Definately a HUGE breakthrough with Bill this past weekend!!!

Went trail riding with Dar and one of her friends...we were headed home, and they were cantering/trotting all over the place. Usually Bill will just try to blow right through any slow down cues, so since I have taught him the one rein stop cue, I figured I would try it --AMAZING results. I JUST BARELY picked up on the left rein, and he went from a trot (which he had picked up w/o command) to a walk. Dropped the rein,...

Just had to add in a pic from camping this weekend...ignore how bad I look, and that the reins are tight (bad me!) but we were trying desperately to get the horses to stand for a pic, and Bill desperately wanted to be on the trails already!

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It was a camping trip this weekend, and Bill did wonderful. He was a great ride on the trails all weekend no matter who was on him. Rode him a bit Friday night at home, and he was a complete brat, but that was to be expected since it was so long since I rode him.

This weekend on the trails rode him in a tom thumb bit, and though I really don't like those for most horses, it seems to work for him. I needed something stronger than the snaffle on the trails (and my snaffle wasn't even...

Fair parade was tonight, and Bill was a lot better than I expected. I put him in the wonder-bit just to be on the safe side, as it seems every year someone gets run off with/dragged in front of the grandstand, and I didn't want it to be me this year. Bad move -- he HATES that bit. I have no idea why, he was fine with it a couple of years ago, and it fits, and I made sure it was adjusted correctly. But he was tossing his head almost constantly the whole parade -- though I think a lot of it was...

Worked with Bill for about 45 minutes...and it was great! Worked on using primarily seat and leg cues, and by the end of the session he was working almost solely off of them, and I was only using reins to re-inforce something he didn't listen to. He's sore on his back legs where he chipped off some hoof, so I think I am going to contact a new farrier -- I'm not sure I'm happy with how Tony is doing the trimming these days. Due to the soreness, we only walked, as when we trotted he did a small...