Day 2 of one rein riding...

What a fabulous day again weatherwise - just perfect!! Sunny and warm but with a cool breeze.
Guess who was first into the arena when they saw me today - Miss Cam!! I was thinking after watching the L4 online the other day what Pat said about rapport, and how your horses view you. Well, without fail 3 of mine whinny everytime they see me (even when I drive in the road gate), and always come to me. Cam has been a little less enthusiastic (but she does have a quieter whinny that she does when I am close, not like the long distance 'hi' from the twins), so it was great for her to be first today, especially after a relatively long session yesterday.

We played again with the 45ft - I noticed Pat wore gloves, so I felt happy to do the same, although I don't really have the right type - I think they should be smooth, not the grippy ones used in traditional riding...we did follow the rail and transitions with me in z3 or 4 or 2 at about 1/2 length of the line. it was harder to go right up to the rail as there were zillions of wasps around - they seem to like wooden fences and gates I've noticed. Then we did some circling, and she wasn't that keen to stay out, but I kept her out til she did 4 consecutive in trot. She offered canter a couple of times but I shut her down gently as that wasn't what I'd asked for. She also turned away and jumped the barrels/log but although I acknowledged I didn't reward that either. Then she thought if she stuck to the rail she might be able to stop!! Hmm, shows our circling game is ok when it is her idea but she has too many of her own ideas so need to exert a bit more leadership but not make her 'wrong'. I also need to increase the number of laps as we have dropped back a bit.

Then we did some figure of eight around barrels at a trot, and she thought the game was to jump the single one at each end every time. That was ok but I really wanted her to go around, so allowed the jumps for 2 or 3 patterns as she did keep going - just treated it as don't change gait don't change direction (in a way very pleased as jumping a single barrel each time is harder than going around..)then asked her out further and around, and to canter, which got her a bit rb, but ok.

Then we had a rest and a bit of carrot, and saddled up. After a few more changes of direction and some falling leaf to get the respect up I hopped on and sat and played friendly with rope, legs arms etc. She just went to sleep. Then after some lateral flexion and holding (30 seconds this time) we set off. Basically did the same as yesterday but less walk and more trot. Interestingly I have just realised she was 'hopping' into trot a lot less. We did one or two nice flexions and kept going sideways softly, and some better downwards transitions. I still tend to use the 'ouside' hand to hold the rein not the inside, so need to work on that. I felt so much more comfortable with one rein though... She offered canter at one point and I allowed it, as I have noticed sometimes if I 'think' things she just does it, and that was one of those - think about going a bit faster. She went back to trot nicely with a lift of the rein but my position was terrible - kept tipping forward and up. We tried again, and I sat much better , but far from good. I then tried the right rein but I was even worse!! Think I just need more practice with her and need to think about sitting back, and where my body is. I don't seem to have so much trouble with other horses...

we did a few steps of back up and she gave nearer vertical flexion a couple of times - whoopee who needs two reins! Then we finished with a follow the rail right around the arena with only 1 correction - getting better! Undid the gate, rode up the hill to the water, then sat grazing for a few minutes. The twins were fine again and even though Rafiki came trotting up too Cam was fine. what a star!!

Oops nearly forgot - 0 opp reflex again when riding, yay, but I do count the 'her idea' of turning away to jump as a bit of opp reflex..