10/30/08 Walked around in the pasture for 40 minutes before I caught him. Couldn't blame him, beautiful day, but I'm a stubborn woman. Brushed him, fed him cookies and turned him back out just to mystify him. Ha.

10/27/08 I was walking out to the far paddock to catch Fancy and musing about whether it would be difficult to catch Doc, when I looked up and Doc was standing in front of me, expectantly. Very cute. So I easily slipped the halter on him and we went in for cookies and brushing. Tacked up and went for a ride in the field in the 39 degree weather. It wasn't too bad, really. Over to the 13th street stable, past the kiddie play areas which had no kids due to the weather, but plenty of brightly colored things for Doc to express surprise about, which I blithely ignored. Then off for a nice long canter in the hayfield and a walk hack in the woods and home. Cookies and back out. I brought Chicago in, who also practically dropped his nose into his waiting halter, and had a really good session on yielding to halter pressure and walking with a relaxed neck. He really figured it out. I hope to work with him a few more times this week so that it will be somewhat ingrained when you take him home. I bought some more cookies for them, Purina Nicker Makers and they are labeled and in your locker.

10/23/08 The weather was quite craptastic today, with showers and a cold east wind. Understandably, the horses were in their stalls all day. I tacked up Doc and it happened that it wasn't raining at the time, so I took him out for a road hack. I didn't want to rip up the fields or the trails, which were soft. We walked all the way down to the gun club to give him a chance to stretch after having been in the stall all day. Then we trotted and cantered, with some short walk breaks, out to the tractor guy's place, with all the rusty tractors and cows standing around. That is probably a mile one way. Then we turned around, did a lot of cantering and trotting on the way home and then walked from the gun club home. He was shying for the first part of the ride, but it was just feeling good to be out and it went away on the way home. He was quite good. For Chicago, I brought him out and groomed him and longed him. He was pretty short strided at first so we did a long walk warm up. Then on to trot and reverse to the other direction. He was a little stuck going to the right, but figured it out. He does not move foward into canter off voice aids, so for next time I will bring my lone whip, mostly for sound effect. He warmed up nicely, though and was tracking up in trot by the end. Very good.

6/6/08 Ponied Simon off him on a 20 minute walk around the field. He had a nice time and got extra cookies.

6/5/08 Gave a lesson to Billie and Julia. Lots of walking and some trotting on the lunge. He got lots of carrots, brusing and appreciation.

3/21/08 Today was another half day in, so out we went on a trail ride during the part of the day he would have been in a stall. We did a lot of walk and lateral work while on the trail. Sort of a dressage trail ride. He was very good.

3/19/08 Today was his half day in, so I waited to ride him until he came in and then we went out on a road hack rather than have him spend another hour in a stall. We went about 3 miles at a walk, trot and canter, and even had a short gallop. We both had a grand time.

1/11/08 I rode in the evening, so he was already in his stall. Tacked up and went into the arena and his leading is getting better and better. Did a lot of walk warm up and walk leg yield, working about twice as much to the left as to the right, since left is more difficult with him, but I wanted to give him frequent breaks with right work. Then on to canter, which went well, then on to trot leg yield. He likes to get above the bit at first in leg yield in trot, but eventually comes through his back. As the session went on, it got better and better. Very good. Cookies.

1/10/08 Cookies and a quick groom. Ran out of time to ride, but wanted him to know that he is loved.

1/7/08 His leading is getting better all the time and he is letting go in his neck. No problem for me to catch now. Yay. We went out on a hack since we had done so much arena work. However, even out on the trail he was required some semblance of politeness (which is easy for him). Went around the big pasture twice and out in the hayfield. Saw 42 deer. Fun.

1/6/08 He continues to get better in letting go in his neck, but it requires steady repetition to remind him that he doesn't have to stand there with a tight neck. His work today under saddle was really excellent in trot and not bad in canter. He is just a lovely boy and he earned and rec'd cookies.

1/3/07 Haltered him and brought him in. He is getting much easier to catch, since I feed him a cookie every time I am out to catch another horse. He thinks I'm alright. Led him in and he did very well in keeping his neck down. Then groomed and tacked up and rode. He did excellently today. Walk and trot work was wonderful. He is a little heavy on the right leg in leg yield, working on it. It is just his harder direction, he is trying, it will come. Canter work was delightful.

12/31/07 Brought him in and groomed him and rode in the indoor. He is getting much better about staying relaxed in his neck both in hand and under tack. We did some leg yielding and shoulder in in walk and trot and then some canter work. All went very well. Cookies, blanket and back out. Good boy.

12/29/07 Almost 30 degrees. What?! Crazy talk... The footing still is too crusty to ride outside, so we worked in the indoor. Did some shoulder in and leg yield work and he did very well. Cookies to him.

12/28/07 Snowing steadily in the morning but the roads weren't bad. Brought him in and tacked up. He is improving about relaxing his posture on the walk in. One of the many things I like about him is his ability to retain a lesson and build on it the next time. He is quite clever. We worked in the indoor, and, after a walk warm up, had some very nice work in trot. Really lovely over his back into a relaxed poll. His canter work was improved in that regard as well. Very good boy.

12/21/07 Equinox party. Cookies. :-)

12/20/07 Took him for a hack since it was so lovely out. Focused on him staying loose in his poll. This is difficult for him, sometimes even when walking around or being tacked. At the beginning of our time together today, we spent some time in hand, asking him to walk with his neck down, in the posture of a relaxed horse. Then, when tacking, he was required to do the same and got much praise for staying relaxed. Then more of the same lesson out on the hack, even with a few deer flushing in the woods. He is allowed to acknowledge things, but not to go into full alarm mode instantly. He did very well.

12/18/07 A mild day with no wind and nice sunshine, so I took his blanket off. We did some ground work, asking him to stay relaxed in his neck when being led, which is going well. We worked in the indoor on staying loose in his poll and he did very well in all three gaits. Lost it in leg yield, but improved throughout.

11/21/07 He wanted to play hide and seek when I went to catch him, but I outlasted him. We worked in hand today, on him relaxing in his poll and bending in his body. It took him a while to understand what I was asking for, but he got it and relaxed nicely.

11/19/07 Beautiful day out, so opened up the doors in the indoor and worked him there. We worked a lot on letting go in the poll at a walk and trot and in transitions and finally worked up to canter. Also had a discussion early about being led with his neck down, which he is figuring out. Very good.