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continued...
This past weekend we successfully completed a 25 mile ride. Our successes were due to the Focus Equine product, which Oreo got five consecutive days prior to the ride. On Friday when we went for our warm-up ride, Oreo was able to walk out of camp to the start area and up the first hill. He waited for me to tell him he could trot-out. When
I asked for a walk downhill, he was able to stretch his neck out with
the reins dropped on his neck and continue a relaxed and focused walk,
instead of pulling forward to trot or jig. He felt like he had energy, but was able to listen to my aids and stay in the present with me. On Saturday morning I noticed that he stayed relaxed in his pen while the 50-milers were leaving. During tack-up he stayed relaxed, not agitated. I
mounted him from my trailer and we walked out of camp, with two very
short episodes of jig, which he stopped when I asked with a half-halt. The
first five miles are difficult with a lot of strenuous uphill climbing,
and included the warm-up ride route which again we walked the downhill
in relaxed mode with the reins dropped on his neck. This is a miracle for Oreo! At about five miles we met up with some other riders on the trail and our horses got more forward. The
difference this time for Oreo was that when I half-halted him, he came
up underneath me and waited for me to give him direction, instead of
always pulling through and forging ahead.
Although he was forward for most of the ride, wanting to trot out faster than our pace, he stayed, well, focused! I am so happy that we eliminated the rodeo-start!
Sara Reid - June 19, 2008
Santa Rosa, CA
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