Circles are my friends

Today dawned cold and windy ('cold' being mid-60's), making it a perfect day for Ruby torture.

Torture Device #1

I haven't done any real desensitizing with Ruby so I brought out the, well, fabric strips I guess you'd call them and a tarp.  On my way to the barn I even considered stopping for some foil balloons but then decided I was too lazy - soon, my pretty.  Instead, I decided to live on the edge by weighting down only half of the tarp. 

Various implements of Ruby torture

We did our usual 'turn your brain on' routine, which includes long-lining for 5-10 minutes. Then we walked through/over the obstacles a few times with me leading.  Then I mounted up.  No matter how long we've been working in the morning, she is always nervous for those first few minutes after mounting.  This is why circles are good friends of mine.  Doing enough small circles seems to get her refocused and thinking, whereas otherwise she's blowing and constantly trying to move up into a trot/canter.  Karma was another beast altogether.  She saw no reason to do circle after circle and would get pissed if I asked for too many.

When Ruby was ready, we rode over the tarp and through the fabric strips. Then the real test....the arena gate was open so I asked her to walk into the arena.  She asked to turn around a few times but then went in.  We turned in a circle and headed back to the open gate.  She had a bit more pep in her step heading back out - then I turned her back around and asked her to enter the arena again.  We did this over and over until there was no more excitement leaving the arena.  This is something I've been meaning to do for a while now because she's gotten to the point when we are riding that she's constantly trying to get back to the gate. 

This is one of those balancing acts that I'm never sure I'm doing right.  On the one hand, you should set your horse up for success.  On the other hand, sometimes you have to just see how your horse is going to react to a new or irritating or exciting or training situation.  I'm lucky that while Ruby voices her opinion, she doesn't argue.  What I mean is, when I ask her to trot she might pin her ears but when I insist, she trots instead of getting mean about it.  So lucky :)

I can haz cookie?