What a change!

I can't believe the change is Twosox!! Today when I played with him he was so much more confident. On the circle he was connected and wasn't looking out or away. At first I just asked him to walk then when that was going well and he could do that I would ask him to trot every time he got a a barrel [there were two]. At first he would only trot a couple steps then break gait but after a while he relaxed and then he started trotting longer and longer. At the end he trotted from one barrel to the other. I then brought him in and gave him a rest. It was so nice to see him confident and not bracing!!!

After a rest I backed him out and we went the other way. He was having a little bit more trouble so I switched to a driving game.... in a circle like Mr. Parelli showed in the Level 3 Online DVD. That really really helped Twosox. If he broke gait I would let him walk for a couple steps then ask him to trot again. We got two laps at a trot!!!! It was AMAZING!!!!!!!! Twosox was really confident and was trying so hard!!!!!! We took a long rest while my mom did Figure eights with Knightly then we did some Stick to me at the walk/ trot/ and back up. Twosox was so in tune with me and did exactly what I did!!!

Then we did Figure eights. Again Twosox blow me away!!! He did an almost perfect Figure eight right off the start!! He would look away just a tiny little bit when he was coming towards me so we just kept it up until it was a non issue. Then I asked him to trot.... just a little. Twosox offered to trot way more then I would have ever expected!! He trotted over 3/4 of the Figure eight pattern!!! After about 2 figure eights I brought him in!! I was so proud of Twosox!! We much have done something right last play time!!!!

After a long rest I let Twosox got. Twosox stayed right with me though so we played at Liberty a little bit. We did some Stick to me first then I asked Twosox to jump the barrels. He jumped right over them and then turned and faced me. Our draw is SO much better!! All I have to do is take a couple steps backwards and Twosox will come right to me. Then when I was about 20ft away from the pedestal I sent Twosox to it. At first he walked up to it, put one foot on it and then looked back at me like "Is this what you wanted Keri?" then he climbed up with his front two feet. I walked up to him and stood on the pedestal with him. He was perfectly content standing there. Then I started swinging my carrot stick and savvy string around etc. Twosox just stood there quietly. Twosox was amazing!!

When I opened the gate to let Twosox out he just stood there then I had to sent him out because my mom wasn't done with Knightly. He slowly left and then moseyed down the hill into the corral.

I can't believe how well Twosox did!!! It was so much fun!!!

Next time should be fun!!
~Keri