Had a splended time with Aspen on Monday 9/5. Matt was home after being gone for nearly 2 months working in the oil fields and was gracious enough to come out and play photographer while I spent time with Aspen. I was really hoping for a quiet, relaxing evening after the craziness of work over Labor Day weekend however the night turned out to be anything but that. 

We brought all of our dogs to the barn (5) and the barn owner's dogs were out too, making 8, running around! Emma was out playing with the dogs and setting up obstacles for them in the arena where I was playing with Aspen, and Matt was wandering around trying to get the perfect shot. It was not bad chaos, but busy and loud none the less. It really tested my focus and my connection with Aspen as we played the games. I am flexible in a lot of areas of my life and one area I really want to create more flexibility is when things don't turn out like I plan to have more emotional fitness and go with the flow of things instead of resisting whatever is happening that I cannot change. Aspen was a star on-line and was even good enough that Emma was able to learn a few new things with her! :)

Even with all the commotion of the evening I really wanted to ride and Aspen was pretty connected to me so after I got the dogs and Emma settled down so I had a safer environment I got on.  Shortly after I mounted the barn owner came out to feed all the horses! lol I just couldn't catch a break!  Aspen was then focused on all the other horses eating and wanting to leave rather than being a partner. At first I was frustrated because I just wanted some peace and quiet and a good ride, but then I realized what I had was an "Oh Boy!" moment, an opportunity to play with our connection under saddle, her focus and relaxation, and trust in me as a leader even when other things and distractions are going on. It was a good test of BOTH of our emotional fitness' and I am very pleased to say that I got some really great deep breathing and blowing from Aspen about half way through our ride when she visibly gave up the idea of trying to leave and eat with the other horses. :)

We finished our ride with some great 9-step back ups and a lot softer feel in the halter.  

Emma helping me drive Aspen over to our ball.

Emma helping observe Aspen for signs of fear or confidence.  She knows to look for head position, ears, eyes, and licking and chewing :)

Ahh, my left hand totally ruined this shot!  I was explaning something to Matt when he took this. lol

Aspen's thing for a while has been to try and put her feet on things, but now that's what she does.  Finds something, puts her foot on it, then looks to me for approval.  Smart lil' pony makes up her own tricks!

There she's at it again :)  And this time posing too!

All the photos that look like there are multiple horses are actually just Aspen and I and a cool setting on the camera showing us in a series of frames but all in one picture.

Here Matt is trying to take a self portrait of him and Aspen but she moved.

Second attempt at self portrait and Aspen is still not cooperating, lol.

I offer to take their photo together and she clearly wants no part of this!

Finally someone who wants to take a picture with Matt.... sort of... lol! :)

9/3/12

It is starting to feel like Fall a little bit around here.  This morning was clear and crisp and it actually felt kind of nice to be able to wear a big, comfy sweatshirt for a while.  I have a roommate who has a friend staying with us for a day or two.  The three of us decided it was such a perfect morning that we'd all walk down to the coffee shop together with all 6 of our dogs!!  Oh the stares we got from passersby! haha  Such a happy, tail wagging bunch.  A delightful way to start off a fresh day - friends, dogs, and coffee!

It warmed up a bit by the time I got out to Aspen's and she met me at the gate again today, impatiently waiting for me to arrive!  Poor thing has another mysterious injury... I don't know if it's a cut of some kind or an abscess that broke out on her coronet band.  I didn't have anything handy to really clean it out and it seems tender to the touch but she's sound.  Another thing to keep an eye on!  :(

She has our routine down pretty good, I halter her, mosey through the field toward the arena doing a little grazing along the way, then into the arena and straight over to her grain pan where I brush her and get her ready for our play time.  So today I decided to hide the grain pan in the arena :)  Boy was she confused!  She made her beeline for the area I normally feed her in and when she found no grain she was so surprised!  She started sniffing all around, looking in the wheelbarrow, in my brush box, trying to find it.  She gave up and rolled for a while to get the flies off and then continued her search for the grain.  Finally found it hiding behind one of my markers for the weave/figure-8 patterns.  :)

On the ground we played with sideways without a fence - which is coming along SO great, some figure-8's at the trot, and then more on a better quality circle.  She offered some really nice canter circles, though did get to bucking in some of them.  Was all LB - couldn't tell if it was flies or just feeling playful.  I asked for some rapid changes of direction which really got her blood up - she can really move when she wants to!  So playful when we do these - it's a beautiful thing to see!

I got my new girth finally so I can ride again and got on with the idea of having zero brace.  I wanted her not to resent my presence on her back and eventually she started listening for some of my ideas.  :)  We did a little follow the rail at the beginning which included going over a very small jump, maybe 12" high.  She trotted over and "landed" in a canter!!!  Now, I know ideally she should have maintained gait and not started cantering BUT it was our FIRST canter since she's been back!!  It was SO nice and felt SO good!!!  It would have felt better if I had a saddle that I could really balance in.  Mine just jostles me around everywhere which is such a pain in the butt.  I am looking to buy a Frank Baines Enduro or a Parelli GP Saddle if anyone has one for sale!!!

Aspen has a lot of brace in the halter when I'm riding so we played with some more softness there.  She was bracing harder to the left today, but by the end was improving a little.  She's really got the 9 step backup down, now we just have to work on straightness and better posture through her neck and head during the backup.

For me I really want to improve on maintaining the correct position on my balance point when riding and using a TON of focus and 4oz or less of physical pressure on my horse.  I want to use my BODY and LEGS before my hands when riding.  And I want to come up with better plans for our rides and become more particular without being critical.  I'd also like to figure out why Aspen braces in her neck so bad when I dismount and put my hand on her mane. 

For Aspen I would like to see her soften to the halter when I'm riding and have more rhythm and relaxation when we move up into a trot.  I'd like for her to be a more willing partner when I am riding and look for the right answers like she does when we play on the ground.

The next two days at work are going to be crazy with our Labor Day Rodeo going on in town so I most likely won't see Aspen until sometime next week.  :(  Lots of time however to review my DVDs at home, learn some new knots, and develop a better plan for riding.

On September 16th I have a lesson with PP Jenny Trainor and fellow Parelli student Melanie Martin-Dent and her husband.  I am so happy that they will be coming to Dillon as I don't have a trailer yet - I can't wait to have Jenny's input on many of the things I need help with! 

And...I do have one more piece of exciting news but that will have to wait until next week.  Check back to see what it is!!