Got to the barn today and it was already HOT! Since we had a fabulous ride yesterday and she was very good despite preferring jumping to dressage, I decided to play around with something we haven't done in a while: groundwork!
Callie can be lazy on the lead, which I'm sure transfers to her being lazy under saddle, so we worked on her staying right with me and moving off of pressure. She was great and we even did some showmanship, which she seeemed to remember VERY well from when she was a little yearling. Once something clicks with her, it's practically engrained after a quick reminder. It makes me look like I know what I'm doing.
After a little while I decided to just attempt to see if she'd do it freely. Walk, trot, halt, back, no lead line.
She did ! And she was stellar. Then there was a jump set up, and we went over that together too, and she stayed right with me.
Well, I made the mistake of walking by the gate (which I left open since I'm sooo trusting...it leads to her paddock, no worries) and she was walking with me until I saw her look at the gate. No lie- she looked AT the open gate, BACK at me, and then started walking away towards the open area. I said, "No no Callie," and she immediately took off and refused to let me catch her for ten minutes, just prancing and being silly.
When I did get her back, we did the jump once and then I hopped on for a minute to cool her down. I asked her for a couple trot circles in each direction and she immediately rounded herself, had a lovely bend and my reins pretty much stayed loose as she worked almost entirely off of my leg.
(This is probably not a major accomplishment for horses that have gone through consistent training. However...we've only been in "consistent" training a few months at a time out of a 4 yaer riding span...and our current stretch is 3-4 days a week for a month and a half, and this is the first time she's really, truly "gotten" it and gets round and bends without breaking the contact every three or four strides.)
Good mare. :)
Now I'm off to get a haircut...which I'm petrified to do because I've had so many icky ones in the past year...say a prayer or something. Thanks.
ALSO:
If you'd like to know a little bit more about me (and the love of my life) please head over to She Got Married! We're being featured this week!
Awwww! Your mare sounds so precious. I love horses, Jen and I would LOVE to have our own - but sadly our area doesn't permit it. :( Many of Jen's friends had horses and she loved them and we rode them at the rodeo and they were amazing. My dad had race horses, but I don't like racing them. So dangerous. But riding them like you do... So sweet!!!
ReplyDeleteGood luck on the haircut! :D