Things I need to work on...

I had a bit of a planning session over the weekend reviewing what I had learned on the fastrack and trying to pick a few focus areas. Well I started thinking and very quickly came up with....

1. Defending my space – I let all of them creep in – think of wearing white clothes and heels..
2. Independent feet/alpha - standing still circling
3. Being clear and particular – picture what I am asking and how I need to ask
4. Doing enough for long enough on one pattern
5. Being consistent and following my session plan – don’t be distracted by horse etc (when they do one circle and ask to come in and I let them, thinking 'oh they've tried' duhh we have been doing this for years, with them wrapping me around their hooves...)
6. Being assertive with appropriate phases for horsenality
7. Being persistent and particular – often I accept other than what I’m asking for and don’t ask for progression in tries
8. Handling ropes competently – have a plan with rope/stick and do things slowly and with savvy
9. Being progressive – I bore the horse by doing same thing over and over and for too long
10. Asking horse to use their energy enough – get them so they want to stop - remember all 5 gaits to warm up strong and ride soft (make arena ‘slow comfortable’ place
11. Riding when horse is ready to ride – if only needs a few minutes checking out online than get on

Hmm - quite a lot!! i didn't think too much more as it will take me a while to get my head around these, a few at a time.
I also have a list of what I tend not to do with each horse. Interestingly the above points are the commonality - me - the individual 'don't do's' are quite specific and diiferent with each horse.

I also made a plan for Rafiki and Cameo for the time up to the clinic in november - we will just progress as much as we can, trying not to be too direct line. But I have found if I don't have a plan I come home from work and fritter the time away...
I had a great session with Rafiki today - I picked the first 4 off my list to focus on for me, and circles and keeping her fq out for her. she could not believe her eyes or ears how much more focused I was, and as a result, so was she, even in a paddock full of long grass! She had some moments when she tried to go shooting off the weave at a canter, but I just stopped her - it didn't take much, and we were soon trotting online reaonably well controlled up and down. Before I have just enjoyed her exuberance online, and not re-focused her, but I wouldn't want that on her back....
She didn't take offence at all and when she looked slightly grumpy one and I smartly asked her shoulder out NOW she didn't do it again - how interesting! When she shot off during a circle when I tagged her quite lightly for eating (she didn't do that again..!) she sucked her lip up slightly RB but she's got to learn to move and come off her RB at the same time, so we'll just play with that....

Loving it!