Oh Daniel..... It's time for zero tolerance again. I should have seen it coming. With Funny arriving, the boys delicate tier of superiority has been set off balance.
This morning I went out to toss hay and Dan came cantering up and bit my arm and cantered off. He bit me hard too! Hard enough that I thought it was bleeding and I was wearing a fairly thick jacket. It wasn't bleeding, but it left a bruise and a "burn" mark and it hurts! It's swollen too. Unfortunately I had nothing to throw at him or beat him with so I yelled and chased him. Then I was still mad so I went and got the carrot stick and the rope halter and caught him. Then he worked... left, right, left, right, stop, back up, go right, left, right, etc. And while he was cross cantering (wrong lead behind, both directions, which I'm hoping is related to it being slightly slick out and him being slightly frantic and a smaller circle), he was also straighter in his head. And when I "half halted" the rope, he actually straightened his neck. So yay for that at least. ;)
So then, if that wasn't enough shenanigans... I turned him out with Fleck for a little bit before we went to ride. When I went to go put fresh hay in the trailer I saw him up in the corner of the pasture by the feeder and I saw motion... what?? The goober had pulled the hose as far from the spigot as it would stretch and was twirling it like a jump rope!! He's such a hoot!
We went to go ride with Kelli. We were planning on taking turns and helping each other and then going for a hack. Kelli was a little late so I went ahead and got Dan tacked up and did a little bit of quick lunging. Then she showed up and helped me make sure I was doing my homework correctly. She was helpful too! Really helpful. She pointed out that my attempt at shoulder in, or even shoulder fore, was not so much correct. I was trying to move my shoulders and not my hips, but... I was turning the bicycle wheel instead of turning my core. So... instead of keeping my elbows at my side and turning at my waist to turn my shoulders... I was just bringing my outside hand forward and bringing my inside hand back. Ohhhhhhh..... that makes a lot of sense! I have to be the wall on the outside. I have to be firm and strong, but supple when he is, but... throwing that outside hand forward does NOT create a wall. And same thing with the canter. And when I'm cantering to the right, I almost need to sink into my outside leg a little... not sit left, in fact I need to sit right, but I need a firmer outside leg. I need a better wall. And I can bring my outside leg slightly back to help guide the haunches in too and bring my right/inside shoulder back a little (or turn my head to look to the inside of the circle) to help align my body better and get him straighter. Aha. It wasn't perfect, but we had some really nice stuff. :)
After we were done, I pulled Dan's bridle off and he stood politely tied to the trailer eating his hay while Kelli lunged and then rode Marvin. Then we went for a very short hack.
Then we came home and I turned him out with Funny for a little bit before dinner. :) They love each other so much. I think she has a crush on him... whereas with Fleck, she respects him. It's like Fleck is Dad and Danny is a boyfriend, that Dad does NOT like or approve of. Ha ha.. Poor ponies...
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