Prince: Change of directions...

April 5 2010

After I played with Twosox I decided to play with Prince. It is raining a little bit but I decided to go a head and play anyways. We basically played with our circles and change of directions the whole time. I am at the point where I just want to get down to the bottom of our change of directions so we did a lot of different things. One thing that I found I wasn't doing was matching Prince's energy... at the walk I was fine but when it got to the trot I didn't have enough energy and it didn't help that today I was having an extra hard time getting my energy up... but once I got it it really seemed to help. I decided that I would do the kind of change of direction that Mr. Parelli showed on the new Level 3 DVD. That really helped. At first they weren't very smooth but at least Prince wasn't running off. After a couple of those they started getting a lot smoother. We then did some traveling circles and maintaining gait at the canter. Prince cantered 4 laps with me standing in neutral so that was really cool! Then we did some transitions and then we ended.

It turned out to be sunny all afternoon so my mom asked me to video tape her and Knightly doing a couple different things. I decided to take Prince up to the riding ring with me so that we could do some undemanding time and just hang out. I took the 22ft line and put it over Prince's neck and then back through the snap. Prince did really well actually and followed the feel really nicely. When we got up to the riding ring Prince and I played a little bit while mom was getting ready. We did Figure eights, Stick to me w/t/c, and some circles! And guess what!?! Prince did three BEAUTIFUL change of directions at the trot!!! They were so smooth and well perfect! It was incredible! After that I just let Prince go in the riding ring. He stayed with me for a lot time and then moseyed off to look for some grass then he came back to me. He did that a couple times but he never stayed away long and he always came back. Then he came and stayed with me and didn't leave again. He fell asleep right beside me while I was video taping mom. It was really, really nice. When I opened the gate Prince didn't leave be he stayed with me for the longest time and then he left. It was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon!

Naturally,
~Keri