Mandi and I had a really nice session today. We started off with all the basics we’ve been working on. Once on her and warmed up, I decided to start teaching her how to do changes of direction at the trot, serpentines, circles, half circles, figure 8′s - anything to get her to start understanding the change of rein and all that encompasses. She did really well.

When it comes to overall balance, her left shoulder is the heavier one. the left side in general is where she wants to lean.

So with that work done, I decided to ask her for canter, and asked her to go to the right first, knowing that is easier for her on the longe. She doesn’t have a canter cue, so we trotted into it, and I kissed to her, using the same cue she knows on the longe. She picked it up just fine, and kept it for a few rounds. She’s your typical green horse- unbalanced. But no funny- business. So, then we went the other way, and after doing some shoulder moving work at the walk, I asked her to canter to the left. That direction was a bit tougher balance wise, but she did it willingly.

Had a nice long cool-out, grooming session, and then dewormed her.

She was a good girl for everything.