DEBBIE RODE SIMON FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY
Simon is being consistently quiet about being handled, saddled, mounted. Though he did pull back twice today at the tie rack. Both times, he didn't over react and did come forward off the pressure to stand quietly. I started out riding him with a demonstration of what I had taught him and how he was responding to my cues. Though responsive, he was a little more sensitive to the bit than I would like to see, especially at the trot and would lift his nose in the air, especially when I asked for lateral shoulder movement. Then, we went on a walk, crossing several water crossings and stepped up and down a small bank. He was relaxed and steady. At this point, I walked, and Debbie rode Simon. He seemed to be as comfortable with her as he was with me and was well behaved.
When Debbie left, I tied Simon up and let him stand awhile before taking him back out to do some trot work. At the beginning of our session, Simon continued to react to my asking for lateral movement by lifting his nose. Every time he did, I took the slack out of the reins and held soft pressure until he dropped his nose. Then I released the pressure and asked for a little more forward movement. By the end of our ride, Simon was beginning to move forward smoother without being as sensitive to the bit and beginning to be more responsive to individual rein cues and my presignals when I asked him to slow down.
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