Today's driving day

Both girls got trimmed this morning woo!

I went out and worked on Daisy's driving. She did pretty well. I'm still trying to incorporate the clicker training with everything. The last couple times I drove her it was more 'traditional' style. I'm still trying to figure out how to combine the two.I think my ultimate goal is to have them responding to mostly vocal commands
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overall she did well, I was teaching her to move off tapping of the whip on her hips. Tap the right hip to go right, etc. At this point I didn't have my reins connected to the bit,just had them snapped to the rings on her halter.I also was just focusing on the whip part too, so no rein pressure at all. I figure I gotta break it up into little pieces. (light tapping!)

so i worked a bit on each side, then once I felt like she had a pretty good understand of it, I started to mix it up a bit. she did pretty well.Its neat seeing her try to figure out what I'm asking, her little brain working lol. there were times we just kept walking in  a circle, but not the direction I was asking LOL! then the first step in the right direction C/T.

I decided to mix it up a bit, I started working on forward movement, most of the time it ended up with her walking in a circle- as soon as she took a straight step forward I c/t. I didn't get as far as I wanted too with the forward walking.  still trying to figure out how to clicker train that.

She also tried -at the very beginning to go back down the alley way to the shelter. she learned that yes we can go down there, but it doesn't mean we're quitting! LOL I worked her back out of it. she then proceeded to walk straight to the gate at the end of the pasture, as if to say 'we're going out right??' She always seems a little bummed and not motivated to work in the pasture.

I guess I should be happy that sh readily walks in a circle it's better than donkey glue and no movement at all. Trying to get in as much training as possible before the Little Equine festival in October.

9.12.10
Just did some research, and found this blog, for some reason this helps me alot! LOL i HAD been doing this with Daisy, maybe I just progressed to fast and she wasn't sure what walk on meant, or she's being a butt. anywho, glad I found this, it cleared my frustrated brain from yesterday. Maybe we will try it today.

http://portraitswithhorses.com/blog/?p=706