Kate & Pro - 6/24

I didn't have time to ride yesterday ...also, I tripped on some brick stairs and now it looks like I ran a cheese grater across my knee...soooooo, didn't ride. :)

BUT, today I did. I also (after my ride) got some pictures of Pro in his pasture, so they'll be inserted throughout this post!

The barn manager rode her mare, Wonder, while we rode. I started off doing our groundwork, which involves HEAD DOWN while he walks beside me. He must "ho" and "walk on" promptly on voice command, without watching my body signals - meaning, he must walk on when I say the command, even if I don't step forward as I say it. This gets his attention focused on my verbal cues, and just paying attention in general. Being a smart pony...well, a quick learner...he knows the drill just fine.

Lots of wide "base" for my reins (hands farther apart) in our walk warmup. Kick KICK on, getting him to move off quickly when I say go. Also some shoulder-fore, counter-bend, halts, etc. I made sure to plug in my seatbones, focus on how they felt (I like Andrea's description of feeling his hind legs move my seatbones individually), and keep them there. He gave a squirrely eye to the bench by the tree, but I'd let him sniff the bench (and he was very calm) before our ride so I KNOW he only bench-spooks to evade work since it's only while I'm riding. Some Pro-spooks are genuine. Some are not. The bench is the latter.

Our trot work was pretty good for awhile - he was content to stretch down and even put a little spring in his step when I added some kick-kick! aids. Gayle has me riding so that my lower leg stays mostly off his sides unless I need them. At which point, they get strongly and briefly applied, then removed. I did some canter work, but he seemed to be really fond of rushing today - using it as an evasion. Rushing along with bracing his neck, trying to make it hard for me to use my inside rein to get him to flex.

I moved on to more trot work (sitting) and to get him to focus on something else besides the bench, I used counterbend. Well, this was something new! He was quite chewey and nice traveling right (counterbending left), but very belligerent in the opposite direction, not sure why! Bending right is usually easy for him.

Anyway, the ride was a lot of good points, mixed in with mini-tantrums. WHY he feels the need to question every demand, I'll never know. I try to reward good behavior and make it SO pleasant - TONS of "good boooooooy!!!!!!!" and pats and releasing the inside rein, etc. But nope, nothing's permanently stuck in his head yet. Guess we'll see.

**Note - He looks dark/wet because he got a bath after his ride...I didn't chase him around and get him sweat-soaked! ;) I know the first one looks ribby but I promise, vet said he was perfect weight, just the way he's bent (who knows WHAT he's doing). And check out the GRAY in his mane!!!