Played online for about 30 minutes sending Renegade to touch obstacles with his nose using about 20' of the 22' line. Played with sideways along the fence trying to speed it up a bit...the nose is willing but the hq not so much...really need to work on that!! Played with splitting Renegade in half over a log and it took about 1" for him to "get it"...didn't dwell on it, moved on to circling game...he really wasn't in to it...kept diving for grass or stopping to graze so oh boy...got to change direction each time. It took about 6 changes in each direction then he offered 2 laps at a trot.
Saddled up and played with owning the hoof...having him place one of his front feet on the frisbee...repeated 4 times and he got it...rest, rubs, and a bite or two of grass were the reward. Next was forward half way over the log then sidepass 10'...had to repeat twice and he got it...much nicer today...hq not lagging so much...I think he's figured out what to do with his feet!! Next was follow the rail at walk then trot...of course Renegade is a super star at this game...he loves "going somewhere" even if it is along a fence rail. For variety I added in turning his nose in to the rail and asking his hq to move sideways...turning the FTR into a sideways. We did it at the walk this time until he gets himself sorted out. Renegade did well but again the hq were lagging some but we'll get there as he figures it all out. Next was practicing opening and closing the gate. Sideways to the gate - Renegade sometimes gets unconfident and tries to leak forward so had to repeat 4 times to get a nice sidepass to the gate. Lots of rest for Renegade while I petted the gate!!
Rode the weave pattern at a walk and Renegade was responding nicely to my body language; didn't have to use the reins but once in 4 passes through the weave. YEAH...this is huge for us!!
Did 2 laps at the trot on a 60 meter circle, Renegade had a nice bend going to the left...still working on his bend going to the right...it's getting better though.
Back to the gate and sidepassed to it from about 6' away, stopped for 30 seconds, reached over to unhook the gate, asked Renegade for 1 sideways step with me holding on to the gate and whoop, whoop...we did it!! The best part? Renegade didn't try to shove the gate open with his nose instead...that's his default move..in fact he didn't try to go through the gate at all, he was checking in with me, something he's not done in the past...he would assume an open gate meant he should go through it whether I asked him to or not!! Another huge moment for us.
Didn't work on the bowtie tonight...Renegade didn't have great impulsion so I decided not to "go there"...I didn't want to make him do it...far better to wait until he's in the mood to offer!!
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