Week 1

Last week my guy was extremely stiff, super high strung. The man wouldn't even give me a haunch turn. Wouldn't even hardly back up. As the week wore on, he's been getting a bit better, loosening up in small increments.

Week 2

This man at the walk is pretty much a dream! He pivots, and turns strongly, he'll sidepass now (but only to the right -_-). I can get him to stop nicely on the walk, and back up nicely. He's definitely softening in the mouth already. He's already made an enormous leap in the right direction! His bend is going really well on his right end, but his left end keep locking up, so I'm hopinh to even up his sides some more this week and keep him softened and bending for me.

I've added the trot into our regime but I think I'm immediatly cutting it! XD

While trotting, I can get him to collect nicely for the first few laps, but once he finds out we're going faster, he thinks it's okay to speed way up without me asking for it. He turns nicely at the trot and bends well on right side, but again that left end is so stiff. I'm definitely having troubles getting him to stop well at the trot. He'll continue to walk off, sidepass on his own and haunch or even forhand turn on his own (all on his right side!) and proceed to back up. So, getting him to stand is in my books right now!

Monday Update: I'm so stoked right now! He was listening so well tonight and I got him to sidepass beautifully to the left! After slow working, we went to tackle the hill. I watched a video about speed control and it said to stiffen your legs against their sides and lean back just a bit. It worked like literal magic! He was spunky but walked down the hill, so collected and smooth and walked so smoothly up the hill too! I can't wait for what these next few weeks hold!

Wednesday Update: I now have some new things! A new pad, new, easier to deal with headstall, a D-Ring with a roller (this helped tremendously!) and some shorter gaming reins to help out my hands! I think he's understanding that going fast isn't what we're all about! He's responding well to the "Walk" and "Easy" cues and his stops and backing are getting really good. Anyway, yesterday I had my friend come out to give me a quick lesson after dropping off some new barrels too. We worked on that speed control! And, I learned that my big lug can get tired! He also figured out really quickly that just trotting rather than loping in small circles is much easier! XD

This Week's Work:

~ Bending and softening ✓

~ Stretching out his left end ✓

~ Continue to master the forehand and haunch turns ✓

~ Get Kelly to sidepass on the left ✓

~ Stopping ✓

~ Standing Still

~ Stop Anticipating

~ Adding in small amounts of speed control ✓

~ Continue to get him used to my saddle precsence ✓

~ Softening my hands ✓

~ Work with leg pressure ✓

Saturday Update: This Saturday was wondeful! I got a new running matingale to help with keeping his head out of my lap. His headset was beautiful (although, I can't say that he didn't try to flip his head XD). And, I think it helped to keep his attention on me instead of trying to test me (however as I've learned race horses do, he continues to reach into the bit which wasn't helpful LOL). As we did forehand/haunch turns they were so pretty! I was also quite happy with his rollbacks! He's sidepassing....well enough XD. I'm still trying to keep him from walking out, backing up, and only spinning his butt around, but he's slowly getting that idea down! His stops are on point right now too! Even at the trot! He's listening well to my voice cues (easy, walk) and his bending is starting to even out on both sides. I feel like his bend was partly my fault though, as instead of pulling straight back into my belly button, I was pulling out to my hip which I think was confusing him. His left hand though is definitely beginning to bend better.

Sunday Update: I went for my first trail ride with Kelly! He was.... to say the least very worked up. It was all I could do to keep him slowed down and listening to my woahs. And yes, although he did quite well, I felt as though I had to try harder to keep him from bracing and wanting to go faster (but he listened well to his "walk" cues ^^). I do believe in more slow work, working with those cues will definitely help, especially with his horrible habit of anticipating!

Monday Update: Recently I've started Kelly on circles, mainly getting him to bend, working on those "walk", "trot" cues and adding in some speed to get him working on his leads. Today, I've been working on his stops and keeping him from anticipating. He tends to be quite figgity on the stop, so I've been working him on some halt and halt-halt patterns to get him used to the sensitivity and what I'm asking for. He's been doing super good with it and I can't wait to get those on point stops!

Friday Update: Kelly's been doing good. It's been getting darker than I've actually been able to keep up with, so this week has only had very light rides so far. But, he has been doing good. He's starting to get the fidgeting under control. He does tend to swing his but to the right on bothside of the arena on both leads, and springs that same end up with every step. We will be having a chiro visit soon and will hopefully be able to get some more of his stuff under control. I have a feeling his hips are out (which would make sense why he springs and swings XD). Can't wait to get that Chiro visit!

Week 5

Sunday Update: Today was great for Kelly! Even after three days of no work, I was extremely proud of him! He was so attentive and willing! It almost like we never took a break!

I did a refresher with him with the slow work, half halts and a couple of slow work patterns. He did really well and he's starting to get really good with sidepassing! ^^ I loped him one lap to the left side which he did really well with, but on the right side, he keeps cutting the short end of the arena short and it's difficult to keep him going after correcting him. He tends to slow down to a trot at the opposite end of the arena too. But, I think finishing off with a double figure eight-like pattern was quite progressive! I've been trying to get him to lope through his turns as he tends to stop and I've also been trying to get him to tighten his turns and in our final turn, he did exactly as I wanted! Super proud of that goober! ^^

Monday Update: Well. I realized things were missing and boy were they. I can't get him to collect. So, I asked for some help and got some help in getting him to collect and round himself. He's done well with it so far. It's going to take a lot of walking and trotting and getting him to collect before we'll be able to move on safely. Hope he does well! ^^

Stormsong Manor said:

I literally thought this thread was about some girl named Kelly and the progress on her butt. Like, was she looking for some guidance doing squats or something?

Stormsong Manor said:

I literally thought this thread was about some girl named Kelly and the progress on her butt. Like, was she looking for some guidance doing squats or something?

Stormsong Manor said:

I literally thought this thread was about some girl named Kelly and the progress on her butt. Like, was she looking for some guidance doing squats or something?