Kate & Pro - Mon & Wed

Catch-up time...

Monday, after a rough weekend, I pretty much begged Pro to give me a good ride. And for once, he gave in to my request! Maybe he could really tell that I needed it. That's not to say he was an angel...he was pretty adamant about resisting for the first 10 minutes. But I insisted on compliance and after awhile he was doing great. It was a ride that I'm always pleased to have - where he's focused on me and at least considers what I'm asking. I really felt like he was focusing on me, especially since we did most of our work by the bunny tree and he was fairly relaxed. I practiced keeping my hands up where they're supposed to be as well as keeping my lower legs off his sides in order to get him poof up. I like that term now, Andrea. :) Anyway, we finished up with a great loose canter in two point, which I really think he's starting to enjoy. And it gives me a chance to stretch out at the end of our rides.

On Wednesday the ring was too soggy so I rode in his pasture. Of course he freaked. He grazes all around that pasture with no problem but as soon as we went through the gate, every muscle in his Arab body tensed up to maximum tense-ness and his little brain fried. I gave up his head for a few minutes and just made him GO forward and turn off of my outside aids. That seemed to help, especially after I began shortening up my reins and asking for some give in his mouth. To be fair it was getting dark at this point but...the loser LIVES in the pasture at night. ;) He's on night turnout!!! Anyway, he was pretty good after awhile. Lots of halt-walk transitions and quarter-turns at the walk off the outside aids to get him to listen and soften. It was still a bit soggy in the pasture so I didn't trot much, but I did let him trot up the slope in the pasture and it was adorable to feel his little butt engage and push us up the hill. He got a nice carrot when he was finished. :)