Prince: Sideways at a trot

January 18 2011

As I said in my last post: Twosox: Getting the mind engaged having the success with Twosox and sideways at a trot got me thinking about what I could be doing differently that would cause Prince to not be getting it. So when I was thinking about what I would do with Prince in our session my plan was to see where Prince was at in regards to trotting sideways and then we could go from there. 

Prince was some energy that he wanted to use so we did the Falling Leaf pattern at the trot and canter with circles when we got to each end of the riding ring, the circles we did at the canter on a 12ft line! Those went well so then we went into the sideways at a trot. I sent Prince in a half circle over to the fence at a trot. We started to his easier side and to my complete surprise Prince maintained gait when he got to the fence and we went sideways at a trot for about 30ft! I was very shocked! Prince was on a bit of an angle but I could tell that he was actually going sideways and not just trotting forward. After a long rest we went in the other direction. 

I wasn't sure how it was going to go but I was prepared to reward the slightest try, which is hard for me, especially with Prince. I expect a lot and can accept a little but when it comes to rewarding often I tend to not reward often enough. So off we went. Prince trotted the half circle and when he got about 2ft from the fence I started asking for the sideways. Not only did Prince go sideways but he maintained gait, which he hasn't done before while going sideways this way at a trot, and he trotted sideways about 15ft!! It was actually even better than the sideways we got going the other way! 

Needless to say Prince got a long rest and we ended right then and there. When I took Prince's halter off he stayed right beside me and followed me everywhere. Even when I stopped just outside the riding ring to pick up my 22ft line Prince stopped with me and we walked down the hill together back to the corral. 

It was definitely a great play session and I learned a lot :) 

Naturally,

~Keri