Friday, July 2, 2010

Ruffian: Figure eights, jumping and more!

July 1 2010

This morning I slept in. I was very tired. Exactly 10 minutes after I got up I was outside with the horses. I decided to play with Ruffian first as he was there at the gate and looking like he wanted to be haltered. So I haltered him. Since this was the first time we have playing in... well a while. We started off slow. We did some Touch it first. Ruffian seemed really quiet and introverted. I half expected that because if I don't play with him for a couple days he will do the same thing, just not as extreme. So we continued doing Touch it until he relaxed and started being more of his normal self. The after a little while Ruffian started being more himself. So we then did circles, sideways, Weave and some other things. 

After that I decided to do Figure eights, circle game style. I wasn't sure what to be prepared for, with Ruffian it could be anywhere from an extreme LBE to a RBI... so I just took it one step at a time and today Ruffian was definitely being his normal LBE self. It took a long time before Ruffian started doing his side of his responsibilities. I definitely have been learning a lot about how important it is to stick with it! Don't give up when thinks don't work out at first, keep with it. The darkest time is before the dawn! This is exactly what happened today. It got worse before it got better but when it started getting better I was able to read the little signs and then it all came together and Ruffian did a really nice figure eight. 

I just want to encourage all of you reading this, don't give up on something just because it doesn't seem to be working. Stick with it, trust the process... don't stop! Be patiently persistent in the proper position. As Mr. Ron Pyne said at the last clinic I attend...  "If you stay with it long enough, you will have a breakthrough"

Naturally,
~Keri

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