Learning Day (Monday)

   I took my girl out today and brushed her down so I could saddle her up in her Western saddle and snaffle bit.  She was anxious to get out and stood well while I tacked her up.  We went into the arena and I warmed her up by walking her around and then walking the barrel pattern.  She did good around the turns and listened well, so after a few times, we trotted and loped around the arena.
   Phoenix's trot was a little big today, so I worked on slowing her down a bit and then I asked her to lope.  Her lope was nice and smooth, though also a little fast, so after finally getting her to slow down, I asked her for a flying lead change while crossing the arena and she did it!  Phoenix is getting better at her left lead and I'm so proud!  Now that we were all warmed up, we took the barrels at a trot a few times.  One of the times, Phoenix tripped and I thought she was bucking at first because she kind of crow hopped while recovering, but other than that accident, Phoenix was great at the trot.
   She turns pretty well and considerably better, but she still tries to run through the bit and turn into the barrel too early and with her shoulder in.  It was when I asked my girl to lope that I had some fun. We take practice runs at a lope at a slower pace than actually races unless we are practicing at race speed (this time we were not).  Her first turn wasn't too bad, but as we were loping towards the second barrel, Phoenix seemed to notice the tall orange cone that, mind you has been there the whole time, and she jumped sideways, away from the barrel.
   I lost my balance a little as I was caught off guard and then Phoenix circled and bucked and I started falling off.  My right foot got caught in my stirrup, but after another buck or two (which weren't too big btw) and I fell off and Phoenix ran off and slowed down to a stop.  I was unharmed, just a sore butt, so I went over and hopped back on my girl.  It was at this point that Robin offered up some much needed advice on what I needed to work with Phoenix on.
   Robin said that she noticed that when I rode Phoenix around the arena, she went around with her nose to the outside (which has been a problem for us for awhile) and she isn't responsive enough to leg cues to get the best out of her barrel run.  Robin explained that to get a good run out of Phoenix, I should be able to ask for her head and guide her anywhere with my legs.  She showed us some exercises and how to work on it with this cute 2 year old she was training and I tried it out on my girl.
   I now know what to work with my girl on besides just the pattern.  We went around the arena at first a walk working on her giving to the bit.  I would lightly see-saw her snaffle bit in her mouth while going around the arena until Phoenix would lower her head and even if it was just a little bit, I would release because release of pressure is a reward in the eyes of a horse.  Robin said it was ok if she went right back to what she was doing before, I would just ask again and over time I would ask for longer periods of time.  It took Phoenix a little bit of answer searching (trying different things out to figure out which one releases the pressure) but at the end she started to get it and would lower her head and I even got her to bend towards the inside a little.
   We also worked on moving her with more leg by getting her to turn into the corner with just the inside leg and we also started to get that too.  I worked on give with the bit and bending towards the inside at a trot and then I cooled off my girl and tied her up to untack her.

   Fun fact, Phoenix tries to start running when a horse gallops around the pasture next to the arena.  We were rounding the corner next to the pasture (referred to Robin as the scary corner due to a Donkey living nearby and the pasture with loose horses) when the paint horse let out there started bucking and running and since Phoenix works off of the emotions of other horses, she started trying to run too.  I pulled her back and said ho and got her to stop and everything was fine, I just don't like having to worry about stuff like that.  But it's a good think cause I need to get better at handling Phoenix when she blows up and Phoenix needs to get better at handling crazy situations.  
   I'm so glad that Robin shared with us this information and it is just what Phoenix and I need to work on to make our runs better in the future.  I can't believe I never thought of it before.  I hosed my girl off and let her back into her stall while I mucked it out.  And then I brushed her down after she rolled and headed out to go home.