Saturday, March 13, 2010

Ruffian: Transitions, Liberty, and more!

March 11 2010

This play time started out really special, when I got to the corral Prince came over to see me. I rubbed him for a while then went to see Ruffian. He was eating so I waited for a while then I haltered him. Since I have found that if I put to  much pressure on Ruffy to soon he will get worried I decided to get him continue eating for a while after I haltered him. Prince had followed me over to the manger so I rubbed him and then I climbed up on the edge of the manger and asked Prince to come sideways towards me. He did but wasn't totally sure if that was what I wanted him to do. So I helped him figure it out. Once he was beside me I started leaning on him, rubbing him etc. He was fine with that so I put but leg on him and and the since he was fine with that I climbed on him. Prince stood there and was perfectly fine with me sitting on him. I put my savvy string around his neck and then I just sat there, rubbing Prince and hold in Ruffian lead rope. After we had stood there a while I asked Ruffy to come over to the other side of Prince. I was really proud of Prince and how well he did even when the lead rope was hitting him and when Ruffy was all over the place. Finally Ruffy got where I wanted him and then we did some yo-yo's. I wanted to see how Prince was with Ruffy being really close to him. Prince was fine. So then I asked Prince to back up a little bit so I could do some other things with Ruffy. Prince responded so well and was very light I was hardly putting any pressure on with the savvy string. It was so neat! Then we went over to the other side of the corral. Ruffy was lagging behind a little bit but that didn't seem to bother Prince. So we walked over to the pedestal and I asked Ruffy to get on one. Ruffy got up but was a little bit unsure so he got off. No problem. We walked a little bit farther way so he would have some more room and so it wouldn't be as much of a squeeze. We were facing the wrong way though so I asked Prince to turn.... and we pivoted over half a circle with just my focus and a little bit of pressure with my leg!!!! It was sooooooo cool!! Then I sent Ruffy over to the pedestal. He was okay with it this time and stood up on the bigger one for a while. Then I brought him to me and rubbed him for a while. Prince did really well in knowing when I was asking something of him and when I wasn't, which was really wonderful! Then we walked over to the other side of the corral and I got off. I was really proud of both Prince and Ruffy! It was a lot of fun too! I can't wait till we can do it again! 

Ruffian and I then went up to the riding ring to play. It was really slippery in some parts but in others it wasn't as bad. We did some traveling circles, transitions, some really cool canter to walk and then back to the canter again transitions, change of directions, sideways, leading by the tail, Touch it and some other things. Ruffy did really well the whole time. One time he slipped and fell but he seemed to be okay. 
After we had finished playing Online we played at Liberty for a little bit. I was really proud of how well Ruffian did. Normally he doesn't stay with me at Liberty but today he did really well. We did some Stick to me, Touch it, sideways, and some yo-yo's. It was really cool! I made sure to end before he got bored and decided to leave ;) 

So.... it was incredible play time from tart to finish!

Naturally,
~Keri

 

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