Quickies

Last lesson from Mike:
- Willig is using poodle as excuse to be naughty
- If he bucks, turn him in a circle, so his hind legs cross
- My interpretation: we're dumbo with his feather (I hope) for the draw reins - Mike pointed out they're slack a lot of the time.
- We're making smaller (dressage arena size, not full arena size - I'm so lucky to be at Forest Park) circles so he isn't "surprised" as he comes around the corner.
Although after that lesson, I felt like I didn't "get" anything (but should have, and wanted to) - now that I've been working on it, I actually retained a lot more than I thought.

Willig in general:
- He's too skinny. Even though he is eating a hefty amount for how hard I work him, he's showing some ribs and hips. I'm going to Panacur PowerPac him, and we're going to try some probiotics for a few months.
- The plan is to try training for a month - hopefully in October if the weather hasn't gotten too horrible, keep working on me, and then maybe do some tune up riding when he comes back, if John Camlin thinks he's still got potential to be the horse for me.

Lesson with Shannon:
- Keep my outside rein contact! I drop this ALL the time.
- Keep thinking about pushing my legs forward. This position feels so much more secure.
- Plant my hands up on Willig's neck as we approach the fence, and hold my fingers so I don't let go of the reins. The reins need to be much shorter than feel "normal" to me - almost like my arms are extended.
- Let Willig figure it out. If he is a goof and rides around a circle on the wrong lead with three opportunities (x the number of times we go around the circle) to change it - let the light bulb go off in his head.
- I'm not a terrible rider and doing terrible things to him to make him act up. He needs some training because he's green, and I can't do it myself.
- We worked on a big circle (20 m) with three little cross rails, and it took me a looonnnggg time to not jump ahead, not let go of the reins, not yank my hands, etc. etc.
- We also worked on some flat, keeping him held together and engaged and actually working (I think squeeze and release on the inside rein, and push with my inside leg like I want a half pass going past the scary door), and those things combined mean he's too busy to look for the poodle.

We also started walking outside (twice now) with a bag of treats, and eating treats next to the poodle's house. Fortunately, we have been able to do it twice sans poodle, but the second time, Willig was about ready to jump in the yard where the poodle lives if I would just hurry up and give him the treat.