Z5 Driving

I had so much fun trying to do the weave from Z5 last night with Cheyenne, I decided to make that the focus of our play session today! This time, armed with TWO 22' lines (feather lines are looking like a good addition to my tack room right about now! :p) we headed out! At first Cheyenne was seriously confused. All she wanted to do was back up or turn, desperately trying to figure out why I was behind her and not beside her! I was getting a little frustrated, but eventually figured out that just holding my arms straight out and clucking helped her think forward. Whatever direction she walked in I took, and after a good twenty strides or so I stopped her and gave her a good scratch. We did this a few times, and I slowly started asking her to turn. It was like driving a sports car with extremely sensitive steering at first, getting dramatically sharp turns left and right (literally!).  However soon her head dropped, she got a little more relaxed and we began fine-tuning our communication :) We went over a log, did a little point-to-point, and then finally the weave!! The first one was a little all over the place, but three or four laps later she was pro! I love this mare, I can't stress enough how much "try" she offers! I get frustrated easily and instantly want to blame her when things get rocky, then I remember that I'm the leader, and whatever is happening is a reflection of myself, not her. I take a deep breath, give her a chance to try, and wha-la! Things are instantly better :) We kept it short tonight, but she made so much progress from start to finish I wanted to end on a good note before I pushed her too far and overwhelmed her, especially on day one. I am so grateful for this girl being a part of my life <3 She really has taught me so much, and especially about myself. If you truly want to make yourself a better person, get a horse; they will show you all your faults, and Parelli will show you how to make them better :)