Prince: Amazing difference!

June 17 2010

Today's playtime with Prince was soooo different from yesterdays but in the same way it was a lot a like. Prince was lying down when I got out there so I went over and sat on him for a while. Then after a while I got off and then a couple minutes later he got up. I decided to saddle Prince at Liberty and that way if he really didn't want to be with me he would most likely leave. Well he didn't. He stayed with me the whole time and we played at Liberty for a little while too. We even went up to the riding ring at Liberty. Then we played! 

We did Figure eights and Stick to me first. Our figure eights are getting even better. Prince had a little bit of trouble cantering through the middle at first but then he figured it out and they were really nice! Then we did some jumping, sideways over the barrels and some other stuff. Then we did circles. I really had no idea how they were going to go after yesterday. I did how ever have the idea that I would check our close range circles and see if Prince would keep the slack on the ground for those. And he did! I was really impressed! We went to the right first. Guess what!?! Prince gave me 10 circles with the slack on the ground 95% of the time! They were amazing! We didn't do 30 laps because Prince did so well on the first 10 I wanted to reward that. The last circle was perfect. He stayed a little farther our but the belly of the rope was still on the ground and he had rhythm, relaxation and connections! I was so happy!

Going to the left Prince still kept the slack on the ground but he wasn't connected to the circle... in other words, the circle wasn't a circle ;) So I just waited and on the tenth circle Prince offered a really nice circle about 8ft away from me!!! It was amazing. I guess I must have done something right yesterday :) 

Then I got up and rode. I wasn't planning on doing a whole lot. The one thing I did want to do was ride down the hill... but first we did lateral flexions with the carrot stick and with the reins, indirect rein and direct rein, back up with out using my reins and sideways. Nothing really hard. Just some things that we are really refining. Prince had some trouble pivoting to the left but in the end we got it. Before we went down to the corral I decided to do some Follow the rail. Something we haven't done for a while. Prince was incredible! We trotted the two laps each way and I only had to correct Prince once the whole time! The gate was open also so I wasn't sure how Prince would respond to that. The first time we went past I was thinking about the gate but focusing on the fence post and so Prince wasn't sure if he was supposed to go out the gate or keep following the rail. That was my fault though. So the next time we were trotting up to it I made sure to think about following the rail and Prince didn't even think about the gate, just trotted right on by. 

A couple times Prince offered me a beautiful, slow trot. It was amazing! Very comfy! The whole time I didn't use my reins at all and it felt wonderful! Then we went down the hill... on a totally casual rein! I wanted to give Prince the responsibility of not breaking gait or changing direction. He did so well. He walked down the whole way and it was really fun! When we were in the corral we played the catching game with Twosox. At first Twosox wasn't sure because I was riding Prince and all but then he figured it out and turned and faced us. He didn't come over but that was okay. I just rubbed Twosox for a while. It always amazed me how when I am doing something with another horse, while riding Prince, how Prince really becomes a part of me and responds so well! Not that he doesn't respond well when we are riding every other time but he does even better! I am so proud of how far Prince has come! 

Then Prince and I went back up the hill. I wanted to play with getting our departures a little snappier. So we trotted up the hill, which was so much fun! Prince did really well though and we did some nice walk/trot/stop/backup transitions. Prince and I then gave my youngest brother, who was watching, a ride. He sat in front of me in my saddle and we rode around. I was really proud of both of them but especially proud of Prince. He did so well! We did a little bit of follow the rail and then went and stood on the pedestal.

When I let Prince go he stayed with me and didn't want to leave. So I rubbed him for a while and before I had to go. After I left and went to play with Twosox my two little brothers came over to the fence and Prince came over and stood right by the fence for at least 20 minutes while they brushed him. It was so sweet to watch them! Prince is so amazing!

Naturally,

~Keri