Progress

I don't have too much to report this week, and no pictures, but I'll share what I worked on with the filly I started last week.  
       
Day 6 (6/22)
She had the weekend off,  but Monday I got her out, tied her up, saddled up, and got right on!  She felt good- light in my hands and moved right off my legs. We went around one of the hay fields, trotted around a bit, then went in and rode through the cows. We did a lot of walk-trot-stop transitions, and some backing.

Day 7
Same deal as yesterday. Got her out, saddled up, and got right on. The other colt got his wolf teeth out the day before, so he had the day off and we went out with one of the other training horses who is ready to go home. We loped up the old driveway, trotted around the neighbor's hayfield. Fun ride! She's been so easy. She moves right up and is ready to go, but slows right back down, too. She really wants to be with me.

Day 8

Quiet ride today.  We walked almost the whole time. Worked on stopping, backing, maneuvering down hill. She stayed quiet and didn't rush at all. A relaxing "easy" day.

Day 9

Another great ride. Are you reading a pattern yet? We went out, up and down some hills, through the cows again. Worked on riding with just one hand, crossing creeks, and riding straight ahead. We rode into the middle of the herd of yearlings and just stopped and stood still for five minutes or so. When she got to wanting to move around, I had her move her hindquarters around, and back up a little bit, then asked her to stand again. I didn't correct her or try to force her to stand still- I just directed her feet once she began moving.

Day 10

We went out into the pastures again. Crossed creeks, maneuvered up and down hills, and we worked a couple of gates, too. She stayed right with me, as usual. She handled those gates easily,  and I rode her one handed for almost the entire ride. Such a nice filly and she is ready to start stepping it up a little bit- she handles everything I throw at her and  gets it right her first or second try. We'll be going to West VA and camping out in some summer pasture that the Bar W leases this next week, so she'll get to travel, move cows around, and get some sweaty saddle pads.