May 31st

Yesterday we worked on cantering Frosty. It didn't go too bad. Basically I spent 15 minutes on the ground doing ground work. I did cantering, and all that stuff. When she was walking nicely Aleythia got on. For the next little while we just trotted around. Basically in that little while I taught her that in order to be more comfortable all she had to do was slow down. If I got her into a gait and she slowed down I didn't worry about it. I figured that the sooner she choose to get out of a canter the better. She also choose a spot in our circle as her safe spot and would stop every time we came to that spot. That was perfectly fine with me. It might save us some trouble. You could teach your horse to have a safe spot. When he gets a little uncomfortable just stop him in that spot and let him relax. And then I asked for a canter. It took a little bit, and she cantered one stride before doing a little hop and stopping. We tried one more time to get her to canter, and she maybe did half a stride before slowing down. I think part of the reason she was a little uncomfortable was because the saddle was coming up onto her withers. I think that when we go over there today we'll get Ana's lighter saddle and see if that makes a difference.

We didn't canter with Coffie. She just felt way too nervous. Sometimes I wonder if I'm being too cautious and really don't have to worry about it. Compliments of getting bucked off of Toffy one to many times. For example I rode Santana yesterday, and when I put my foot in the stirrup he started bucking. After doing a little bit of ground work I got back on again and walked around for a little bit. I wanted him to trot, but I was worried about it. What if he bucks? What if I fall off?
Geez I don't remember ever having problems with that. I wasn't afraid to get bucked off. I could stay on Santana when he bucked. Sometimes I fell off, sometimes I didn't. With the fillies I'm worried that when I do something with them that puts me in a vulnerable position that something will scare them and they will start bucking. It's not okay. It's not okay for my confidence to fall off every time the fillies buck. I think if I could stay on just a few of their bucking fits that would really help, but I haven't been able too. With Santana I new that turning him would work. With the fillies they just lean against the pressure and buck harder. I half wonder if I just left the reins alone and let them stop on their own if they would. I wonder how long I could stay on. I just don't have enough fortification to let them do that though. I would love to see what happens if I didn't do anything to hamper them from bucking. It's not like anything I do works anyway.
But I rode Santana today so that I could pony Toffy and Dash. I trotted with Frosty and walked with Dash. Both of them were pretty good. Toffy kept up, and Dash had a little bit of trouble with that, but she got better. It's funny. When I stop when ponying, Santana will swing his hindquarters out so that he's in front of the horse we're leading. It's kinda nice.
Today I want to try cantering Frosty again, and ride the other three. With Toffy I think we'll lead her around for a little bit than lunge. I think that we really just need to start riding her again. She doesn't feel so tense when we sit on her anymore.
If we're going to go today it has to be in the morning. I think we'll leave at ten and get back by one. We have a wedding to go to at three!