Some notes on these two videos:
- I’m using the square (and the cones) as a focal point and a cue for changes of orientation.
- Just playing with loose sideways movement, seeing what’s possible with the sides and the corners.
- Tail swishing - some is a response to the pressure of my requests, but there are a lot of flies in the arena, too.
- Doing my best to let her figure out what to do with her body in order to respond to my ask, so I don’t “correct” her when she brings her head and neck up when I change the orientation to the square. That’s just information. And most of the time she softens a little within a few steps.
- Going to the right (second video), we run into a little trouble. She’s been reinforced for canter, so that’s her go-to, especially since a “haunches-in idea” is more difficult for her. I ask her not to, and she gets a little upset. I pause a few times and ask for more lateral work which is pushing it for her, so I have the opportunity to work on a little bit of distress tolerance. Is it the best idea? I don’t know. The last time it came up we were outside in the field, and it was a much bigger reaction to a much smaller ask. I figured this was a safe risk, and if we totally lost all flow I could do something else or quit. She does try, which is awesome and will translate to the next time.
