Kate & Pro - 8/2

What a good pony...I was so pleased with our ride tonight that it only lasted about 20min!!!

We started off on our regular walk circle, focused on getting my outside/inside reins into their proper roles, and getting my seatbones plugged in. As usual, he tried to evade my reins and scooted around erratically so I couldn't plug in. Within a few minutes though, he realized I wasn't kidding so he started to behave, and felt pretty good. I tested him with a bit of counter-bend each direction and he stayed soft. It's a good way to get my outside rein "remembering" what the proper feel should feel like. I "find it" in the counterbend, and keep it as I softly bring him around to the normal bend.

He tried to scoot and squiggle by the poles/bunny tree, but I insisted that his head stay DOWN. That seemed to help him realize that his foolishness was just silly. I moved to a 20m trot circle and he felt really great - a few walk transitions, still feeling soft. Lots of praise!!! Then I moved to a figure-eight (which headed straight toward the poles/tree) and kept in mind Gayle's advice about riding proactively, rather than reactively. Just focused on doing things correctly, not fixing things he's doing wrong or actively preventing mishaps and spooks. It worked!!! He almost started to give the nervous eye to the poles but I just redirected my thoughts to keeping the figure-eight correct, and he settled right down. I was so pleased!!!!

I ended with a few trot-walk transitions without leaning/pulling and he did them so beautifully that I just couldn't justify pushing the ride any harder. I let him walk out, and then let Erik hop on and work on his posting. Pro was so sweet - he stayed wonderfully long/low the whole time and was so steady for Erik. I think he enjoys Erik riding him because he doesn't have to work too hard. :) And Erik even learned his diagonals today - woohoo!!!! I explained them once, and he immediately got them right. I'm such a proud girlfriend. :)