I had a good session with Woody yesterday I didn't have time to document because I had to shower and run to a friend's house right after the session, so I'm writing now.
I went out, gave him his carrots and scratches, then put him in the round while I went to get my gear. I came back, and I went on to play with him a bit. The first thing we did was play the game that Linda teaches to the girl on a recent SC DVD with a LBE paint horse for downward transitions (actually my mom and I were at that tour stop too... haha). For those who have not seen it, Linda set up four cones (I used 3) and set them equally on the outer edges of the round pen, but with enough room for the horse to pass between it and the wall or arena fence. Then, the rider would walk (and trot and canter later) activly in her body and when she got near the cone she would stop riding. The, if the horse didn't pick up on it, when he passed the cone, she would back him up to the cone and let him sit. So, I did this from zone 3 and it took Woody probably about 15 minutes to figure it out (at the trot because he picked up in like 5 minutes with the walk), and when he did, his face was all lit up and I could tell he felt really good.
We then did some more practice of his canter on Liberty circles which is slowly but surely getting better.
I put the bareback pad on him, worked with the pedestal a bit, tightened the cinch and got his Cradle Bridle. His Cradle fits him really weird though. It is a little small around the ears and kinda of pinches the corners of them, however the bit, at the highest position is too low in his mouth so he sucks on it all the time. Solution: punch another hole in the top of the bridle.
I tried riding him in it, but he was too distracted with the bit and I felt like it wasn't helping, so I got off and rode him in his halter.
Once I switched to the halter, we began the downward transitions excercise from his back, and once again went pretty much to working on the trot because he was really aware and responsive to my body at the walk. So, he picked up a trot and he was going SO FAST around the pen, it was to "quit riding" because I was bouncing all around. But, nevertheless, I tried to stop him when he passed the cone. It took a VERRRRY long one rein stop after trying a lifting and bouncing of the rein to get that reckless pony to stop. Surprisingly, his back up was very light and he backed right up till his nose was level with the cone, turned his head to it, picked it up, and chewed on it. After thinking a bit, we went off again, and each time he gradually got better and better until he would slow down with just me quit riding and stop with a lift of the rein. I got one more of those and gave him a cookie and called it quits. A note also is that each time we did the trot to a cone, his trot got slower and MUCH more manageable. It was very interesting how fast he started out and I also noted he carried his head pretty high.
After I finished I went outside the round pen and got on bareback and watched Mom and Charlotte play a little Liberty in the round pen and eventually get her bridle on and ride her a bit. They both did really well, and I think Mom is just trying to get as much riding on her to help her gain confidence. They just dawdled around and at the end Charlotte offered to stand on the pedestal. It was really cool.
Both horses did really well in their sessions and are getting better overall. I am REALLY having to practice my body blocks with Mr. Mouthy around in that he keeps trying to nip me (more playfulness I believe than dominance).
Also, Woody has gotten very enthusiastic about our Chase the Tiger excercises. I have been holding it out for him and he would hit it or bite it and turn to me for me to give him a Cracklin Oat Bran piece. That then evolved into me walking and running around with him trotting after it and attacking it. It has been really fun.
~Eden
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