Wednesday!!

Today before I rode Ricki I worked with Mateo. I put the halter on him and led him away from his mom. He did really well with leading :) I was quite happy with him. I even touched him all over and got him to pick all four feet up for me. I put him away and went and got Ricki out!

I put my English saddle on him and it fit him really nice so I decided to use that. Before we headed out on the ride I rode around the house and he cantered perfectly both to the right and left. Then before we did leave we had a fight about him moving his front end around although in the end he did move it. So we cantered on out the back field. Then before we got the spot he always likes to act barn sour I got him to walk..then right as we got to that spot I puposely asked him to canter and as usual he shot out the side. So I got him to back up right to the spot he had been in the first place and then off we cantered again. He did really well all the way thru the orchard and on the road. He did act up a time or two on the road and I just made him back up and then we went off again. That seemed to work the best is back him up to the spot where he decided to act up and that really too the wind out of his sails so to speak because he couldn't get anywhere really by acting up. We went the exact same way as yesterday. Cantering on the field lane after the bridge he did really well...we did surpentines going away from the bridge and he only acted up a few times...each time I made him back up which he hates. Then headed back toward the covered bridge he did 100% better than yesterday. We did surpentines and everything and he only acted up 1 time that I remember that I had to back him up. We went thru the bridge and then turned right. We walked all along that road till we got to the field lane headed up to the Fairmount Trails. We cantered up that field lane (and he even went thru water which he usually has a fit about but nope it went well) and he did act up a few times but I must say today the acting up was LESS and we got alot farther in a shorter time because  of it today!! When I say acting up that means he either decides to run kinda crooked or he starts hopping instead of cantering although it is more him not cantering straight or refusing to turn to the left than it is anything else. Right before we got to the trees up by the trails there was some bushes alongside the lane and I asked him to turn left while doing a surpentine and he was like no way. So I had to back him up and start him to go past it about 4 times till on the fourth time he cantered past it while being close to the bushes..I was pleased. Then we walked all the way thru the Fairmount Trails. Once we were thru them we headed back thru Fairmount Homes. Before though we get to the Fairmount Homes there is that grassy area we usually canter (the one where yesterday we cantered circles). HE CANTERED ABSOLUTELY STRAIGHT THE WHOLE WAY THRU THERE!! Then as we were ready to turn off he goes and jerks to a stop while throwing his head up (which his jerking to a stop threw me front) so he banged my lip with his head. So I backed him up and cantered him back the way we came (away from Sharon on Bean and my cousin Chris on Curly..my cousins Josh and Sarah had been along till they cut off after we came thru the covered bridge again way before the second field lane) and he did great then we turned around and came back..then we tried to canter around that corner again and he did it perfectly..it was impressive. That showed me a lot on how he improved.
We then just walked thru the homes and walked down the hill on the way back to the barn. At the bottome of the hill we canter and I asked Ricki for a canter and he decided to have a fit again..we worked thru it like all the other times and then we were ready to go and he cantered perfectly the rest of the way all except for one tiny spot where I just used my leg and reins to straighten him out and he went on. Today he did so great..there were a few times that I just asked him to go and we did surpentines and to straighten him out instead of him acting all dumb all I had to do was use my leg and reins and he did wonderful and straightened out. That is how he should be and I think there is hope. He is a handful and I thank the two ladies (you know who you are) for giving me the advice today and yesterday that you did..made me think of a better way to do things..thanks!!

When we got back I hosed Ricki off and praised him good (I had praised him through out the ride) then put him away. I groomed both girls and loved on them both. Worked a bit on their ground manners while being groomed but other than that they didn't get worked today but that is fine :) They are great horses and deserve a break every so often!!

OH I got a new camera today: http://www.nikonusa.com/Nikon-Products/Product/Compact-Digital-Cameras/26294/COOLPIX-L810.html  Hoping I enjoy it and can't wait to post pics and videos that I take with it!! Enjoy your week!!