Josie day 17- was a very good day

After 5 days off, yesterday's session started with saddling at the hitching rail (just like an ole broke horse now!) then sending her at liberty around our round pen, she's really wanting to hook on right away now. Have a look at this next video, you will see that Josie has a distance limit to where she will hook on. If Shayla is more than 12 ft. away, Josie loses the hook.
I'm not too concerned about that, after a few more sessions I think she will be connected at more distance.
She did fairly well at liberty sacking out; one spot where Shayla got in her blind spot and Josie got a bit worried, but she is much improved.


Next up was putting a bridle on and teaching her to give to the rein, just sending her around and maintaining a soft bend.



Once she had that figured, it was time for the rein around exercise, again, she handled it well; this is the same thing I have done with the halter and lead rope with her ever since she was a foal, so she understood the concept and it didn't take much to translate to giving to the bridle rein.



After that, Shayla walked beside her and prompted her to go forward, and did some steering exercises.


Next up was stirrup driving; getting her used to the bump of the stirrup as if she was using her legs and bumping as well as getting her used to the flapping of the stirrup leathers.


That was a pretty good session, and by the end of it Josie was giving Shayla lots of snuggles .

It's interesting to see the layers of reactivity and resistance just fade away with this filly. She gets softer and lighter with each session. Can't wait to see her work today! Something new- ground driving.