We're back

I was out for nearly two weeks with ??bad cold??
During this time I got to the barn a couple times with carrots for Try and Keystone. Try at liberty offering HQ draw from intention.

Friday:
First day back after being out with ??cold or whatever it was. Try and I played in her pasture a little first. Liberty: she is really taking a step and stop and repeat of drawing HQ from intention. I decided to test it and asking for sideways away, then towards, then HQ only towards and she really understood the difference.

Then went to the barn, groom tack up in dressage saddle for a little review. A little sticking together and engage to a stop and some HQ and other games on line.

Then saddle up--she cleverly avoided picking me up at the rail to mount--came in too far in front of me and then walked off. That kinda set the tone for the day. Easy walk/trot til she blew warmup and she blew quickly. Then did Kathy's walk/trot/sitting trot/walk pattern for rhythm and relaxation and downward transitions using HQ--several times adding in contact. Stopping in between for carrot slice and rest. Also inbetween various HQ/FQ isolations.

Then left the ring for a little passenger ride up the road and Try got emotional so we played the circling from the HQ game until she eased up. All in all Try was not with me from mounting up to this point so we went back to the ring.

Dismounted and played a few circling game variations: rhythm, bending on the circle, matching gaits. She came at me one time with ears pinned--haha game on!!  Really sent her on circle, she raced around and I stood super relaxed. She stopped suddenly and faced and asked and asked to come in, licking and chewing. I had to decide whether to continue with circle but decided that purpose of circle was the attitude adjustment and since she offered that game should be over. We left for the barn, cleaned up, blanket back on and grazed on the way back to her pasture.