Well I am pure whipped, but feel like I really should post since it's been 3 days now. All is well. Day 32 consisted of a late night ride in the dark in the arena. Working on lots of driving from the outside aids. Lindsay is really picking up well and is developing quite the "handle" on her. She is super catty under me and it is just awesome to feel when she whips her shoulders around at the slightest cue!
Our left lead has been a little tough to get consistently, but being able to hold her shoulder in really helps. We got it the first few times, but after a while I think she just got tired and I could not seem to get that lead again. One of those times when you've got to think of another way to ask the same question. The way I asked worked at first, but then we got in a rut and it didn't any more..so thinking cap back on :)
The next day (yesterday) I decided to try canter transitions in the round pen...just to build our confidence up and let her see what it is I was asking for. She Always is super quick to learn and understand as long as I do my part and explain properly. Well we started with a soft jog, I shaped her a bit asking her to move her shoulder over and up and after setting her up I asked with a little outside leg and a kiss...off she went onto the correct lead! We did it quite a few times and she consistently got it, each time stepping into it with more lift and balance. I really feel that the quality of gait that you are in before you transition to the next makes all the difference, especially in trot to canter transitions. I would only ask for a canter out of a nice soft, fluid and engaged trot and the canter was incredibly uphill for it! Very excited to see her understand what I was attempting to explain.
That brings us to today. We worked in the round pen again and did a few canter transitions. We also did lots of trail type stuff. I put the Big horse ball in the round pen that a friend has so graciously loaned us..(Thank You Ginger!!!) I hung rope to a jump standard to use as a rope gate. I set a few poles up side by side and laid tarps and plywood all around. Well the ball she is not afraid of, but also shows little interest in it lol...maybe we'll try to kick it around next time...The tarps and plywood she is very comfortable stepping over. The rope on the standard caught her eye at first, but I kind of sacked her out w/ it from her back and she relaxed. We even practiced opening and shutting our rope gate! Did it 3 times, each successfully.. very excited w/ that. Then we drug a long rope a good bit and practiced changing direction and the rope following us. She was careful to keep a watchful eye on the rope that was following us, but remained very mature the whole time. We backed trough our poles and trotted over them. She was just fabulous with it all, the things that did bother her she took time to think about and decided they were ok after all!
Afterwards I gave her a good bath with that blue shampoo for her white hairs. Mike sat w/ us and Lindsay was ok with him being there..just cocked her leg to rest it and took a nap :) It was a good 3 days, I love how comfortable she is becoming...Samantha P rolled around in her bath water and Lindsay didn't bat an eye...I still think she is convinced I'm nuts to have a pig loose on her farm lol, but she doesn't seem to mind so all is good!
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