Quick Updates

The last couple of times I went out to play with my ponies have been quick little sessions. They have consisted of tying Woody and allowing him to understand that and learn patience, and I have began to ask him to ground tie. He pretty much understood this when I got him from Terrie, but since I was inconsistent with asking him to keep his feet still, he was unclear on the subject. I have been clearing it up for him by having grooming sessions, and he is beginning to understand the concept because he knows I mean what I say.
As for Teddy, I have been working on his circling. He can now calmly send off with the aid of the flag and also without the flag. He can walk around with me nicely, and his trot is coming around. He would get extremely worried when I asked for a trot, but once we worked through that he was pretty ok. His bring back reading my stopped body is also very good. He is such a quick little learner, he's so fun.
I have also gotten a new mattress for my bed, so we took my old mattress out to our play area and I have begun working with Teddy with it. I would like him to be able to walk over it calmly, and possibly trot and canter. He was very worried I was going to force him over it the other day, so I just played around it with him. I asked for all kinds of circles near it,  but not too close. We then did some driving from the riding position and playing with other toys near the mattress. Once he was ok with all that stuff, I gave him lots of room on the lead and walked over the mattress myself. I allowed him to go around it while I walked on it a couple times, then I started insisted he give the mattress some attention instead of just walk around it. He sniffed it several times, then I took him away and put him back in the pasture. He did well in that session, and I think it was a good introduction to the mattress.
~Eden