Two Wonderful Flying Lead Changes May 6, 2020

Focus on softness, willingness and small circles, without argument. Fancy wants to drift toward either end of the arena while,I want to do 10 meter circles. When I can get one 10 meter circle without an argument,I've won. When we do these at a trot she tries to do a poo up flying lead change and change directions argument even though we are not cantering. Fancy lives to rule. I've changed slightly more. I will handle the argument with no arguing back to her. I keep my strong focus on…

Thinking is a Fairy Tale

Easy to be all smart and brain fun about the lead change conditions that Fancy laid out and my demand to review the conditions before asking. Snort Day 1 After Learning the Conditions: I forgot about the conditions and the mandatory review. Here's what I thought: OK, I think we are ready, let's do it now. Left leg cue right leg cue. I did the enthusiastic part during second try. When I was driving home, I remembered the thinking part. Big Failure Day 2 After Learning the Conditions: No review.…

Whining and Conditions

https://foxtroturbane.com/missouri-fox-trotter-fancy-flying-lead-changes/ Video Blog on Fox Trot Urbane Note: this is the script for the video voice blog. Watch the video instead of reading this I knew flying lead changes would be difficult. I cherish the difficult part of the journey dealing with my favorite horse movement in the universe. That is easy to say, but when the difficulty is real, some humans start whining. I never whine, but that is a lie. Why did I say, “Why did I ever want to do flying changes?” Why did I say, “Whose idea…

Mandatory Conditions Demanded by Fancy

I thought that once Fancy could do flying lead changes under Erin Patterson's development, she would be able to do them with me as the rider. That statement is true. However, Fancy has formulated conditions for my success. Fancy loves to do flying changes, but there are rules. "Rules?", I mumble when Erin translates the rules from Fancy speak into Susan's brain. When I formulated Plan A, I didn't know there would be conditions. I thought only that getting my body balanced, leg cues given and focus would be all…

Whining

I knew flying lead changes would be difficult. I cherish the difficult part of the journey dealing with my favorite horse movement in the universe. That is easy to say, but when the difficulty is real, some humans start whining. I never whine, but that is a lie. Why did I say, "Why did I ever want to do flying changes?" Why did I say, "Whose idea was it to do flying changes?" Why did I whine today? Because it was difficult. Because I couldn't get the left to right…

Fancy is a Star Mishmash of Dave Ellis Clinic

HI’m starting to write notes of all the devious, tricky difficult evil maneuvers, plus horse history: Dave meeting Pat amazing story; difference between English and Western riding is war; difference between Texas cowboys and California cowboys; riding offense or defense sidepass or leg yield or turn the hindquarters; ride halfway across arena with feel, turn reins loose and canter the rest of the way; hindquarter turn, back up alternating steps; lead change exercise- California roll rein feel, one rein shorter, leg yield and canter; three strides to get canter, give…