First XC School under saddle

SOOOOOO proud of the fraggle

loaded right up this am. 

stood tied to the trailer and was calm while i tacked up.

joined up with another 4 year old ottb chestnut mare for our lesson. got on and hacked to xc and led. then warmed up in a big circle trotting around the field. both mares were all snorty and huffy and puffy but didn't want to race each other. then went the other way and came directly downhill and came to a trot without using our hands. By sitting up and deep in our post. This created an uphill balance will allowed them to slow down and break gait. Cool!

then walked alongside the ditch a few times.. then over it. a few times. then trotted it. 

then did a couple of logs. send my hands forward at the base and close leg. Sit upright!! No tipping. The more I sit upright and use my core, the more balanced she is and not on her forehand. If I have to give a big halfhalt to help balance and slow her (so she's not rushing onto her forehand) do it, but hten soft hands. so much better when I sit up tall

then trotted log uphill next to bank. then walked bank up and down. Lyric was pretty unimpressed. no squirting off, unlike her friend. 

Then the water. Lyric was most resistant her but after some sideways she got in. then trotted around in it. then walked in repeatedly, then trotted through. then trotted in and cantered out. 

always reward with a pat but wait until they come back to walk. finish the movement. even a walk to halt... walk off before patting again. reward the relaxation.

decided to finish on that as they were really good. 

but then I wanted to go hack... and the other girl had already gotten off, so.. i made poor lyric leave her friend (and Kid, who showed up for the next lesson) and walk across the field to the woods. she went into the woods and scared up about 7 deer, but just got nervous. then we walked alongside XC to the small lake and around the small lake. She got braver after the deer. SOOOo good

then stood tied while i untacked and packed up... then loaded right up and we went home!

PROUD ME!!!!











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