Horse Training

Today, after we got home from pick up at the aucion hall, I took Bannie out to work with him in the round pen. I started out by lunging him. He kept slowing down when he got near the gate so as he passed by it, before he could slow down, I'd turn up the intensity of my cues, so he didn't get a chance to disobey. Then I tried to work on a new method of bending I learned...didn't get too far on that. He is so tall and I'm so short :) so I couldn't get the pressure I needed. Plus he only had a halter on instead of the bridle. Then I decided to ride him. I hadn't been intending to ride. I didn't want to get the saddle so I just threw the bridle on and jumped on bareback.  We walked around a few minutes, then I stepped in up to a trot. This was the first time I was able to trot bareback without holding on to his mane. I had a few near spills but managed to catch myself. He kept running me into the fence on the gate side of the pen and swerving away from the fence on the opposite side, so I started pushing him to the fence one way, and cutting it off the other way. He figured it out pretty quick! Then I decided to try the bending (or flexing) mounted. I worked on it for awhile and eventually, he would touch his rib cage with his nose with little encouragement. One problem I've been having alot of trouble with is that he is very heavy on the turns. He wants to swing his whole body instead of planting his hips and swinging his shoulders. Since I got him light in his face and neck, he actually planted his hips a few times and turned light and quick!!! I was really excited! We've got a few more hurdles to work through but I think we're finally getting somewhere. He got spoiled when we finished!! Fresh hay and a blanket. He was sweaty and I didn't want him to get chilled. It's in the forty's but there's a bit of a breeze. Smoke's turn is next. I have to do the roundpenning with her. That takes about 3 hours, then I have some finer details of her training I want to work on. She really is a sweet girl and will make a fine horse with a little bit more training. She just turned 16 on April 6th and Bannie turned 18 on the 9th. You couldn't guess either of thier ages by looking at them!! We won't tell Smoke we know her age!!
It's been cold and raining here. Our property value just went up...we have lake front property!!! Ther is huge puddles of water everywhere. Hopefully it's about over. The farmers are anxious to start planting but the fields are too wet still. One farmer said he was planting corn on the 15th of March last year! Not this year!
I've been working on getting the second book in the computer. I'm on chapter 9...Light in the Night. Hmmm....are you curious?!
Got to get back to work on it.
Lauren