December 31 2009
Today Prince and I had an amazing play time. We started with played with the ball a little. Prince did really well and pushed it around. Then I bounced it all over him, I stood in zone 5 and bounced it on him and behind him. He was fine.
Then we went up to the riding ring. Prince had SO much energy!!! It was a lot of fun to play with. We did some traveling circles then we played with maintain gait on the circle at the canter. Prince cantered 3 circles with me in total neutral. We then played with our transitions and change of directions. Prince was really in tune with me. Our change of directions were a million times better!!! We did some really fun transitions... canter to walk then back to the canter again. Prince was amazing!!
After that I decided to play around with mounting by the neck. Prince did really well with me bouncing while he head was low and then jumping up but then once I was up there he had no idea what to do. So it took a while to help him figure out not to turn his head away. Then I decided to try putting him closer to the fence that way he would have a natural barrier there so he wouldn't turn his head. That helped a lot. The first coulpe onces were messy... it didn't help that Prince's mane is so thick that I couldn't slide down. Oh well. After about 3 successful mountings. They started getting a lot smoother!!! It was a lot of fun!!! Each time that we got a successful mount I would stay on Prince but give him a really long rest then get off. One time I wanted to ride over to my coat so I, with out picked up my reins, turned my eyes, belly botton and then just put a tiny little bit of pressure on with my outside leg, as soon as Prince felt my leg he turned his head, and then turned in the direction I was asking. It was amazing!! We then walked over to the fence and I relaxed and Prince stopped. It was really cool!!! Then I got off. Prince is getting really light and responsive!!
After we were finished playing with mounting by the neck my mom and I played with both horses together. We started with the circle game.... but first we had to get keep Knightly on his own side... :) I was standing behind mom and had just backed Prince up then Knightly decided that he wanted to take off so I started swinging my carrot stick so that he would stop... then he tried going the other way... so I switched sides and did the same thing... well the look on his face was PRICELESS!!!! He just stood there mooping... and Prince just stood there like “What happened??” So then we were off on the circle... well it was supposed to be the circle game but you know..... with two LBI thinks don't always go perfectly ;) hehe It was a lot of fun though. Prince took off on the circle at a canter and Knightly... well he didn't quite see the purpose in circling around with Prince. Then (poor Prince) Prince's rope got caught under Knightly's tail... and.... so.... yeah. It was funny!!! Once we got everything sorted out we started again. This time things went WAY better. Prince and Knightly decided to stay a little bit farther apart and that seemed to work really well. Once we got a couple nice circles we both started walking over to the barrels. Prince jumped it first then Knightly. They are so handsome!!! Our two jumping boys!!!
Then we brought them in. They were so cute looking at us!! Then we each sent our LBI over to the pedestal. Prince got on first but he was trying to be greedy and stood right in the middle so I moved him over then mom sent Knightly up. It was a perfect match! Prince is wide and Knightly is thin!! Just right!!
After that we took the halters off and played at Liberty a little. Our goal was to get the horses to go around the outside of the arena and then I would ask him to come to me and keep Knightly going then Mom would ask him to come to her. That was the goal.... but first we had to fix the “go around the outside of the arena” part first. Some how the horses missed that part!! hehe Plus the part about not changing direction!! After a little bit we got it going right. Prince stopped chasing Knightly and Knightly stopped trying to stop and go the other way. Acouple times they jumped the barrels too!! All part of there responsibillity to watch where they are going right? :)
Once everything was going smoothly and we got a couple good laps around the riding ring. I disengaged Prince. As soon as he saw me bend over just a little bit he came right into me. It was so cool!!!! Last time mom and I played with both horses at the same time Prince was to busy having fun chaising Knightly to listen to me. But this time he was paying attention!! Knightly stopped and looked at me when I asked Prince in so I sent him on and he went right to my mom when she asked him to come!! It was SO much fun played together!!
It was a perfect end to 2009!!!
~Keri
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