3rd Day of Clinic

We rode for about 6 hours today, 3 before lunch and 3 after. I think Chance's mind is fried and his body is like Jello, but he doesn't seem to be sore anywhere. My mind is fried, my body is covered in dirt and dust from head to toe, my muscles are achy and it couldn't be any better.

Today Greg took videos of us working on the ground and then riding. We have been focusing a lot on straightness. Chance is equally unstraight on both sides, but not too bad. The videos were a wonderful tool for us. It's pretty nerve racking being taped and then having it watched by everyone. But everyone in the group is very kind and not very critical, at least not in a negative way. It was nice to actually see ourselves in action, it gave us the ability to see what isn't working so well and why, and it was also a nice treat to see what we are doing well. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I'm glad Greg did it and I think I'm going to borrow my daughter's video camera and do it again some time.

So, a brief recall of the day -
I brought Chance in to the ring, did some lead bys, backing and head lowering. Checked to see how he was stepping and when it all looked good I saddled and started riding. The morning was really good. We are working on impulsion and straightness, I started asking for some speed at the trot to bring some life into him. We did lots of one rein stops, lots of trotting and some walking. We took turns doing individual work and sometimes all of us were moving at the same time. It got a little chaotic at times, like the time a horse ended up in a corner and felt too much pressure. He didn't explode but he was very graphic about how he felt. I think Chance could have fallen apart at that time, but I remembered to help him get away, so that's what we did. I pointed his nose in a different direction, gave him the reins and some leg and we were out of there! It felt good to keep my mind in check and help my horse.

After lunch we all got together and watched the video. Then went back out and got our horses. I think Chance got into some beer with his lunch, he was all over the map. He couldn't go straight and he seemed to have lost the ability to think. It was like watching somebody who had been drinking, got stopped and was trying to walk a straight line. As things started going down hill with us, some of the riders decided to start cantering. Well, that was all Chance could take. At one point we did manage a fairly nice trot but then he started shutting down, he was on auto pilot and started going into that fuzzy place. As the cantering riders were passing us he would jump because they would startle him. Then we were all over the place again. He was overwhelmed and needed a break. Off to the middle of the ring we went and just hung out for a while watching and catching our breath. Soon everyone was stopped and Greg started individual exercises again. We all took a turn backing our horses until we got a soft feel and hopefully the horse would be straight and move into a trot from his back end. Chance and I did a terrific job, my timing was right on and he was able to soften and straighten. Chances mind came back and I think it gave him some confidence back. I know my confidence came back. After we all had a turn we took off as a group again in the other direction some trotting, some cantering. I almost didn't go but wanted to see if the straightening work we had just done would help with riding in the fast moving group. We had 2 pretty good trips around the ring and I stopped. He was done for the day and so was I.

The good things from today are - Our departures into the walk and the trot are getting really good. I pick up on the reins to give him the signal that something is going to happen, roll up on my seat bones and open my legs. 75% of the time he is moving before my legs close. I helped my horse get out of the way before he took control or lost control. I felt him stop thinking and get rattled in a chaotic situation, helped him settle, and brought him back. My timing got better today and we felt like a team.