Louisiana!

On Monday I'm off to Louisiana for a training week with Suzanne. Clair will definitely be coming along, and I'd love to bring Kota if he'll get on the trailer. I have been sadly remiss in his remedial trailer training. I worked with him today and got both front feet on board -- gave him some soaked alfalfa to eat as he stood like that, and called it a day. I'll work with him again tomorrow. He's supposed to get trailered to the vet (along with Clair) on Friday for their health certificates, so if he doesn't get on the trailer on Friday then he's not going to Louisiana, which would be too bad. My fault, though, for not working on this all year. I need to start taking the truck out when I work the horses, hitch up, and make Dakota get on every single time I'm out. He's not one that you can pressure into getting on. He sulls up and the mustang in him comes roaring out (tight spaces are not his thing -- BLM trauma). I need to give him him the time to let it be his idea.

In other news, Clair LOVES canter poles. If she gets up a head of steam as we head toward one, she always leaves out a stride and leaps like she's jumping the Grand Canyon. I've been moving away from approaching them on too long of a line. We did have one exciting day where I set up three canter poles together. She left out a stride and threw herself over the first one; I got a little left behind and bumped her in the back, so she bucked over the second pole, and then during the buck she farted, scared herself, and bolted halfway around the area. I rode it out in front of the pommel. Another time she overjumped the pole by about three feet and I ended up hanging off the side. She politely stopped and let me pull myself back up. I'm keeping at it because I can get the flying change to the left about 85% of the time over a pole. The change to the right is starting to feel smooth as butter. I need to work on canter half pass -- that'll probably help the change to the left too.

I just ordered a double bridle and bits for Clair! Having it shipped ahead to Louisiana so Suzanne can help me fit it. The double is optional at third level and required at fourth, so it's time to introduce it.