Two more plays with Mr M

I played three days in a row this week with Maraschino - Day 2 -  I decided to work on asking him to go faster without getting emotional - since, as my friend pointed out, he only canters when he's emotional - ie being chased by Garbo or running from something scary.

I started the circles close to the yards for security and it took a good 30 minutes of circles and transitions to really get him to notice my ask for the downwards transitions. In the end I could just wiggle the rope a teeny but and he would go back to walk (instead of screeching to a complete halt). He went very introverted again though - boy it's a real challenge. On the one hand I can easily get him to do things Garbo is so difficult with, and yet he's so unconfident with it - not that 90% of people would pick the level of unconfidence up, but it's really clear.

After a good few circles going walk, trot, walk, trot, walk, trot, walk, stop, I stopped there and went up to the wash bay - he's not yet at the point where he's yawning or licking much online, so I decided to not unhalter him just yet and groom him instead.

After 30 minutes of that I unhaltered him - he did a big shake of his neck and head and a big yawn, but stayed with me looking for a carrot.

Day 3
So today I thought - what can I do which isn't circles and will build confidence. We did a bit of porcupine and yo yo and then figure 8 round the barrels. He gets it so quickly - and he's so good at it - so we just did that a few times. After a couple of overshoots he headed for the jump pole - interesting! But I said - no not the jump today, just Figure 8. (I moved the barrels further apart than they are in the photo).

I after some lovely trot Figure 8's I left it there, took him back to the wash bay and groomed him again.