Dressage today!
Thank you Kim Braker. It was a blast. We worked on our spins, or shall we say canter piroettes. It was fun, and tempi..changes. We started our flying changes, and were able to get three down the straight line. She is sucha  natural. She is very fun. It was also very fun to see Kim get on her and trot her around....She is a cutie.

Buttercub Meets the moo"s.

I decided I couldn't resist taking Buttercup to see cows. She was so great. Nervios at first, but very willing. She worked like we were at home...amoungst horses going everywhere doing everything in warm ups. She was curious about the cows. We sat right on the other side as they released cows from the box for ropers, and steer daubers. She hardly flinched.

Once it was our turn to pen, I led us in through the gate....straight across the arena at the cows, no hessitation. The cows are not so good....over used. They stayed put till she was about nose to nose and then slowly rolled off. We pulled 9's....and they are known for being the worst. I found it easy to put her right in the herd, pick out my cow bring it out, and give it to my team mates.

She responds so quickly, and is so easy to get her where I want her. Round two and three she aws just as willing, right were I wanted her, only once I qued, she hesitated and were not quick enough to kee our cow.

Round Four was the most fun. I quit playing team as it was our last go, and my team kept letting um go....Butter cup and I walk the cow we picked out straight down centerline, each time that cow cut....so did she. We got our cow in that pen, and I could not be more pleased with her. I watch some horses so scared, anxious, and silly, bucking, one flipped over, and here I am on this little horse in a big alien world. She stayed focused, and willing. She was right with me for everything I asked.

Well Today weare off to see Kim Barker....Dressage anyone?

Wild wild west
After two days of flying changes and intense arena work, we took a much needed trail ride. Buttercup is so soft and quick it was tons of fun. She walks out and covers some ground. Has a beautiful jog, and a nice ope, but her hand gallop is so stinking cute. Water dosent bother her, but tarps, she would rather jump them than step on them. She is such a natural jumper. Quick footed, and fun  to ride.

Flying changes

Yes she can. Yesterday we were working on loping circles half and whole arena. She was doing great. She was moving out into a great hand gallop and coming down. I thought what the heck take her through the middle and ask. Counter bend, counting the lead leg, tap with the left leg , and out of no where a flying change. I was so surprised I had to try again, and again and again. Four perfect lead changes. So much fun.

Buttercup is a super athlete. She is a hot quick fun ride. She is almost ready to spin, getting very close. She is also doing rollback like they come easy for her. She is still very nervious, when I catch her. Once caught she is ready to go to work and tries super hard.

Loping along at a medium pace, she hesitates and bounces straight up in the air. Wow. I grabed the cheek peice of the bridle in air and had her head pulled round by the time we landed. Not sure why, but it worked well, to stop another one. Looking down I realize the peice of plastic that was in the arena, she had touched it and it took air, so did we. SHe loves to get out on the trail and walks out like a champ.

Lope away baby

Yesterday we had a blast. I asked for a lope, slightly aprehensive. She bumped it up and loped along. I am so excited with her progress. She gives all she has and waits for the next question. She rides like I have been riding her for quite a while. Listening to hard to my body. Trying.

I am feeling bad for all the horses I have sent home to people who ride with their bodies in a dead manor. People who have not yet learned how to ride with their mind and thier heart. I realize how much I teach horses to listen to energy, and thoughts trigering little movements. Thinking canter and your horse canters, what a feeling.

 Here I am teaching kick and pull, yet that is not how the horse works best or prefers. Hmmm food for thought! Today we took time to start cliping. My plan was to clip for a half hour and ride for an hour. Woops, I spent three hours clipping her....

Thank you Vikki for pictures!

Less is more. My lil girl is gonna be a spinner.She had her first trail ride today, she was great.

 

Bouncey Butercup

She is still a big yellow chicken as I enter the stall. However some big effort on her part. As I am heading toward the round pen she takes two steps toward me head high. Ah she knows who I am. Then I enter the pen and she runs for 5 minutes before allowing me to halter her.

Took her in she stood like and angel for brushing and saddling and I headed up to the arena. I had my kiddos making noise, and the geldings apearing and dissapearing. They were great help. She was very aware of them, however not reactive. We walked all over and she trottd so great posing or sitting we got it. She gets stuck now and then, but she broke her first sweat....we were both feeling great at the end. We trotted sepentiens, figure 8's, and finally over the ground pole. She has a huge floaty trot with marvelous suspension.

Her ticklish sides are gonna make her a natural spinner, and she is catty and quick on her feet. Haunch turns are good, backing great. She loves to jump. I hope we don't loose and float to that great trot. She also stops on a dime. I am so proud of her. She almost pushed up into a lope. I made her wait for another day. Soon young Buttercup soon.

Trot Butercup trot
Mood:  bright

I set my goal for the day at walking around the arena mounted easily and troting for the first time. I am probably pushing as we have only walked around the arena once for an hour prior to today. We shall see how it goes....open mind...open heart.

We saddled up and headed for the arena...She was a nervious sweet angel. Once up at the arena I led her around each direction and turned her loose. I was gonna sit and wait and see what she did. Wow she needed to run. Cute as a button, tail high and speed demon she ran two laps, all done. You could see the ahh stretch across her face. I took the time to walk her around the arena and over some jumps, she is the cutest jumper ever.

Okay mount up. She was humped up but walked out very good. She handled a person appearing very well, and was sillier once he left. I was trying my two days personal goals...stay focused on what I wanted at all times, and to use less (and trot). She was very brave and relaxes so well. I used her abundance of energy to ask for the trot...she did! Just then I asked her three strides in to stop. I always do this so they don't get carried away or out of control in the begining. She ttok it as we trot stop, and soon, as I asked she locked down. Hmmmm. My fault....no mistake....room to rethink.

I tried 80 things in 8 minutes and now we are trotting. I shall see where that leaves us tommarow.

Buttercup is a princess

Yesterday....as I took today off. I took Buttercup up for lessons. We watched during the first. Mounted and did a little fallow me play. SHe is so cute keepn up and slamming on the breaks when I stop. She really wants to be a good jumper, as she sails over the jump.

For our second I rode walked her around, and stoped turned and backed. She was so good. First time in the big arena, and walking freely. SHe humps up and is ready to buck mosy of the time. I know I was sitting on a keg of dinomite. She has been in with the cold rainey weather, but she was so good. I am getting so excited it was hard to take a day off today.