Tru-D spaziert
I doubled-up on working Tru-D today. This morning I had her wear the bridle during breakfast and then took her out to get the mail after lessons.
She was good for the bridle, though still likes to raise her head a little as the bit comes out, but it is better than she was.
She gave me a little look as I went to halter her, but stood still otherwise. She recently went through a period where she thought being caught was optional (it is not and resulted in me catching her more often).
We struck out and she was swinging as we walked and very aware.
She only hesitated slightly before crossing the wash onto the desert lot North of our neighbors. We made excellent time to Mews as she marched right along and then we hit our nemesis, the eighteen inch drop to the road. She did march right up to the edge, but then was nervous about taking the step down. I don't think the angle is any steeper than the sides of the wash, but for some reason the drop cerfupples her.
This time, however she finally stepped down and we didn't have to go around to the stop sign. She was curious about the horse who lives behind the mailboxes, but I kept her back a respectable distance as I grabbed the mail and we headed back. She was a little jiggy on the way home and was worried for a moment as some teens on skateboards rattled by on the road, barely visible through the creosote. I only had to bump her once to remind her to stay out of my space. We navigated the wash well and since she had been a little anxious on the homeward journey I lunged her briefly in the arena.
Next time I should carry a bag with me so I have a better place to put the mail than the waistband of my breeches.
I'm going to try to make mail retreival a weekly thing for her so she gets off property and sees things a little. She isn't the most naturally brave creature, but she does try hard and is far less skeptical than she was as a yearling.
She was good for the bridle, though still likes to raise her head a little as the bit comes out, but it is better than she was.
She gave me a little look as I went to halter her, but stood still otherwise. She recently went through a period where she thought being caught was optional (it is not and resulted in me catching her more often).
We struck out and she was swinging as we walked and very aware.
She only hesitated slightly before crossing the wash onto the desert lot North of our neighbors. We made excellent time to Mews as she marched right along and then we hit our nemesis, the eighteen inch drop to the road. She did march right up to the edge, but then was nervous about taking the step down. I don't think the angle is any steeper than the sides of the wash, but for some reason the drop cerfupples her.
This time, however she finally stepped down and we didn't have to go around to the stop sign. She was curious about the horse who lives behind the mailboxes, but I kept her back a respectable distance as I grabbed the mail and we headed back. She was a little jiggy on the way home and was worried for a moment as some teens on skateboards rattled by on the road, barely visible through the creosote. I only had to bump her once to remind her to stay out of my space. We navigated the wash well and since she had been a little anxious on the homeward journey I lunged her briefly in the arena.
Next time I should carry a bag with me so I have a better place to put the mail than the waistband of my breeches.
I'm going to try to make mail retreival a weekly thing for her so she gets off property and sees things a little. She isn't the most naturally brave creature, but she does try hard and is far less skeptical than she was as a yearling.