Improvements are good signs!

Improvements in a ride are good. It shows that you are doing something right. And the horse is no dummy. We had awesome rides this weekend. Annie did not complain about the cantering whilst mounted. I have to ask nicely as she is the queen and all…however, she is getting more balanced. We still have to work on controlling speed and making circles, not ovals or go where we please. We’re done with that. I am so consumed with this riding and trying to get it right in my mind that I review exercise patterns in my head all night.

We are not just working on riding, but prior to riding we work on ground work. She successfully did Clinton Anderson DVD 8 which is about Circle Driving for respect from the get-go. It is not perfect but she understood it right away. The exercise is about the circles, where I rest my stick on her withers and have lunge line in my other hand and have her trot next to me in a circle. Then we stop and change direction, and so on. We have to work on it some more to loosen the line and have her turn her next to the inside more.  I wish I could go more often to the barn, but it is difficult during the week with traffic, and especially the weather is unpredictable in the winter.

Mo

A run against the clock!

So last Sunday we went to Grass Lake for a team penning practice session. They teach you the sport and have about 27-30 small calves available for penning. Some are not numbered but most have numbers. There is about 4-5 of each number 0, 1, 2, 3, 4.

Team Penning is based on the fast paced equestrian sport that evolved from the many aspects of managing a herd of cattle. You and two other pardners have to "cut" three cows from the herd, and get them to go into a pen before time expires.

You can see our video here: http://youtu.be/ckvjm2o3pPw
 (I had my husband try it on Annie)

Annie had no problem with the cows, went right into the herd and maybe had the cows under her belly too...She sniffed their heads and seemed to say "Hi, wanna play?" Then when I fixated on a particular cow, she knew it and fixated on it too. That was weird. We had loads of fun !

Mo