Prince: Figure eights, mounting by the neck, and more!

March 3 2010 

 I had an absolutely incredible play time with Prince yesterday. We started out by playing a little bit in the corral. Since it was really muddy I put my savvy string on the halter. Then we did some close range circles. Prince is getting really good at those! He kept the slack in the line the whole time! Soon we will try them at Liberty! After that we did some sideways and other things. I wanted to try mounting by the neck so we did that next. After a couple tries we got it. It wasn't perfect but not bad, after that we rode around did some direct and indirect rein, backing up with one rein, sideways etc. Then I got off and we went up to the riding ring. 

I had a feeling that Prince would have a little bit of energy so I sent him out on a circle. He took off, bucked, and did a little leap. It was funny! We did a couple circles at the canter then since the barrels were placed just perfectly we change into a Figure eight... AT THE CANTER! Prince cantered 95% of it! It was SO cool! Plus he was snappy! When he was coming around the barrels he listened really well and was lighting quick!  It was really fun! I decided not to do any more major circles after that because I didn't need to play with our maintaining gait or change of directions. So then we went and I grabbed a barrel and put it by the fence. I want to get Prince jumping a single barrel more solid. So after he jumped it a couple times I asked him to straddle it. Well Prince knew exactly what to do. He is such a smart pony! 

We then went and did some leading by the rail, Stick to me w/t/c and some other things. Then I had a crazy idea to see if Prince would jump a single barrel... standing up. I tried in a couple different places along the fence. The first try he trotted up to he and jumped it but knocked it over. No problem at least he tried! I moved the barrel one last time to a part of the fence where it is a little straighter and this time Prince cantered up to it and jumped right over it! Whoohoo! He knocked it over with his back feet but I am really proud of him to try! 

After that I wanted to try mounting by the neck again. I wasn't quite happy with the one we did in the corral. This time it went much better. We would have had it on the first couple tries but I didn't jump high enough. After a couple tries we got it. I am not sure if I will be able to do it much in the summer because Prince's mane is to thick and it causes to much friction. I might have to find another creative way to mount! I wasn't planning on doing anything once I was on Prince... considering the gate was open... but after about 5-10 minutes I decided to do a little bit of stuff. It was to slippery to trot a lot... unfortunately :( I could feel Prince slipping so we just did some small stuff. I decided to refine our indirect rein to direct rein/pivot on the hind quarters. At first I had to separate it a little bit but by the end Prince was doing it perfectly! He would do a beautiful indirect rein while pivoting on his one front foot and then I would change of body positions just a little bit and then Prince would pivot a FULL circle on his hindquarters!!! I was shocked at how well he did it and how much effort he put into doing it! One side was harder so we will have to play with that side more but I still couldn't believe it! I was hardly doing anything, everything was very subtle and Prince was responding so lightly and he put a little bit of speed into that pivot! I was so proud of Prince!! 

We ended there. It was an amazing play time and ride! It will be nice once the snow is gone and it isn't so slippery so that we can ride more! 

Naturally,

~Keri