Twosox: Learning to have no opposition relfex!

December 6 2010

Twosox and I played next. We started with playing friendly game with the plastic bag. He was pretty concerned about it so I decided to put my savvy string on the end and then play friendly with that and the bag would just be there, approaching and retreating. That worked really well and Twosox seemed to understand that it was just a friendly game. I am really trying to get my rhythm better. In everything that I do whether it is rubbing the horses, going through my phases, anything and everything. I want to get really good rhythm. I think it is getting better too!

Twosox was pulling quite a bit on the circle and he would keep breaking gait. So we did lots of transitions and then changes of direction... and I mean we did lots of changes of direction. Twosox would resist the pressure before responding, he had a lot of opposition reflex. We continued on until he was able to do several changes of directions with slack in the rope and he was responding with respect. Twosox had lots to lick and chew about after that.

We then played some more friendly game with the bag. He was a lot better already. Up next was Figure eights. The new 22ft line that I got has the handle/loop on the end and one thing that it has already shown me (which is what it was intended to do) is that with Ruffian and Twosox I don't give them the whole rope. Now part of that is because we haven't played on the 22ft line for a little while because of the ground being as it was, so hard and icy. So it just wasn't needed. But I do know that we hardly use the whole rope, especially with things like Figure eights, Touch it, sideways, etc. With circles it is easier but with other things is can be more challenging.

So I now know what my challenge is with Ruffian and Twosox, to get to the end of the rope!!

After we had played for a while we went down to the corral and I brushed Twosox also. He wasn't as dirty but I want to make sure they stay clean so that I can ride them this winter. Twosox stayed with me even after I let him go and so we hung out for a bit then I went and played with Prince!!

Naturally,

~Keri