Today we began right away with barrel jumping. At first Kai wasn't paying attention and he almost went through the gap but then he remembered that it is much less work if he just jumped it in the first place. He jumped once to the left and once to the right without hesitation.
Then we worked on bowing a little.
I then noticed the tarp on the ground and thought that it would be a good idea to play more extreme friendly game. I asked him to walk and then trot over it and then I put it on his back. I spread it out and pulled it all the way up his neck. I did everything I could think of with it: I jerked it suddenly between his legs and behind him, waved it over his head, I even asked him to back over it.
I realized that I had never asked him to go under a low hanging tarp before. Mostly because there was no good way to hang the the tarp up in a way that was secure enough so that it would not fall down on us while we playing. Soon I found that the tarp can be easily pulled between the arena roof and the metal frame. I stood on an upright barrel holding on to Kai's mane for balance while I hung the tarp. When it was secure I grabbed Kai's mane with both hands and jumped down.
I dragged the barrel into position and then I tied the other end of the tarp to the carrot stick and tried to prop the stick on the barrel. Then Mom suggested that I put a large cone on top of the barrel and then put the end of the carrot stick through the hole in the top of the cone.
This completed my castle and now It was ready to play! I let Kai investigate it and then asked him to go through. Kai ducked and walked under it. I let him loose so that we could play without the ropes getting tangled. Kai got sassy and playful and he began to run around the arena. He ducked again and pranced through the squeeze before connecting again.
Since he was feeling confident I decided to challenge Kai and ask him to back up under the tarp. Kai was a little bit nervous but he decided to make an effort to do what I asked. Once we made it to the other side he had a big lick and chew and then I asked him again. We did this a few more times until Kai felt much more confident.
Then I asked him for some sideways once each way and then we ended the session.
Then we worked on bowing a little.
I then noticed the tarp on the ground and thought that it would be a good idea to play more extreme friendly game. I asked him to walk and then trot over it and then I put it on his back. I spread it out and pulled it all the way up his neck. I did everything I could think of with it: I jerked it suddenly between his legs and behind him, waved it over his head, I even asked him to back over it.
I realized that I had never asked him to go under a low hanging tarp before. Mostly because there was no good way to hang the the tarp up in a way that was secure enough so that it would not fall down on us while we playing. Soon I found that the tarp can be easily pulled between the arena roof and the metal frame. I stood on an upright barrel holding on to Kai's mane for balance while I hung the tarp. When it was secure I grabbed Kai's mane with both hands and jumped down.
I dragged the barrel into position and then I tied the other end of the tarp to the carrot stick and tried to prop the stick on the barrel. Then Mom suggested that I put a large cone on top of the barrel and then put the end of the carrot stick through the hole in the top of the cone.
This completed my castle and now It was ready to play! I let Kai investigate it and then asked him to go through. Kai ducked and walked under it. I let him loose so that we could play without the ropes getting tangled. Kai got sassy and playful and he began to run around the arena. He ducked again and pranced through the squeeze before connecting again.
Since he was feeling confident I decided to challenge Kai and ask him to back up under the tarp. Kai was a little bit nervous but he decided to make an effort to do what I asked. Once we made it to the other side he had a big lick and chew and then I asked him again. We did this a few more times until Kai felt much more confident.
Then I asked him for some sideways once each way and then we ended the session.