Domino

[Kelsey]

Hey everyone. Since today was my first ride on Domino, I thought I would start a training log for him!

Well, today I took him out and gave him a good grooming. Then I booted his front legs and poloed his hind legs and tacked up. First Erin just lunged him at the walk, jog and lope to get all his sillies out of him and then I got on him. I was on a 20 meter circle the whole lesson so I started by doing lots of walk circles and change of directions. When I was more comfortable on him, I picked up a jog. His jog is amazing! It's collected but still has a bounce to it. After some jog circles and some change of direction through the circle at the jog we did some stops.

When I got to the fence I would lean back a bit and say "woah"
He response very well to voice commands and is also sensitive to when you shift your weight. So after he stopped, I would do a mini trot roll back. I would do a turn on the haunch to the fench and trot off to the opposite direction. After I did this a few times in both directions I went in the indoor for a few minutes.

When I got in there I also did a 20 meter circle. We backed up a few times and I found out he has a very soft mouth! As soon as you half halt on the reins...he backs up! Domino has the sweetest personality and I couldn't have asked for a better horse. I had an amazing first ride and I can't wait to start doing some actual reining at the end of the summer. I think I am going to ride him again tomorrow. I will keep you updated!

[Erin ♥]

Yay! I'm so happy that you two are clicking! You look really good together and it would be a sin to see that go to waste!

[Kelsey]

Thanks so much Erin
Today, I rode Domino again. First I lunged him at the walk, jog and lope in both directions. When I got on I went on a 20 meter circle and warmed up with some walk roll backs in both directions. Then when we picked up our jog we did lots of circles and jog roll backs in both directions. I was really impressed and I have a lesson tomorrow with Erin and I am going to lope for the first time on him! I am soooo excited. I will let everyone know how that goes.

[stacey]

You and Domino sound like the perfect match He is a gorgeuse horse, your super lucky!!

[Kelsey]

Thanks Stacey : )

[star]

We need some more pictures Kelsey!

[Kelsey]

I know, I will get some the next time I have someone down watching me ride!
Yesterday I had a lesson with Erin, and it was raining so I had it in the indoor arena! Tuesday was the first time I rode in 2 weeks because I was in Florida, so I was still pretty sore from the previous ride. So we mostly worked on a 20 meter circle.

To warm up we walked in both directions while me and Erin talked about what we have to work on. So when we figured that out, I picked up and jog. His jog was excellent! So after and few jogging circles in both directions, I started to ask him to give with his head. He has a very soft mouth so he did that very quickly, and apparently it looked nice too! After doing that in both directions we picked up our lope, starting to the left.

Because Domino wasn't worked for 2 weeks his canter transitions were a bit rusty. They usually aren't the greatest anyways because I haven't learned all his buttons yet and also because he is still only 5 and he needs some more balance. But we try, so what he does is when you ask him to lop, he makes the circles smaller and smaller and starts leaning in, then he gets so unbalanced that he has to break to a jog!

So we worked on his lope transitions in both directions and worked on getting him to stop leaning in. Then he got a walk break before we worked on roll backs! At first I didn't know what to do so he wasn't stopping or turning on the haunches right, as you can see I am still a greenie in reining. haha. So once Erin explained how to do it and we did it a few times, he was doing them great! I had an excellent ride and I think I am going to ride today, so i'll keep you updated!

[maria]

Rollbacks!!! That' s pretty cool! I'll have to come down and watch you ride sometime and get some pics

[Elsabé]

Yay Kelsey and Domino!!

I wish I was in NL I miss you and your hyperness

'Lets jump out the window!' rofl, good times..

[Kelsey]

I wish you were in Newfoundland too! : (
haha I miss you.... good times is right! : )haha

[Kelsey]

Today I rode him in the indoor on a twenty meter circle at walk, jog and lope and we were mostly working on roll backs! He was a super star! I was so proud of him! I recently found out he was never ridden bareback before! So today when I was cooling out I decided to try him bareback for the first time because he was so tired! hahaI got on him and he was amazing! We did walk and a bit of jog! He is pretty comfortable but when he puts on a bit more weight he will be like a couch
He was so good I couldn't help myself but to make him a bran mash
He loved it!

[horsecrazy]

aww domino is such a cutie!!!!

[katlyn]

you should get some pics of you guys riding !

[Kelsey]

Katlyn-Next time I ride and my Mom isn't busy, i'll ask her to come down and take a few pictures!
Marah- Thank-you!

[katlyn]

ok that's be awesome !