Tuesday and Wednesday

  I wasn't able to ride on Monday because my dad was out of town, but Phoenix and I had a great time on Tuesday.  We rode Western and worked on basics and barrels.  I turned Phoenix out first so she could run around and get some bucks out and then I brushed her down and tacked her up.  I worked on desensitizing her from my rope before I rode by getting her used to it touching and flapping around everywhere.  It spooked her at first but she got a little bit used to it by the end.  Though it took awhile till she would let me touch her face with the rope and swing it above her head.
  I rode her in her gymkhana bit (jointed gag bit).  Phoenix did great and we worked on flatwork for a little bit.  She is improving on giving to the bit but is only good at it at the walk and trot.  As soon as we lope, she braces while turning.  We worked on barrel turns at all of the gaits and I also worked on my goat tying dismount.

  As you can see from the above videos, I need work on barrels and goat tying dismounts (don't worry I successfully dismounted at the lope afterwards).  We have a horse show next weekend so hopefully our times and my horsemanship will improve by then. 

  On Wednesday Phoenix and I also worked on barrels and turns.  Overall, she did good and her flatwork is steadily improving but I got frustrated with barrels due to over-practicing them.  After going over the roping from the ground like yesterday, I got on Phoenix with the rope and rode with it through all of the gaits to help her become more comfortable with it.  I started off by throwing the rope off to the sides until she was calm and then I roped a barrel from a stand.  

  Phoenix was totally fine with roping and catching the barrel, but when I yanked on the rope to pull the barrel over, she freaked out and jumped sideways, running off.  I stopped her and held her next to the barrel on the ground as I continuously pulled on the rope and made the barrel tip over.  She freaked out a little, but got more comfortable with it as time went on.  So I hoped back onto her and walked her over to the other barrel across the arena and proceded in roping it.  After a few tries, I successfully roped the barrel but before I could tug on the rope to tip it over, Phoenix spooked and jumped sideways, looping the rope around me.  She ran around the scared around the barrel as I tried pulling her to a stop and finally she ran out to the end of the rope and somehow it fell off me and Phoenix ran down the arena.  

  I calmed her down and made her walk around the barrel and the rope a few times.  She was actually scared to walk over the rope, but she eventually realized it was ok.  I ended after walking the barrel pattern one last time and cooling her off because I knew that we wouldn't get anywhere fighting with eachother and being frustrated over not getting our pattern perfect.  Hopefully the rest of the week would go better and I will eventually be able to progress roping off of my girl.