Making It A Game

Our lesson yesterday with Juli Piovesan was so wonderful (as always!). Going into the lesson I was pretty disappointed with myself because I hadn't played with freestyle as much as I should have. I have been very LBI about it and thought I wouldn't have any improvements to show Juli. From the time of our last lesson, I knew our relationship has improved drastically. Although that is of course my biggest goal, I was worried that I wouldn't have anything to physically show her.

We started with playing online. She asked if there was anything I wanted to focus on and I knew I wanted to ask her about backing. Sonny backs so slow and puts little effort into it. Although that 'little effort' is a lot more than what it was before our lesson with Jesse, he is no where near where I would like him to be. This task turned into an idea for our whole lesson: making it snappy! In order to make our yo-yo snappy, we made it into a game. Very, very subtle phase 1... almost as subtle phase two... more apparent phase three... then QUICK PHASE FOUR! I have already heard long phase one, quick two, three, four. But Juli gave me a whole new perspective on this. I need to turn it into a game. I want to get to phase four, but if Sonny doesn't he needs to move before then! I have always had the thought that I don't want to get to phase four, but having the intentions of going there makes it a game for Sonny not to let me go there! I would have never thought of that on my own, but it makes perfect sense!

We applied the same theory to our circling game. Almost invisible phase one... a little bit more phase two... almost visible phase three... QUICK PHASE FOUR! Within two or three times Sonny was doing upward transitions with the very slightest effort on my part!

We played with a few more things, like how to get on a barrel (:P) and I showed Juli how much better Sonny is about going over the ball! Then she let me try her cradle bridle. I knew Sonny has never liked the bit, which is why I haven't rode him in one in the two years I have owned him. I have been trying to use my bridle more lately to do things like walking him out the the field, so he doesn't associate the bit with riding and whatever horrible things he has experienced. When we put the cradle bridle on him he got really stressed out. He was tossing his head, wouldn't let us touch his nose, and when we took it off he yawned so much. I hope to get a cradle bridle for Christmas, then lots of friendly game with it!

Then I got on and started with some direct/indirect rein. Apparently our turning has improved! Yay! Then we applied the same 'make it a game' concept to riding. Sonny caught on so quick, and before I knew it we were doing phase 1 transitions! Awesome! I feel felt a change in the way he was responding to me, and that gives me so much motivation to start riding more!

Then Juli introduced me to the question box. Of course Sonny loved it! After a few transitions he put effort into getting there. How cool! That also gives me something to look forward to playing with :). She also mentioned that I should do more carrot stick riding. I have always felt that I wasn't 'good enough' for it yet, so it was reassuring to hear that I can start playing with it!

We had such a great lesson! So much accomplished and so much to play with! She has 'rekindled' my desire to ride; maybe the next lesson we will really have great progress to show her!

I am so looking forward to the future!