Posturing

I wish that the rain would stop.

But as the saying goes, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

I hate not being in a regular ride schedule. Work has been really busy too which makes it harder.

Everyone wanted some extra attention from me when I was home.
Note the canine waiting patiently. 

But that's enough whining. Today was sunny and I was determined to get some quality work in.

In the morning I took Carmen up to work on our ground patterns and learning how to deal with pressure. She did really well. Even when I attached the flag to one of the posts in the riding ring. She didn't want it to touch her (it was flapping quite hard) but wasn't frightened or nervous. The goal is for her to learn how to be calm and seek a relaxed posture when stressed, rather than building on the stress and exploding.

just in case I hadn't notice him nobly waiting for me. 

I didn't ride her after our ground work session. Instead I turned her out. I could have ridden her but I am conscious that there is only so much learning to go in before it can be not productive. So I turned her out and went to have lunch.

After a couple hours I brought her out and tacked her up. She was being good until one of the neighbours raced this frankenstein tractor down the road. It was the frame of an old tractor with a different engine on it.

In the ring we did a little in-hand work and then I mounted. Right away she began to get super tight and balky. I tried to help her ride it through but she began to escalate a bit.

But it didn't seem like she was frightened, it felt more like she didn't want to work.

would rather look for snacks

To test this theory I picked up my crop. I asked her lightly with my leg to walk on and she shook her head and gave a little hop. I gave her a smart smack with the crop behind my leg which she kicked at and then went forward. After one other little discussion that was the end of that. I'm thinking I was right.

I spent the rest of the ride just helping her find a soft and relaxed posture. When she did, I let her carry it for a bit and then gave a break. When she got all twisty I kept myself centred and balanced and let her find me. I wasn't worried about what she going to do- I was confident I could ride it out. 

Carmen began to relax when the tractor came back. 

sigh. 

We stopped to watch it and then I asked her to go. With a sigh she gave me a lovely relaxed trot. We trotted a figure 8 and she was great. I then saw the tractor coming dragging a cart with a  flat tire. I halted and called it a day. 

In all we worked about 35 minutes. Which was okay given that we are just getting back to work. 

I am hopeful that that this work on showing her that life is better when she relaxes is going to pay off. 

I just need to work on my own patience. 

I need to take a page out of Guinness' book