Moving Backwards

November 25th:

I didn't update Mayfly's progress the other day. I was frustrated. It started out great on a warmish Sunday afternoon, she was good to catch, saddled outside the barn pretty easily. Did great for about an hour, then I lost her. She became spooky and reactive when I asked her to flex her head in either direction. She got confused then frustrated. I turned her loose to let her get some of the energy out, but after trotting and loping for a half hour without being pushed there wasn't any getting her back. She was dripping in sweat and more anxious than before. It didn't help that I was anxious as well. Someday I will have more experience and be less reactive. We ended up ending the session on direct and drive calmly each direction and not adding anything new. We needed to end on a good note.

Today I got her out again after catching her in the pasture a time or two every day between. Today I just took her over to the real hitch rail, groomed her, then worked a little more on flexing in the barnyard. She is getting it a bit better. I am on the fence whether I should bother training it, or just ground drive her a bit so I have a woah before getting on her, then going directly to yielding the hindquarters with a lifted rein like we did at the dressage clinic I was at. I will make ground driving my next plan... the next time we have decent weather. I can rig a set of long lines with some rope and clips. I suppose before that we should have rope around the hindquarters lesson... just to make sure. Anyway, she was great today with the snow coming down heavy, but at the same time it was a low stress day with almost nothing asked of her.

Also, happy Thanksgiving eve!

Wintery Cold Day

November 17th:

Today was COLD! The wind felt like it was going to cut through me. I may have just been wimpy, but it was the first cold windy day of the oncoming winter. Mayfly had sat for a few days, so it was time to work with her again. I didn't have great hopes for the day due to the weather.

She was easy to catch, tied up well for grooming, and was just all around easy. I decided to saddle her outside the barn, and she stood well for it, like an old champ. I put a hind cinch on her for the first time today. The round pen was in the full force of the wind, so we both had to warm up a bit. I sacked out with my chinks for a bit. The first time she hit the rear cinch at a trot she jumped a little, but settled quickly. She was ok with the chinks, but not perfect.

I did the jumping game with her and she was doing great. When the temperature dropped a bit more, I decided not to try to back her today, but instead move on to something new. I worked on bridling her. Bridle on and off, on and off. After a dozen times I kept it on her and worked her a bit directing and driving at a walk and trot. She wasn't sure of the bit, but settled after a bit.

Overall it was a good day, but I didn't want to push my luck with the weather and my wimpiness!