Quick Lunge and she's getting it!

 Today was a pretty good day but I could have been more efficient with my time. But it's okay! I managed to buy a few more flowers and get them planted, dropped the scoot boots back off (wasted time as I forgot til I was home and had to go back to where I practically was), and get to the bank. And work! I just only had 5 horses today so it was a half day. But they were an hour away and I stopped to get lunch too. But anyways, when I got home I opted to ride Dan first to check him out as that may alter my plans for tomorrow. He was sound!!! Yay! So then by that point it was 5:30 or so... And I decided that I would lunge both girls rather than try to ride Lyric. I had been sated with Dan's ride and then I was able to ride Lyric Tues and thurs this week so that helped.

But anyways... I did Funny first and then it was Lyrics turn. I don't know why but I didn't think to flyspray her first. And the bugs are so bad in the roundpen for some reason. The gnats are just... a lot! I guess it's because of the sand? Or maybe the weeds? Regardless, Lyric was not thrilled. She hates bugs. But we managed to do a very short pillar walk with pillar 2 and 3 both ways. And we worked a little bit on her relationship to contact but... she's hard. It's like all or nothing with her and there isn't much recognition. I think I need to just grab the treats and do clicker training on it. But, another day. So then we lunged. And she was soooo good. She gets it now and she lunges long and low almost the whole time now. In the very beginning she hovers at bracing in her neck just a little bit before she finally lets go and stretches, but even so, he hovering is at *just bracing* instead of inverted and hollow. So yay!!! We trotted both ways and she even trotted calmly without bracing over the ground pole a few times. So then I asked for a canter. Ha ha! There goes calm and not bracing! She dug in, kicked out, and bolted off! And then she settled into an acceptable canter but it's still very hollow. But... like Dan... I think it'll get there. I think now that she's finally getting it at the walk under saddle and in the trot on the lunge... we'll eventually get it in the trot under saddle and then in the canter on the lunge and then later, in the saddle at the canter. And yes, I don't want to strengthen dysfunction, but I also have to get her to understand what I'm asking. So I figure I will go back to lunging before my rides - at least at the trot - so she can get stronger in the trot with the stretch. And then as much as I can (maybe not every day I don't ride, but often), I'll do a quick lunge in the roundpen to help remind her about the stretch and strengthen her. And then I'll keep adding in short canter stints. I think it helps her too to canter and then have to come back to a quiet trot. We struggle with that in the arena, and also in the roundpen, so this will help. She was better today even though you could tell she started out frantic and fast after the canter. Then she settled, but then she got worried again. And then settled. So.. this will be helpful. Eventually we'll get stretch in the canter too. But it'll take awhile. But,... it's a good reminder! I remember when I first got her, not that long ago, she couldn't even lunge. And she definitely wasn't able or understood how to stretch at the trot. So we've come a long way! We've still got a long way to go, but that's okay. I read something the other day on the RRP facebook page about how someone was feeling way behind. Another poster mentioned that we all needed to remember that the RRP isn't a show for "finished" horses. It's a show to showcase horses changing their careers and the different ways they can go. It's to showcase the career change. And that means it may not be as picture perfect as we want. But it'll show people that they can change careers. Or basically, something more eloquent to that effect. And I loved that! Because it helps take the pressure off. So yep! Getting excited about it. Even though it's still a very loose goal because if she's not ready, we won't go. But I am thinking she will be. Especially with the mindset of... we're just going to have fun and learn and do it. Not to win it!

 

I'll pose pretty momma for the sunset ph... BUGS!!!!!! hee hee..