Sidereins Monday

Alternative title, "Annie hates Mondays!"

Monday is the only day I have the ring to myself so it's a better day to do anything that might involve me stirring up a lot of dust or running over someone else. 

After a lesson with Nancy where I discussed my difficulty getting Annie to do her canter transitions with her head in a reasonable location she suggested teaching it in sidereins.  She thought that with fixed sidereins and the backing of a lunge whip I could cement the connected transition in Annie's mind without having to worry about staying on!  It also might help with her sulking behind the contact and trying to buck. 

So far it seems to be working, Annie isn't really stretching down into the sidereins but she's not refusing to move or grumping at them either.  She finds the canter transition difficult but she is actually doing it although it's obviously more difficult for her to the right.

One thing that has zero improvement is her downward transition to the walk which she still does by sticking her head up as far as possible and ramming her mouth against the bit.  Hopefully after a few more Siderein Mondays she will get the picture.  Interesting how the downward transition to the slowest gait is the hardest place to keep the contact.  Due to the lack of forwardness?