1/29/12

Romeo was up first again, and I hopped on without warm up. Day 3, he's smart enough to know there's no point in silly business...

I focused on trot to halt up first, with a turn of some sort at each halt. Turns on forehand, turns on haunches, back up ... In the trots, I tried to improve his reaction to neck and leg reining cues. I was hoping to accomplish two things at once - increase reactions , and get the lazy off. Romeo has gotten lazy in his reactions. He'll turn, eventually, after I kick at him a while... And he'll neck rein, most of the time.. It's solely my fault and I accept full responsibility. With focus getting back on track, he can be more sensitive, and we'll work on it. His canter work almost resembled a pleasure lope, super slow, but still 3-beat. Not super relaxed in his front end, but again, things to work on.

Harley and I headed out second dressage. His warmup was very nice, and the ride was impressive. He started feeling lazy and dragging, so I sent him over the x's at trot twice each way. First over was a true pause-jump-land in canter, correct lead. I gave him a good pat for it, let him canter out a few strides, then eased back to trot. By the fouth over, he was lazy, stepping over it lightly. yack..

Harley had some nice collected trot, and each ride brings a few more on the bit canter strides. There is usually one or two collected long&low canter strides, then I immediately release and praise. I stay in the canter, however, so he doesn't get a full-break, and still has to work. This is a spot I'm going to need some formal help him, however. Plans I had don't look like they're going to materialize. I haven't heard a single thing, facebook, email, text, or otherwise, from Sam since she said she'd come get Boss. Very unfortunate... but now I must resume the instruction search.

Sunday afternoon, R and I headed back to Houston to pick up my newly regulleted saddle. Bill at Charlotte's reported no trouble changing the gullet. The staple that holds part of the saddle together is still broken, but the gullet was changed. It would be Monday before I could try it out, and see if it fit any better than the last gullet the saddle wore.