After she had gained confidence I began riding her out with small groups of horses. I took her on a few 10-15km trail rides, and then turned her out on boxing day of 07.
Up until that time she had had no contact on her mouth accept during downward transitions and turning. At the start of February. I brought her back in with the goal of taking her to her to her first ridden outing, a dressage training day on the 16th of March.

After riding her a couple of times after comming back in. The first thing I did with her was teach her to leg yeild. Also after a few rides, I started to lunge her in running reins, so that we could begin the understandings of having a contact whilst going forward, and also geting her to give at the pole, go round and soften. I lunged her every second day for about a week.

I then started to ask her to have a contact and soften whilst riding her. This took a little work as she could not quite understand why I was holding her mouth and asking her to go forward at the same time. So for the next few weeks, I worked on softness (long and low with a contact), forward and leg yeilding. I mostly did this on the trail. But once a week I would do it on the flat and work on it on circles.

Last week, I floated her into the grounds where the event will be held. I showed her what a dressage arena looks like (I ride in a paddock) It was a little scary but she was a good girl.

Last week I got my dressage saddle back from the saddle fitters. Thank god. My half breed was doing nothing for my position, and I was having trouble applying my aids correctly.
For the last week or so, I have been focusing more on my transitions. I have been working on getting them more active. We have also been doing more inside leg to outside rein work, by riding a lot of squares and leg yeilding on the circle. I have also started to do a little more canter work. The only time I had been cantering her was for short lengths on the trail. But we have now started a little canter on the flat.

For the training day we are doing a Prepatory test. It should be entertaining. I doubt we will be able to turn up the centre line, and she has no idea how to go into a corner. But I still think it will be great fun to get out.

Last Edited By: izziesmum Mar 7 08 8:18 PM. Edited 2 times.