Thursday - Try and I playing with the canter

The plan was
1. golden feeling
2. play with canter using HQ/counter canter and fitness
3. give a bit of attention to soft feel and also rhythm and freedom in the trot

When I arrived
Try was not in the mood to do anything--hot, humid and ??perhaps a stressful night out at the barn with some pasture changes for some of the horses.

What we did
1. We really took our time and started really slow. Hanging out and playing on line with a game we know and do well. Hanging out at the mounting block with massage and relax.
2. Slow walk and then little jog with transitions and rest in the shade.
3. Playing with trot and some soft feel just to check that Try did not have any negative feelings about the contact. Some trot for fitness.
4. Canter in the dressage ring--using HQ but no contact. Playing with change of direction and maintaining the lead to be counter canter--we were confused with mixed results. Then just asked on the rail for counter canter and I think that is the better way for us to establish that counter canter is ok and not a mistake to be "fixed."
5. A few canter laps in the main ring.
6. shower, hang out

Good stuff
1. It was a pleasure for me to spend time with Try
2. I liked that I recognized Try is in charge of the timeline.
3. We achieved some riding for fitness without stress or negativity
4. This was my first real cantering since the shoulder accident and it was great.
5. We have a plan for getting the counter canter established.

Priorities
1. freedom and relaxation in the trot--yeehaw
2. counter canter