One more day

Again used the featherweight line. Cici sure likes it. Almost liberty and yet we are connected. Like gently holding hands.

Online she trotted the circle calmly for 5 laps. Didn't wind herself up into a faster and faster and faster trot where she would ultimately break into canter. Today it was a nice forward moving non frantic trot. This I can see riding. Both directions. Yippee.

Once on her we played with stick to the rail. I've probably already posted this, but here is again. I realized if she can't play stick to the rail at the walk how could I even consider trying it at the trot. Same with cloverleaf. She has stopped arguing with me. Well for now she has. She seems to be listening. Well until she doesn't LOL. Don't want to give the impression my little girl is perfect.

Right need more corrections than going to the left today. Hey progress. So after a nice around the ring going to the left I asked for trot. She was right there willing, and gave me a nice small trot. Working on both of our confidences. So I kept asking for more and more connected trot steps. We are slowly getting there.

There was even another snow slide off the roof. Cici just did an in spot spook. And I didn't even have a chance to lock up tight. More progress.

Oh did I mention she has begun The Shed? Time to end wearing fleece or I'll leave the barn looking like her, including the dapples!

A bit more trot

When I get to the paddock today Casey lifts his head out of the breakfast hay and trots over to greet me. Cici looks at me, looks at her hay - she got the good soft and green stuff today - and goes back to eating. I walk toward her, twirl the rope and she reconsiders and walks directly past me to the gate. Stands and waits.

She is not looking at me however. Never made contact again. And as I walk toward the her and the gate, she clearly decides she has waited long enough and walks back to her hay. Leaving me at the gate!

We finally get it all sorted out and off to the indoor we go. She is quiet today. Waiting for me to figure out what we are going to do. Some very nice sideways along the wall. And after friendly we wait a bit - not quite a song - for the lick and chew. I've been wondering whether or not she is getting more LB and that is why the lick and chew seems to take a while. Contemplating what other things she can do? or is she thinking about confidence - or her lack of it and getting over that? Have to talk with Avery about this.

I play a little more with sideways without a wall, just the littlest ask on my part. At first try she goes forward, again, but then she begins to really listen to me and crosses over front and rear. One step at a time.

Decide to get the featherweight line today. And it is a good decision. Cici clearly likes it better than the heavy old 22'. She is very responsive and I realize quickly that we are going to ride today! Check out both directions. Wait for lick and chew. Tack her up and check her out some more. Realize the importance of my calmly waiting for her to lick and chew. Find it hard today since she seems so willing to wait, but know I need to. I need that acknowledgement from her that she has processed what we just did. Ah - taking the time it takes!!!!!

I've been working on my confidence trotting. Decide to see how we are feeling first. Cici is really very soft today. She sticks to the rail going to the right with almost no corrections all the way around. Cloverleaf she is listening and not tell me what we are going to do. Switch direction and to the left stick to the rail has more corrections necessary. Cloverleaf again nice, listening and doing what I ask. When I stop in question box get very nice licking and chewing.

Back out to stick to rail and then trot. I am feeling like, oh yeah, I remember this. Feels great. Back to working on Cici maintaining gait. But I think, well a couple of weeks ago she couldn't stick to the rail, so we will just be passively persistent in the proper position for this task.

A patch of snow slides off the roof while we are trotting and all Cici does is throw her head up and stop. Yippee!!! Me? I'm tight and gripping. But quickly unclench LOL. Its her reaction that has me cheering. Because after a few moments she licks!