I had the arena to myself for my ride with Cole, last night.  He was in a particularly good mood—I think it was the chilly weather.  We started with just trotting around to warm up, but it didn’t take long before I started our latest project—leg yield at a trot.  He used to do it at a walk, but it turned into the most perfect side pass.  Cole now loves to side pass all the time.  About a month ago, we spent a week or so on turn on the haunches, and he loves that, too.  Consequently, he is very quick to move from the slightest leg pressure.  You would think that leg yielding at the trot would be easy, but he wants to side pass, gets his legs tangled up and we fall apart.  I need to get more forward.

Anyway, we were experimenting with moving from the wall and moving back to it.  Even if he doesn’t cross over his legs, this is a great move to teach a trail horse (and that is what he is, anyway), so it is worth the time I put into it.  One of the nicest things about riding Cruiser on the trail is how easy he will shift to the other side of it at any gait we are traveling in.  I have done it with Cole on the trail, but he isn’t even close to as responsive as Cruiser.  If it work on it in the arena this winter with it, I’m sure he will equal Cruise in the spring.  It is also useful in passing other horses on the rail.

So, we weren’t getting leg yield, I don’t think, but we were getting quick response, so I was clicking him for it.

The most interesting thing about riding Cole, and I think it is because he is a clicker trained horse, is that he will try things on his own.  We will be trotting around normal, and he will try to step sideways to see if he can get a click.  I like to think of it as his practicing and experimenting.  It is very comical, but I don’t normally click him unless he does something really great.

Anyway, I can’t quite remember how it came about—if it was some of his experimenting or mine—and we found ourselves doing a very rudimentary version of shoulder in.  I clicked him for it, and we worked on that for a while.  Since I wasn’t planning on doing this, I wasn’t positive on the exact cues.  I tried to teach Cruiser this move in the early days, but he just doesn’t get anything lateral.  He is a point A to point B horse.  Sideways doesn’t exist in his brain.  I gave up.  I was able to eventually teach him a sloppy turn on the haunches on the trail where there isn’t much room to turn.  That made sense to him.

I remembered that you use the cues for a circle and then ask for straight with your inside leg.  Sometimes I felt we were close, so I clicked the attempt.  As we progressed, I clicked just when it seemed good.  I am at the disadvantage of never having ridden this movement, before.  Cole and I were like the blind leading the blind.

After about 40 minutes into the ride, I felt him tiring, so we did some walking for a bit.  I then asked for a trot and a shoulder in, and if felt so good that it had to be right.  I clicked, hopped off, gave him his treats and brought him in for the evening.

Afterwards, at home, I checked my books, and I was able to determine that I was close with my cues.  I wasn’t doing much with the reins to support it, though.  I now have a better understanding of the movement, and watching a few videos on the computer helped.  I do think we are either close or possibly there.  Give us a couple weeks, and I think we will have it nailed.

Now, why can’t it be this easy to get him to canter in the arena?  I tried, again, last night, and all I got was the most spectacular trot. 

Cruiser had an ordinary ride.  By then, there were a few other people in the arena working their horses—distracting us.  At least he didn’t misbehave, this time.