Never fear, Lucky Star still argues. He did take a rein in his mouth just last week. The young argumentative boy has turned into a more mature less argumentative boy. Lucky and I spend a lot of time going slow, steering with the hindquarter and riding without me touching the reins. After we get all this worked out, we might do a few drop to trot canter lead changes in a figure eight type pattern He still breaks into a non rhythmic lateral bumpy gait. We can’t keep the three beat canter going. We also don’t pick up the canter exactly when I ask for it…he might pick it up within 10 to 100 feet. Then we practice the flat foot walk and fox trot. That’s what we do when I ride him.
Many have asked what Lucky thinks of having Cisco in his life. Will he want to share me and do less work. I tell you now that I’ll be taking him and Cisco both to lessons and clinics. He is fine with being tied up and watching Cisco being the one…in between his eating grass. Yep, I think he’s happy.
Today, Lucky got to be in the group lesson. It was supposed to be a two hour lesson, but it unfolded into a three hour lesson. Cisco got to spend about an hour for our liberty exercise and poor Lucky had to do drop to walk serpentine pattern at a canter. Lucky did some awesome turns at a canter, better than ever before. I was determined to follow the pattern rules with the walk and canter gaits. Lucky did good for a while, but hey…it’s hot out there. Lucky decided to be done with an impulsion (forward motion), a little before I was done with impulsion. We argued, we stopped, we moved at an argumentative protest walk while I was asking for a canter. I became grumpy, because hey, it’s hot out there. Thankfully, I won the battle and then Jenny told me to ride on the rail. We did really well fox trotting on the rail and the lesson was over for Lucky Star.
We will be occasionally adding the serpentine pattern in our daily riding practice!
We are attending another group lesson tomorrow morning! I look for Lucky to do well for a while! Cisco will be leaving with Jenny tomorrow and Lucky will have to ride home without him. oh Lordy….