No media because busy hands, but we went on our first field trip in 7 months yesterday. There was some tension. There was some excitement. Especially when a horse was being lunged in the ring next to us or when a cute mare passed close by. BUT I was able to get his focus back to me consistently. He handled the barn owner doing various loud repairs behind the arena walls with ease. I got some really nice ground work in the end and we quit on a relaxed note. Also he quietly loaded and unloaded both ways with only a short prep the week before.
So what’s the plan you ask? Much more of this. Pretty much every weekend through fall. I’m taking my saddle, side reins, and bridle from now on and we will progress through lunging, in hand bridle work, and under saddle as indicated. The nice thing is the barn is pretty deserted on early Sunday mornings but as he gains confidence we can go later and later to expose him to more and more.
I’m sort of doing a three prong approach. Hauling out once a week to the boarding barn is one. Field riding on a looser rein using Warwick Schiller’s bend to a stop is the second. A traditional classical dressage program of lunging with side reins at least twice a week, in hand lateral exercises in the bridle before riding, and under saddle work that uses more lateral work at the walk and countdowns for balance is the third.
More on the riding program soon!
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