question Box. Prince was really really good and that went really well. He got a long rest in the box then we went and did some point to point at the trot. Prince was great!!!! I made sure to keep my focus and everything was fine!!! We trotted the whole length of the arena, took a rest then trotted all the way back down again!!!! It was wonderful!!!!
After I got off I let Prince eat some grass out side of the arena. Then Prince and I went back to the trailer to grab the video camera for my mom. I wanted to ride Prince back but I had loosened my saddle already so I didn't but on the way back since I had taken my saddle off I hopped on Prince bareback and we rode on the outside of the arena all the way back down to my mom. When we got closer to them I asked Prince to trot and we trotted the rest of the way!!!!!!! I was SO happy!!! When we were riding down to the others it suddenly hit me that I was riding Prince bareback in a wide open space!! I mean just less then a year ago Prince wouldn't even let me get on him bareback let alone ride him [or even trot!!]. It was so cool!!! Prince is so amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love him SO much!!!!
While my mom filmed our friend [she did her Level 3 Online Audition] I held both Prince and Knightly while they ate. They both did really well. Every once and a while Prince would come over to me and eat really close to me, sniff me out then slow eat his way over to Knightly. It was really fun!! I am so blessed!!! Then all three of us [Prince, Knightly and myself] trotted all the way from where we were to the others. Prince stayed right with me and Knightly was a little farther behind but not to much. It was a lot of fun running with both horses!!
After lunch we went back out and I played with Prince at Liberty, both in the big arena and in the round corral. When we were playing on the arena we did Stick to me, Touch it, Sideways towards and away, leading by the tail, jumping, draw at the trot, rolling the ball, and also sideways over a log with me about 10ft away and with no carrot stick!!!!!
While we were in the round corral we played with our circles. The last time we did Liberty in a round corral both out Transitions and Change of directions were awful, this time just our Change of directions were :) It was really encouraging though because now I know what we need to play with!!! I could NOT believe how in tune Prince was with me though!!! We did all sorts of transitions and all of them were at a phase 2 or less!!!! It was incredible!!!!
On our way back to the trailer we were still at Liberty and so I started running across the arena and Prince pretty much stuck with me!!! He got a little bit behind but not to much. It was so much fun!!!! I was running really fast and Prince was just trotting along. It much have been a funny picture ;)
The horses loaded up quickly. I think it was something like 5 minutes and they were both in and ready to go. Knightly didn't want to leave. He kept dogging out and eating again. What a funny horse!! When we got home we unloaded the horses and then I saw my dad come walking down the road. So Prince and I went to meet him. Then we walked back with him. After that we just stood on the driveway talking with our friend before she left. I put the rope over Prince's back and just stood there with him. He just stood ther happily and didn't try to leave even though there was grass near by. It was really neat.
It was a WONDERFUL day from beginning to end. I hope we can do it again soon!!!!
We didn't get to many pictures.... we were to busy playing :) But I got a couple of the horses in the trailer....
The boys waiting to be unloaded....
Prince loves this door!!! He can be as snoopy as he wants but doesn't have to move! ;)
Can't forget Knightly!! Trailering LBI's is so easy!! hehe
That is all for now!!
~K
Cool! It sounds like you guys are having tons of fun. Thank you for making me realize something--I need to be a lot lighter with my horse. After reading you blog, it hit me with what I need to do with Brizzee---BE LIGHT! Dummy. And I always look at something that I don't want Brizzee to go...hehe. Usually I glance at the grass like, oh, I hope she doesn't go there, and guess what? That's exactly where she goes. lol. Thank you for making me realize that. Congratulations on a wonderful play session!! I'm sure you'll have many more :-)
ReplyDeleteYAY! You must have had a wonderful time!! =-D
ReplyDeleteKnightly and Prince are so cute, you have a wonderful relationship with Prince, I love reading your posts.
Love you!
~Lea
Randa: I am so glad that enjoyed my post!! :) Have fun with being light and focus!!
ReplyDeleteLea: Yes, it was a wonderful time!!!! Thanks Lea!! You are so encouraging!!
Love you too!
~K