Hi,
In the last email, I introduced you to The expanding ellipse lesson.
With the two mats and two opposite cones that are moved further away from each other, this setup is a great way to increase the distance that your horse walks from one mat to the next, and it creates a balance puzzle through the sharp turns.
As the ellipse gets narrower, the next logical step is to merge the two mats into one, remove the cones in the center, and keep only the two cones opposing each other. This pattern creates a figure 8.
Lesson 4: The figure 8
As the horse steps on the mat, click and treat, you can send her out and around the cone, creating a nice turn. She uses her inside hind end to step under her weight as she steps around. Then, as she sees the mat, she steps forward to get to the mat.
This creates lovely, gymnastically beneficial turns, the foundation for lateral work, and results in beautiful self-carriage.
You can create a pause on the mat asking for “grown-ups” before changing sides and sending her out again around the next cone.
This setup also establishes your cues for going out and coming back in.
Here’s the lesson with Blondie:
Try out this pattern, and let me know how it goes.
In the following email, I will share how I expand the lesson further.
Have fun,
Michaela