Fiiiiiinally! Don't you just love when you work at something so consistently for so long and it finally comes together! It has taken a lot of patience and dedication but yesterday when I practiced with May I could feel her starting to get it. We did a lot of slow patterns with big emphasis on her slowing down with my seat and the voice command "EASY" when coming into the barrel and when I went to run one I could feel her really slowing down. The best part is we did it WITOUT having to snatch her face off or 'slam her down' like a lot of people insisted I would have to. I walked her out and praised her like crazy and even put a few treats in her feed. What a good girl!
Moose and I also had some what of a breakthrough yesterday. The ride started off a little difficult. He was very strong and forward due to the wind and because I hadn't rode him in six days but I just hung with him and let him trot out his energy and than come back to me. After a while he started relaxing and moving VERY nice. I wish I could have gotten some video or pictures. His transitions were even a lot smoother and he wasn't pulling and was staying together in the downward transitions a lot better instead of falling all apart! GREAT improvement. At the end I let him go over a small cross rail a few times just because he was so good but I think I'm gonna keep the serious jumping for just during lessons so that I don't teach him (or myself) any bad habbits. As much as we both love it I would rather be safe than sorry. He is also getting too excited when we jump so when I'm not doing lessons or flat work I'm going to do alot of cavelleti to get him to slow down and pick his feet up and think. Maybe even some very small jumps in succession so he has to stay in control and pay attention. I will see what our trainer says during our lesson next week.
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