Great Day...

            Hi – If you’re a first-time reader, I’m a “beginner all over again” in the horse world.  And I like to watch the horse training shows on RFD TV.  I have a “lost confidence” issue that I’m addressing while using Clinton Anderson’s Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground and Riding With Confidence series.  The first few posts tell how I lost my confidence due to a fall, and came to use Clinton Anderson’s methods.  Feel free to comment.

Great Day…

We had a great session today, on the ground and in the saddle.  We didn’t work a long time at either one, but our time spent was excellent!

On the ground we did backing, yielding forequarters and lungeing at the trot and canter.

He’s still heavy on his front end, when yielding forequarters, but he’s trying.  I think I’m getting a little sloppy with my instruction on yielding forequarters.  We only did each direction a couple of times.  Maybe I’m getting sloppy because we practice it so much. 

I know something needs to change.  Maybe I should back off of yielding forequarters for a few days, then go back to it.  I need to insist on quality yields and maybe I just need a break from it myself.  Then, take it up again with sharp cues and insistence on quality.  I know it will take several days at that intensity level to get yielding forequarters to a B or A grade level.

His backing seemed slow and heavy today, too.

So, how could my session today have been so great with these flaws?

When I got into the saddle, I could tell both of us had made progress.  When I cued Max to canter, he did, and it was definitely slower and smoother.

And…since it was slower and smoother, I was able to stay with it and have control at the same time.  I see “cruising at the canter” from the Riding With Confidence series in our very near future.

I really believe the work we have been doing on the ground at the canter is directly responsible for the progress in the saddle.  His canter seemed more relaxed.  Therefore, I was relaxed. 

My confidence level skyrocketed.  And I just loved it.  I have missed that feeling.

Only one time did he resume that fast-paced, kind of frantic-like, canter.  I shut him down with a one-rein stop. The rest of our canters today were much easier feeling. 

Yep.  It was great…

Have a good ride

Greenhorn