Lesson 9 Aug 30 2011

Lesson was moved to Tuesday night. We got to the barn early again and spent lots of time before our lesson grooming, doing round pen work and some ground work in the indoor arena. Cooper looked very good tonight, must be all this work we have been doing finally putting some muscle on him. He moved really good in the round pen and listened very well, doing transitions from trot and canter, and he was doing them much slower.

We were jogging 10 steps, whoa & back up, then moving off to a jog again while trying to keep collected. Others also worked on doing it at a lope for 5 strides, not me though, not ready for it yet. It was hard work, I was tense, my legs were hurting. I wasn't nervous, Cooper was very good for me, I don't know why I kept tensing my legs up. I was a little too tight on the reins during the back up at first then learned to release quicker when I got the back up and put my hands more forward in front of the saddle or on his neck. He started to back very well and I could get him to move off with his head down and nose tucked in. He was slowing down!! I sometimes felt like he was walking, but he was doing a jog! Wow!

3 times he tried to go sideways and was looking at the ground right at the same spot where we spooked on Saturday but I managed it very well by making him move back over and moving forward.

I have to start lengthening my legs, stop pulling them up in that fetal position! My rear end was very sore too, felt like the bones were trying to come right out of the skin and I have a very comfortable padded saddle too, but it felt like I was sitting on a board. I didn't use the elastics tonight and had to keep stopping and reaching down to put my feet farther back in the stirrup, but they did not fall out at all.

Lots to work on again, boy oh boy, my head is swimming with all this information!

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Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on September 6, 2011 at 3:31pm: Had a great evening with Cooper on Monday. I worked him in the round pen to begin as he was a little spunky, jumping around and calling out to his pasture mates while I was grooming and tacking him up. He bucked a bit and at first was just running around but after a few change of directions his mind was back on me. We went indoors after and I did a little ground work before riding. He was such a good boy, we were both relaxed, he was stopping and backing up most times with very little pressure near the end of our session. His speedy trot even was slowing down to almost a nice jog.

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on September 5, 2011 at 12:02am: Went out to see Cooper on Friday, Sept 1. We got there at 5 p.m. and I took a long time grooming and by the time we got into the arena to ride it was 7:30. I was going to ride outside but again the neighbors were out and about making a heck of a racket, cutting down brush and burning it. We rode indoors and he was very jumpy. I didn't stay on long and got off on a good note before things got bad. I know he could feel my nerves, I was getting scared and feeling out of control, so just wanted to stop.

I had a wedding to go to on Saturday and had a few drinks, unusual for me, and was sick today from it. I should have known, but the wine was tasting good, and again that is unusual. Cooper was likely enjoying the time off anyway.

Going out to see him on Monday, it is a day off of work here, Labor Day Weekend.

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on August 31, 2011 at 9:01pm: I can see this really working, he was so responsive just that first night doing this. I am very excited about this exercise, although all the video my spouse took looks the same and would be very boring for lots of people, but I loved it. You can see the difference everytime in the videos and I will try to put another one together. I'm looking forward to seeing improvement in him and me.

Comment by Jackie Cochran on August 31, 2011 at 12:53pm: Hi Margaret, you are learning something VERY important--releasing your aids, especially the rein aids. This is the key to developing a responsive and well trained horse.

Good for you.