Twosox: Figure eights, and advancing our riding.

This afternoon I played with Twosox. We had a lot  of fun! It was so beautiful outside. It felt so much like spring! The sun was shining, it was warm and well just perfect!

We played up in the riding ring. We did Touch it, Stick to me, circles, transitions (w/t/c Twosox is starting to canter more and more now! It is so exciting!) Our change of directions are getting better also. It was fun! After that we did some Figure eights. At first they weren't as good as they were the last time we did them so we kept with it until Twosox offered a couple really nice, relaxed, soft figure eights at the trot. They were really nice!

After that I sat on a barrel and we just chilled out for a while before my mom came out and then I got ready to ride. I totally forgot to bring up my 12ft line so it was a good thing that I always have my savvy string on me so we rode around with just a carrot stick and savvy string. We did a little bit of Follow the rail then some point to point. I was kind of bored and I knew that if I was bored, Twosox probably would be also. So I decided to try some sideways... which is something that I have avoided doing with Twosox since last summer because Twosox had a really hard time with it and it would always end in a struggle just because I didn't know how to teach it very well. I knew I needed to be lighter but it was hard. So today since I only had one rein I had to be lighter and more creative about how I was going to ask Twosox to go sideways. It was really fun actually and Twosox did so well! I couldn't believe it! He figured it out in literally seconds! It was incredible! After that I didn't even need to use my carrot stick. Twosox would just go sideways with just my focus and my leg pressure! I was so proud of Twosox!

The last thing we did was a little bit of trotting. We haven't done that in a long time! Twosox did very well and even though it took a couple minutes for him to actually trot he tried really hard! It was really slippery so we only trotted a little ways down the rail before I asked him to stop. It was really nice though! It was a nice slower trot. Which for Twosox is really good! Right after we stopped Twosox started yawning and licking and chewing. He kept doing it even after I let him go! So that was nice. After I let Twosox out of the riding ring he walked part way down the hill and then turned around and came back! I was surprised! He stayed with me the whole time I was watching my mom and Knightly and then came down with me when I came down. It was really really neat!

I can hardly believe that in less than 1 month I will have had Twosox for 3 years! Wow! Time goes by so quickly!

Naturally,
~Keri