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!
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