Magic and I rode this morning. We worked on the lunge and the cavaletti. When he pays attention, and he usually does, his feet land in the middle between the poles just like they should. He seemed more inclined to break into a canter today which he did I think three times. Possibly he is getting more balanced and able to slow down a bit. I rode him around the lunge area and around the bull pen. When we practiced stopping, he stopped straight and stood still, just like he should. I think this is the first time he stopped without stepping sideways before and after and the first time he did not move while stopped. I thought it might be an accident the first time. We did it again and he did it right again. I told him he was a good boy and we quit the “work session”. I think he has it. I do not like to reach a goal, such as this, and then to practice it again and again. Practice does not make perfect for me and my animals. My feeling is that if I repeat it over and over, my horse will think “Well, this must not be the right way because he keeps doing it over and over. He must want something different.” I do know good trainers that repeat and test but that does not work for me. I think it is my personality or id that causes it. Magic might improve with practice, practice, practice with somebody else but it does not work with me.
We rode around the Sycamore pasture. Spring is about two weeks early this year. It was good weather and a good ride.