Sunday's Ride and Other Things

Well I did ride yesterday and Saturday:) I didn't update last evening because I was working on my blog..more on that later:)

Anyway Saturday's ride first...I worked on not pulling on the reins as much and stopping..both went pretty good. Navajo did better at responding to my cues and rein and leg aides and I got better at sending the cues and not using the reins as much. I was happy about that. It wasn't a long ride and we just stayed on the farm here in the yard:)

Now for Sunday's Ride. Yesterday's Ride was far more fun and relaxing. We did not working all except at the end...in a bit will tell you about that. Anyway we headed out and went down the strip. We walked most of the way but trotted toward the end. He is doing really well with moving off my leg..even though we didn't work on anything really I still work on making sure he moves off my leg when I ask and things so that I stay consistant with what I do also I guess it would be just using his training:D..Anyway (you probably didn't need me to explain that..hehe) He did well for the most part. He is getting that if he doesn't move off my soft aide then he gets a stronger aide and the more he doesn't go the stronger the aide becomes. Well it usually is only the second or third kick/tap (I tap a bit to get him to go..well not really a tap at first it is more of some slight pressure into his side and if he doesn't go we start tapping and that gets harder the more he doesn't go) and he goes...Then I slow him then ask him again with the light pressure and he usually goes forward. Definitely getting better. Hope that all made sense.
So we headed into the field..At first he acted as though he didn't want to go. Well I said it is your choice either go forward nicely or get told to go forward sharply..He went nicely. We actually had fun..we did a bit of trotting and some cantering. We went a bit of a different way but it was fun! We ended back on the strip heading down toward the corner..He did not want to go..I told him he must..He went then..This is where the moving his hindquarters comes in at. He didn't want to move his feet forward so I was like how about moving them around. He wasn't to fond of that but he did it. We walked successfully down the strip. Then on the way back he wanted to canter..I said no faster than a trot or it constitutes as trying to run for home..He does that you know so I don't need him to make a habit of it. So we trotted...lol..it kept getting faster so I told him to slow down..He wasn't happy about that so I stopped him and made him stand for a bit..that calmed him a bit and we trotted nicely the whole way home..Awesome!! Then he got groomed and loved on:) It was a fun and relaxing ride. I plan to ride today (Monday) and more this week if it doesn't rain!! Hope everyone has a wonderful week.

p.s. Ok if you come visit my blog: www.musingsofacowgirl.blogspot.com you will see some changes..I would like feedback on what you think of it!! I want what you honestly think..positive or negative. There will be more changes coming after a bit so I probably will send one of these messages again:) Thank you!!