Way Off the Subject...

This is way off the subject.  As a matter of fact, it’s a completely different subject.  I saw an episode of Craig Cameron’s Ride Smart the other day on RFD TV.  He gave a really good explanation of starting to work on the basic pieces of rollbacks. 

It was actually one of the best explanations I’ve heard him give.  He was talking first about feeling each movement of the horse.  Which foot the horse is moving, etc.  (Now, I know I’m not ready to be doing rollbacks and other fancy stuff, but there’s nothing wrong with being aware of the movements of your horse’s body no matter what your level.) 

So I decided that when I rode that day I was going to make it a point to be aware of each of Max’s footfalls.  I was pleasantly surprised that I could tell quite easily where Max’s weight was and which foot was about to come up and go down. 

Craig Cameron next demonstrated walking parallel with the fence, stopping, backing, and while backing, turn the horse toward the fence to get the horse to move his outside front foot around 180 degrees.  Then repeat in the other direction. 

So Max and I positioned ourselves about 8 – 10 feet from the pasture fence walking parallel.  We stopped, backed and when I could feel his outside front foot get ready to come up, I cued him to turn toward the fence and I’ll be darned if he didn’t step that foot toward the fence and cross the right one over and repeat until we were 180 degrees. 
I guess all that yielding forequarters practice came in handy!  It wasn't perfect.  It wasn't as good as Craig Cameron did it.  We did it just a few time with some good rubs and enthusiastic, “Good Boys!” 

Thanks, Craig… I just wanted to do something totally different today.


Have a good ride

Greenhorn