Connection

Haven't had much time to play lately with school exams coming up and lack of sunlight.  But I got out there today!

I played on the 45' line.  I think I'm actually starting to like it.  Anyway, played with some yo-yo games to start.  I was a bit disappointed with the fact that my bring back was dismal, so I worked with that.  Backing up's gotten a lot better though!  It doesn't take hours like it used to.  Haha.

Then we left the herd in the house pasture, and headed up to the shed pasture.  I was going to the arena, but we never made it there.  I wound up playing with sideways a bunch.  It was waaay better than last time I played.  Cal was more responsive, confident, willing to move.  Got some trotting sideways with leaking forward.  And was using more of my 45' line (still not all of it, but getting closer).  Tons of licking and chewing and blowing.  Yeah!

Cal was even getting a bit exuberant and leaping without me asking much.  Nice to see!  And guess what...my draw improved from how it was in the beginning of the session.

I did some travelling circles, then.  I found it was a lot nicer than just standing there, because I got to move my feet.  I think when I send Cal out to circle I start going introverted thinking about all the things I'm doing wrong.  The travelling circles let me use some energy and feel like I was doing something, while still allowing Cal to find a happy place with me in neutral (my energy wasn't high...I was just walking).

I also decided I wanted to play a bit with changes of direction, and discovered that running backwards wasn't drawing Cal to me, so I messed with that some.

And I did some stick to me.  Cal's starting to get that really well.  He offers to trot to keep up when I start turning away.  At least when I'm on the left.  Somehow stick-to-me got unbalanced.  When I'm on the right he drifts away and disconnects from me.  So I shortened my line and put my arm over his neck and just walked until his stopped trying to leave.  (He kept pulling on the halter trying to go away from me.)  Ended on a super nice note there with him totally hooked on me.

I'm so happy with this session because I feel like Cal was really looking to me and wanting to come over and was even offering to play a bit.

Lessons with Mollie tomorrow and Sunday.  Yahoo!