Sunday, June 22, 2008

Progress!

Went to a jackpot today, actually two because it was a double-header. Didn't really know what to expect after our little "training session" on Wednesday. That was when we discovered that Raincloud thinks HE'S the boss and I think I am the boss. lol We also discovered that he seems to behave better if we have a little "serious talk", by which I mean that I get tough and demand he do what I ask. I need to be a way more aggressive rider with him than with Cessa or any of the other horses I've had/rode.
So on to the jackpot today... we had a decent warm-up and then had to wait awhile until our turn in the first jackpot. When our turn was getting near I took him out to the field and loped some circles. I really made him move, none of this lazy "oh I can barely lope" crap. Also made sure to really demand that he circle where I wanted him to. Didn't let him get away with bulging out on one side of the circle and falling in on the other. Then I made him do side-passes at a trot and walk on our way back to the arena area.
When we went in I let him walk in like I have been and then asked for a lope, which he picked up right away. Our pattern wasn't super fast but it was MUCH better than it has been since we've started running outside! :)
Between jackpots I loosened his saddle, took off his bridle and gave him a couple cookies. Let him relax at the trailer until the second jackpot started.
When it did I walked/trotted until it was again getting near our turn. Then I went and loped some more circles. Again making sure that he realized that I was supposed to be the one in charge. Our second run was good too, it was a bit faster but I also asked him to pick up his lope outside of the gate.
All in all I was very happy with the progress we showed today... maybe some time soon I'll be able to start picking up some $$ again!

7 comments:

  1. Sounds like he was being pretty good, I learnd i had to be more agresive with my TB wish you would think is the exact opposite right!

    Well sound like jackpot had a great day. hope you had fun!

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  2. Congrats on having a good day out with your horse! Sounds like you two are really starting to get in a good "groove"!

    :-)

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  3. Good job on your progress - I've seen barrel racers do that and have often wondered exactly what the thought process was - not a put down at all, I just have always wondered...now I know!

    We come from different worlds - it funny how the show folk will observe the barrel racers or cutters or whatever and we will sit back and make comments about how well a horse did (even though we don't have a clue!) or try to explain training techniques that we see...

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  4. Great rides with progress is worth more than $$$ any day!

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  5. You'll laugh at this. Our 99% hunter and dressage barn is having a summer picnic and game day. We're going to be doing barrels in our english saddles, pole bending, potato race, lancer and a bunch more. You would get a good laugh at the confusion on the horses faces as they have to run around the barrels instead of jumping them hehehe.

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  6. sidetracked: its a nice change for the ponies! I hope to find an instructor to take some english lessons with. Its going to be awhile though, I want to take some more western ones first (can't afford to do both right now)

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  7. Hi CDNCOWGIRL,

    No worries about hijacking my blog with your SIL story. Sorry I have not been online for hours -- struggling with a mega bad migraine -- just about to blog about it.

    I have often found in life that some women (especially those that have sisters -- which includes my mother -- I only have brothers thankfully) are extremely bitchy and critical of other women.

    They seem to do it to make themselves feel better, and totally ignoring their own flaws.

    There's no solution to it, but you know deep down what is right and who deserves a bit of bad karma for their negative bitchiness!

    Best wishes,
    Sharon

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Wordless Wednesday ~ new trailer!