Thursday with Try
1.
Sideways away and towards:
a.
Try was so happy to see me after a week. I had
decided to play with cleaning up my cueing of sideways away and towards in the
field before coming in. Life up and she sidepassed away, a little lean back and
ask and she sidepassed to me. No need to teach, refine, reinforce etc. It was
simply there!
b.
I need to note that this is not so unusual. After
I have been gone Try seems to read my mind. Otherwise, she needs to take time
to decide whether she wants to do it and then we will likely have it, whatever
it is.
c.
Later on I tested the sideways directions once
in the ring with distractions from other horses—the beautiful Devon,
magnificent Webster and her fav stallion Richmond in the adjoining pasture. It
took a couple attempts to get it. At the end of the session tested it once
again—distractions were gone and it was almost as good as the first attempt.
2. Also on the plan for today was forward from my
seat: at first Try backed when I went life up but repeated a few times and from
then on forward was back to normal with little urging from my seat.
3.
I only once remembered “where is Try thinking?”
and tapping her shoulder.
4.
Passenger—we did not get to that either as I had
an appointment in town.
5.
What we did do—was a basic hack in the ring with
changes of direction and changes of gait and rhythm within the gait from seat
cues.
Friday with Try--"Adventure"
I thought we should do our 50% yeehaw fun and selected going
for a long ride off the property as something Try might like as she seemed so
happy yesterday to leave her pasture.
The ditch: we may go back to this but today was about
fun. I have to decide about the ditch.
Saddled up in western saddle for the first time in many
months. (Actually I only use it now if we need if her canter is rough and on
the forehand—out of shape—and we need repetition or if I have a lesson/session
with someone who might ask for something “crazy.” Try is an incredibly big, powerful
horse—I have never felt like I might fall—but with osteoporosis—if I did it
could be bad.
Anyway we started up the drive and Try was happy. We got to
the gate area and Try spooked (without running off) like she has never done
before. It was while crossing the electric fence wiring at the gate and I
feared she had gotten shocked. We walked around close to the farm for at least
five minutes before she relaxed. Then we walked her favorite direction where a
major flatbed truck with tractor and other farm machinery came up—with workers
all over the road (big tractor stuck in the mud in the field and major effort
underway to get it out). So we turned and went the other direction.
The other direction is Try’s least fav as the road crosses
flooding on either side of the road and water is a #1 fear of Try’s. Anyway we
were fine with it though Try was very curious looking from side to side the
entire time. Then we proceeded to the end of the road where the cows are and
where some new construction is taking place before heading back so at least
some new scenery for Try although she really just wanted to go home. When we
got back I dismounted to go back over the wire and Try was careful not to step
on it. Bethanna’s Dad was in the barn and said it should not have shocked Try
but he checked it and sure enough it had shorted out and he fixed it. Try and I
ended the day with some dwell time in her pasture. Today was supposed to be a
fun day but it really wasn't.
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