Tina!

More rain getting in the way, but Tina was first on the docket. We had a great ground session to start. The riding lawn mower had her a little unsure, so we followed it around and built up confidence with it. She's so much faster with a confident response to new stimuli! Her foundation of bravery is better every day.

We worked on the teeter-totter more today. She seems to feel good about the teeter totter and she's always happy and eager to stand on it - even if I haven't asked her to. So, we're rocking it more slowly, adding more refinement to the task.

After a good warm-up, I mounted to work on trotting and isolation of the ends. While moving the fore (turning on the haunches), she's not as fluid as I want so we practiced that. She doesn't fully understand the isolation yet. We turned on the fore as well, and it's the same. She doesn't quite understand the isolation. I'd like that to get so soft that I don't need reins to move her that way. That will be when I know she understands the leg aid and following the feel of her rider's position.

Her trot is gorgeous to ride. She is so elevated and yet so smooth under saddle! It's amazing to feel her power. This week we will build the canter now that I know she's balanced carrying me at the trot. Her confidence is through the roof and I'm so proud.

At the end of our session, KK wanted to ride her. :-) She's been watching me develop Tina and I think she was curious. Since I'd already taken her saddle off, I let KK hop on bareback and I just led her around. While she was there, I asked her to fidget and wriggle, just make a lot of commotion to see how Tina was respond. Tina was rock solid. Pictures coming...

A great day of more foundation building with this awesome horse.