Testing the arena

The haying paddock has now been locked up, and I am forced to either ride out, or use the arena in the amphetheatre. I am a bit weary of the fact that it has no fence. Princess and Crownie have always had a slight issue with the open side. So I build a temporary fence around the open side. (Two sides have a high bank, where the arena has been cut into the hill.)

I saddle up Gally, and take him down there. He lunges well, and seems to accept the space, the view and the new fence. Then I ride him, and yes, he is still pulling faces at me. I really don't enjoy the "airs" stuff, so I try avoid using the whip. Gosh I am a big girly wuss. Surely there must be a better way.

I decide that he must learn to move off my legs. So, how about seeing how well he moves off one leg at a time. I do small circles in walk, getting him to move sideways off the inside leg, and yielding to the inside rein. Here, I start having some success. Ears forward, yielding to the rein, and moving off the leg. It's almost like I am speaking Gally's language, and now that he understands what I am asking he is happy to do it.

(I learnt the small circle trick from a western trainer when I had problems with Princess rearing. I ponder the idea of having a lesson on Gally with him.)

The next step is to make the circle larger, until eventually you are pretty much going straight. But we don't get that far in this session.