National Treasures/ Going for the Prize

I love old people. Honestly I really do.
I love their knowledge, their traditions, their ways, their stories... and May baskets.

So we just worked with Toffy and we did the same thing that we did yesterday. One difference I rode. She was very good. Not much to say. We think we figured out where the other saddle was hurting her. We think it was pinching her withers. I think Aleythia was checking for signs of pain in Toffy's back and when she squeezed her withers Toffy lifted up her head and side stepped nervously away.
Well that's nice to know.
We have a new goal. Be cantering through poles with the fillies by the first of June.
It was Terry's idea. Mostly I think because if we have a clear set goal it will get done.
It is not an unrealistic goal. It gives us about four weeks to complete and they are all pretty good with trotting. They all know how to disengage hindquarters and understand the concept of moving their shoulders. It needs more work.
I'll lay the plan out for ya.
Toffy ~
The next session with Toffy, we'll start out with Aleythia leading her and me riding. After a little while I'll trot by myself.
After that we spend maybe a week at most getting her really comfortable with trotting, turning, stopping, and backing up. We'll desensitize a little in there too.
Then when we feel she's ready we will canter. I think the plan is that we'll longe her the first time we canter. We'll use the big long longe line and have someone in the saddle and someone on the ground. If we can get her to choose to canter by herself by urging her into a fast trot all the better.
Dash ~
Dash needs a lot more work.
We'll spend the first week or so desensitizing and trotting. We'll tie things to her saddle and have her work with it that way. Noises, movement, ect. I was thinking that to help her get used to someone being in the saddle while cantering we would tie something into the saddle that is heavy and tie it right so that it has a little movement.
After that we'll start the cantering.
Frosty ~
Trot until she's comfortable.
Desensitize, work on stops, turns, backing up, one rein stops (all four fillies will be worked on with this.)
Longe her into a canter with a rider.
Coffie ~
I actually think that Coffie will be the easiest to get to canter. I've done it once before. On accident. It was only for a few strides, but she did do it.
We'll pretty much do the same thing with her as we will do with Frosty.

After they can canter we'll work on turning at the canter, and one rein stops in the third and fourth week.
The second/third week we'll introduce the poles and walk through them. Third week we'll work on trotting. At the end of the fourth week we'll canter.

So that is my grand plan. Definitely attainable.