May 26, 2008 - Flying Lead Changes on 45 ft Line

Sundance and I played first, we played with Advancing Game 4 with 45ft line. He is still finding it boring even though we put cones up, I think I am going to start to put treats at the cone he has to back to. That sure would motivate him, Left Brained Introverts usually are very food motivated and for sure he LOVES food. Here's his classic Left Brained Introvert look...



Can't you see the similaities between the two pictures?

Afterwards I played with our Advancing Game 6 with the 45ft line, he did good with that one. Then we tried advancing game 5 with the 45 ft line, flying lead changes. He did really good to the left but couldn't get a hang of it at the right, that's okay because it was our first try. I was excited he got it so quickly, he's a clever little boy. The Beebsters did great today too, we did about the same thing. Bebe and I are working on his confidence with cantering sideways, he did a lot better today! He even did some sideways all the way out to the end of the line, I also tried the flying lead change on the 45ft line and he did just as well or better than Sundance. We went over to the cones and did a back up all the way to the end of the line, Bebe does it in half the time it takes Sundance. I know why too! Sundance is a very dominant horse and backing is a sign of submission, he also gets bored easily. But Bebe on the other hand is not very dominant and finds doing what his leader says fun and rewarding and he doesn't get bored as easily. I am glad Sundance is being a challenge for me, I need to be challenged. It's good for me and will help me be a better instructor, which I strive to do every day. About an hour later I went out and saddled Sundance up with the Fusion and went on a trail ride with my brother, boy was Sundance hyper! But it was a good hyper, an obedient happy type hyper. We had lots of fun, I rode in the halter and a carrot stick working on my natural power of focus and independent seat, turns on the hindquarters and forequarters and just having tons of fun. I have never felt so good or balanced in a saddle and Sundance himself has never felt so good to me, I am loving this saddle. Later in the afternoon I went and did Hill Therapy with Bebe, that went really well too. I was naughty and rode him bareback at a walk to the barn because I was lazy ( He is not supposed to be ridden while going through the Hill Therapy program), I would have never thought there would be such a difference on his back. I could literally feel his bubbly muscles under my body, he felt like a couch! I about screamed, I couldn't believe the difference. We are only about 2 weeks away from being done with Hill Therapy and I cannot wait to see and feel the results.