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Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Annie....12/31/10

Rode today for about 1 1/2 hours.  Wasn't suppose to rain, but it did and after the first 10 minutes, I wasn't going to get any wetter. 

Worked today on forward momentum.  You would think with most horses being forwardholics, this wouldn't be an issue.  When you get on them, at first, they sometimes forget how to move their feet.  Once the forward part was going pretty well, we worked on turns into the fence.  I like to turn into the fence because it really forces them, if you do it right, to walk their front end around.  I give myself plenty of space between her and the fence, not to much, usually 2-4 feet.  Softly ask for the turn, made sure that I have already done the home work with softness and suppleness.  As she started around, I gave the cue (soft pressure with opposite leg - picture pushing her through the turn with your leg) and has she completed walking through, I released the pressure.  After 4 or 5 like this, she started looking for the turn in that direction.  I repeated all of this on the other side.  You cannot use the fence forever, eventually she needs to learn how to move her front end around with nothing more than my cue and no physical aid.  All in all...a good day!

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