So once again, I haven't updated regularly. But we've had some great rides. My first ride after this past post was a trail ride! He did sooo good too! Maille was having some malfunctions - spooking at the beginning of the trail as there are usually deer there. So I made Griff ride on ahead. He was super spooky about the whole thing, but he's never really been on a trail, and never been in front, so I was okay with it. We ended up trotting some of it, even through mud which he hated, and cantered along the straightaway toward home. He was soo happy about it.

The rides in between are a little blurry - its hard to remember everything! Which is why I usually update every other day.
/>Monday night Moni came to the barn while I was still there and rode Pom with Griff; we had already walked and trotted, doing some circles, serpentines. I had his running martingale on, which Monica came out and said only made him suck back, not stretch down, so I haven't used it since. I was going to go home early, but after Moni worked Pom and I [finally] got the right lead [after 3 tries and a crop]. We basically walked the horses out for an hour after that, Griff working on not getting too close to Pom and learning a bit of neckreining.

Between then and now, we worked on serpentines, circles, LOTS of bending, and, get this, turns on the forehand! The first time we tried it, we didn't really get it right? So we tried it again, and I got four crosses with the hind legs before he moved to do a turn on the haunch instead [what a weirdo, he'd rather do the more difficult manuever!]

This past Saturday [after giving him Friday off because, bleh, work!] we went to the barn for the Hallowe'en 'party'. Basically trails and a potluck. So I showed up at 1 and took my time grooming him. Ginny's owner was going, as well as Ty's owner, the lady that loves Griff to death. I called Moni, then warmed up in the indoor with a coupla Arabian's going around and Chelsea schooling one [badly, in a Kimberwicke. Gosh, don't you just love the bits they put in those horses? I'm more than happy keeping Griff in his rubber for the rest of his life!] So Moni showed up, tacked up real quick [she had thought we left without her :P] and we went outside. The wind was terrible, and clouds were everywhere, but not sticking around for long. By the time we got in the woods [6 in front of us, me second to last and Maille last] there was no wind and it was awesome! Lotsa mud, but that's good for Griff! Walked over sticks and logs and through puddles. He was very good, I couldn't believe it! Then the second group came up and instead of heading home with the rest, we rode with them in the huge field behind the barn that's overgrown [recently donated to the reserve I guess]. Trotted a bit, got pricked from prickers, pooped a LOT as Moni was clear to tell us :P and generally just had a grand old time.

That being said, the trail was a good 2hrs, so I gave him Sunday off.

After work on Monday, we had THE. BEST. ride. We put Adrianne's neck stretcher on, and there were a few times when he had the NICEST headset ever. Like a western pleasure pony. I really wanted to ride him in it, but I didn't because I didn't want to overload his brain.
So we did a lot of walk, circles that were very pretty, and an easy, relaxed trot. We were limited to half the ring [smooshed with 2 other riders] because there was a lesson at the other end of the arena [more 4h'ers in Kimberwickes, working on canter from the halt (totally not ready for when they loose their stirrups every few transitions) and flying changes (again, not ready for if you lean and chase your horse for)]. So we worked on some of that, consistancy of stride, bending, and moving into the corner that he HATES. Which was awesome, because he was more than willing to move off that leg! So, just for shits and giggles I put him against the wall and asked for a turn on the forehand. What I got blew my mind.
Complete 160 degrees, with one pause at 90 degrees for praise, with crossing in the back, and not more than two steps with the forefeet. We can't do that with half the school horses at LEC. He just stood there, really quiet, really relaxed and poised for action. So he got oodles of praise. So then we worked on really mild leg-yeilding [as in, cross over two steps to get back to the rail] and, as his word has become, I got a 'sure, whatever' response.
I was psyched. So then this little gymnastic was set up, two canter poles, one stride, then a lowlowlow oxer. So I asked Dylan's owner, who was leaving, to put the lower oxer pole down. So then we jumped that, and he was way too lazy to canter away, but we got a lot of 'umph' over the fence and he did great over the poles; fairly straight and forward.
So then we had to canter. I picked his bad lead first, just in case I had to fight, we'd end on a good note. But nothing - I asked, and he picked it up straight away! Just BAM! Yes mom! and we got all the way around the ring... on his BAD lead! I was so excited that we ended right there. Got off, side-passed him over a pole on the ground, and WAM! done!

I was so proud of him!

I didn't really work him last night - Michael came out because he might be working at the school barn, so I was teaching him some techniques on how to deal with problem horses and body language [which got me some funny looks, because Griff was making so much noise in the aisle and it looked scary to that Mother that was watching her kids lesson.] So I taught him the 'back', 'forward', 'move shoulders', and 'move haunch'. As well as picking feet. Then took him out to the arena and made him do it in a big space. So poor Griff :P

We'll see about tonight, its getting COLD!