Progress, kinda

On Friday I had in my mind I was going to ride Dodge and so I did. I didn't have a goal in mind I just wanted to hop on and see what happened. I rode in the round pen for my sake and hers. Couple things I noticed:

1.) She does not have a good stop
2.) She thinks its go time the second you hop on
3.) She is a great mover and needs a strong rider.
4.) She is a very strong willed horse.

Things I need to work on with her:

1.) The stop
2.) standing still until I ask for movement


I was quite suprised with myself that I stayed on and rode as well as I did. Granted we only went in a circle, but she had some rough bouts and some lopes and smooth gaits in there. I wasn't asking for anything really, just seeing what happened.

I am going out in a week and we're going to work on stop. I think I can do this in a week with her. Basically, next week I'll go out and saddle, go into the round pen, and work on it. I am not going to be pulling on the bit, that is stupid. I plan on being out there for an hour or two each time. My goal for day one is get a stop in. That's it. I have a feeling it is going to take awhile. I plan on letting her do her thang in circles like she does. I will "quit" riding and see what happens. I'll keep her in a circle, but I won't be active in it. When she stops when I quit riding I'll praise her and let her have her head for grazing, peering over the fence, talking to her buddies, or just getting her mind off of moving for 10 minutes or so.

When I hit it out there again I'll work on producing the woah with the riding quit and then eventually the rein pull. I'll keep her in a circle, when she loses the circle she loses her attention on me I've noticed. That is not what I want.

After woah we'll work on walk, right now she needs to stop.