Training Kai- Day 10

I have the philosophy that if you increase your expectations, you will increase the results. Today, I was expecting better performance from Kai- and I got it. I went straight to saddling- brushed him, threw on the pad and then the saddle.....

As you can see, he did sidestep towards the rail, but compared to every other time this was a huge improvement. Tomorrow, I will expect him to not sidestep. A little improvement each time is ok with me, as long as he is trying.
At the round pen, I went straight to the long lines, with the off side line over the saddle for a few laps (at a nice relaxed walk, good boy Kai!) and then I let the line down around his hip and back legs. I started with his left side. He was good- he did break into a trot, but I was able to get him back into that nice low headed walk. Did this both ways, and then started drifting further back so that I was walking more behind him as if I was actually driving him instead of longeing. This was a little more concerning for him, but overall I was pretty happy with how it went.

I even asked him to do outside turns, both ways and he got it. Remember, this is still with one line through the stirrup and one line free, so I couldn't ask for inside turns. That was a good session, so I took the lines off, tightened the cinch, moved him out a step or two and put my foot in the stirrup and..... no, I didn't climb on but it sure felt like I could have. I just weighted the stirrups and bounced up and down, both sides, then came back to the left side and pulled myself up enough to get my other foot off the ground- Kai only moved when my toe bumped his elbow, once I put my foot in a better position he was fine.
Boy, did I have a big grin after all that! What a good session.