Today I had the inside arena all to myself!
So I took full advantage of it and set up a figure 8 and a very big weave. I also had the ball and Brandy's new hula hoop out.
First we practiced stick to me. I am learning to guess which foot is going to move first and time my feet to hers. Another thing I practiced was getting into rhythm with Brandy when we are already walking.
Next we played the yoyo game. Now that Brandy understands the concept of the game we are really having fun switching it up and being more particular. For example asking her to take two steps back then one step forward then back all the way, then forward half way etc. Brandy was really light today and had a awesome draw. I am hoping to switch to the 22 foot line soon!
After, we did a squeeze between the hoop and the ball! She went through this squeeze relatively calmly considering how right it was! Only about wide enough for her to fit through.
We also played the circling game with obstacles!
They were two barrels, one standing upright and the other lying on its side, the ball and the hoop.
I sent Brandy on the circle and watched as she figured out the obstacles. Soon I started being more particular and started asking her to come to the inside of the barrel and to the outside of the ball and adding changes of direction and changes of speeds at the walk and even trotting a little! Brandy and I had tons of fun playing with the obstacles.
Then I turned the circling game to the weave.
I find the weave I bit challenging and have trouble sending her through with confidence. I think I did pretty well with that today. I know, because Brandy mirrors me and she walks through the weave with confidence when I send her through with confidence. And when I am unsure she stops and looks at me. After doing the weave a few times I turned the last two blocks into a figure 8. I remember trying to do the figure 8 before and it was a mess. But today it was very easy and she did three figure 8's with lots of slack in the line.
The next thing we did was the porcupine game and she is needing my hand on her nose less and less during the FQ yield.
We finished off the session with me bouncing the ball all around her and on her back and finally (because I felt she was ready) I pushed it between her legs for the first time. Brandy didn't even flinch!
The whole session was amazing!
So I took full advantage of it and set up a figure 8 and a very big weave. I also had the ball and Brandy's new hula hoop out.
First we practiced stick to me. I am learning to guess which foot is going to move first and time my feet to hers. Another thing I practiced was getting into rhythm with Brandy when we are already walking.
Next we played the yoyo game. Now that Brandy understands the concept of the game we are really having fun switching it up and being more particular. For example asking her to take two steps back then one step forward then back all the way, then forward half way etc. Brandy was really light today and had a awesome draw. I am hoping to switch to the 22 foot line soon!
After, we did a squeeze between the hoop and the ball! She went through this squeeze relatively calmly considering how right it was! Only about wide enough for her to fit through.
We also played the circling game with obstacles!
They were two barrels, one standing upright and the other lying on its side, the ball and the hoop.
I sent Brandy on the circle and watched as she figured out the obstacles. Soon I started being more particular and started asking her to come to the inside of the barrel and to the outside of the ball and adding changes of direction and changes of speeds at the walk and even trotting a little! Brandy and I had tons of fun playing with the obstacles.
Then I turned the circling game to the weave.
I find the weave I bit challenging and have trouble sending her through with confidence. I think I did pretty well with that today. I know, because Brandy mirrors me and she walks through the weave with confidence when I send her through with confidence. And when I am unsure she stops and looks at me. After doing the weave a few times I turned the last two blocks into a figure 8. I remember trying to do the figure 8 before and it was a mess. But today it was very easy and she did three figure 8's with lots of slack in the line.
The next thing we did was the porcupine game and she is needing my hand on her nose less and less during the FQ yield.
We finished off the session with me bouncing the ball all around her and on her back and finally (because I felt she was ready) I pushed it between her legs for the first time. Brandy didn't even flinch!
The whole session was amazing!