Not much riding has been happening. Between it being the holiday season, and still deer hunting season of one sort or another, and me being a little punky-under-the-weather off and on, I think my butt has been in the saddle twice?? since the last update.
Both rides mainly concentrated on keeping Camaro's attention, as the big door at the end of the indoor arena is closed and he really, really prefers it to be open. He'd much rather see things going by outside. That closed door is a scary thing. So, we've worked on keeping him mindful of what I'm asking him to do, and me remembering to ask him a million questions so that he doesn't have time to think about how scary that end of the arena is when the door isn't open.
Rides go sort of like this:
Camaro: trotting along, all nice and steady and 'oh, hey! The door is closed!! I can't keep on contact, nope, my head must go up like a camel's'
Me: 'Hey, Camaro, how about three steps of right bend followed by three steps of left bend?'
Camaro: right bend, left bend, we're through the scary end. Comes around the next wall and sees the door shut 'My inside shoulder must brace against your leg, because I think I might need to booger; the door is closed'
Me: "how 'bout some leg yield for a few steps? No? How about I poke you with my spur? Thanks for getting off my inside leg"
Camaro: beautiful lateral steps in response to spur touch. Good contact, for a few strides, and then "hey! Door! Lost my brain!"
Me: "Shoulder!!" "10m circle right here." "Focus on me, halt, walk four strides, halt, trot four strides. . . " "No sucking back as we approach the door, be BOLD Camaro!"
Meanwhile, we've done a few longeing sessions, and he's been a rock star at those. Working on keeping him straight, shoulder staying nice and where it belongs, upward and downward transitions, and having a nice upward canter rather than a flat sprawling one. Even when he's passing the door.
Hoping January will find us back to a several time a week riding schedule.
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