Driving from Zone 3

Decided I am getting strong enough to have a ground lesson with Avery Gauthier on February 17th. I had emailed her telling her a bit about where I was, what had happened and that I ready to move ahead with something new.

She came, watched me and Cici for a couple of minutes and said here is the next thing for you to play with - Driving from Zone 3. She explained the 51/49% relationship. Horse has 51 you have 49. That by Cici walking at my shoulder she is allowing me to be the leader and not taking the responsibility. Hmmm how interesting.

Of course when I tried to walk at Zone 3 Cici would turn and face me. Or stop and let me walk past the drive line. Amazing at how creative she was. Quiet, soft, devious and persistent. Her version of passively persistent in her proper position!

Avery demonstrated and Cici would take maybe two steps and stop. Allow her to stop and rub her. Never tell her she is wrong. Just accept what you get and ask again. We played with this. Okay struggled is more like it. Staying behind the drive line was a challenge so I got my savvy string off the carrot stick and put it on Cici. Helped a little. I think the process of doing it was a bigger reminder than the actual string.

Not move my feet LOL! What a hoot. Cici was stop and I'd keep going. Past the drive line. She'd turn and I'd get out of position. She would crowd me and I'd move my feet and all of me out of the way.

Such a simple thing - boy was this hard. Eventually got 3 steps then 4 and 5 and 6. Half the arena. Tried it on her right side and we were immediately back to 1 or 2 steps.