This week, Newt continued to ride in the arena. I continue to do a bit of groundwork before getting on to be sure that he using the thinking side of his noggin, especially with the chilly & windy weather. Once in the saddle, we've continued to work on Flexing, Yielding the HQ, One Rein Stops, Cruising, & Follow the Fence. This week, I've also focused a fair bit on his steering with softness & responsiveness in mind. He had a few tight moments during the windy weather as he's still unsure of the dogs doing their thing beside the arena. Newt has been quite comfortable & I catch him & his pen mates snoozing on the cameras in their pens from time to time.
Next week, I'll begin wearing spurs as I introduce Bend at the Walk & Bending Transitions. If things are going well, I may also introduce Vertical Flexion at the Standstill, Draw to a Stop, & Backing. With the warmer temps, I would like to head down the gravel road towards the end of the week to get some miles on there, but we'll see how things go. He'll also get another bath.
- Lexy Nuesch
Next week's update will be posted on Saturday.
I do my best to get these updates posted in a timely manner, but it's not uncommon for me to be outside until after dark, depending on the weather, my schedule, & who gets worked when so updates will sometimes be posted quite late in the evening. Don't be alarmed if you don't see your update right away. In rare cases, I may have to push them until the next morning, but I'll reach out & let you know if so.