Taking a step back

So after our unexpected lesson last night, realized we have some holes in our foundation.  Sure we can canter laps around the arena, but can we make a nice turn at a specific point?  Can we come back to a trot now instead of 8 strides later?


Went out to the barn tonight with more of a plan than I often do.  We were going to work on the things we learned last night.  I was going to practice turning, stopping, walking in a straight line from point A to point B, and backing softly.


We still had our wiggly moments, but going 'point to point' went fairly well, need to do a LOT more of that.  Then we practiced turning--turn with my eyes, shoulders, belly-button, then leg if needed and lastly rein.  We had some good turns that barely needed any leg, and some others that needed a 'yoo-hoo, remember me?' lift of the reins.


Backing went really well.  He was shifting his weight backwards by the time I'd closed 2-3 fingers on the reins.  I was very aware of releasing while he was backing so the backing was the reward, not stopping.


Need to practice stopping.  A lot.  I was trying to do it like we did last night, but without as much success, so I must've been doing something wrong, will have to figure out what though.


Lol, decided to do something I hadn't done for a long while, ask him to trot on a totally loose rein and not do anything as long as he kept trotting.  And my goofy pony just does circle after small circle by the gate.  He didn't get to stop and if he walked, he was put right back into a trot.  Was interesting.


Then I asked him to trot and stay on the rail, on a totally loose rein.  He would try to veer off the rail after turning one of the corners, so I'd push him back to the rail.  The comical part was turning the corner by the gate.  We'd come into the corner fine, but coming out of it he would do a significant veer to the left, so I'd correct him back to the right, only then he'd try and turn around.  Took us a few laps but he finally made it through that corner with a light touch of the leg and touch of the rein.


All in all, I feel good about the ride :)

Hanging out after our ride