Today I got Liberty patterns and a natural hackamore! I loooooooove liberty. It feels great to put in all that hard work, then be able to take off all the ropes, and STILL have your horse asking you all kinds of questions, "What now? Circle? Sideways to that barrel over there? Or just hang out?" I love having a conversation and communication with my horses. I've really noticed how much they appreciate knowing what's expected of them, kind of eliminates the pressure. Both right brain and left brain, in any savvy. And I feel confident knowing what they expect of me, feels like it takes away the direct line thinking.
The hackamore is wonderful. It has such a great feel to it. Tucker hates the snaffle, and while we're working on bridle savvy, it's great to have a little more clear communication down the reins rather than just a halter and lead rope. I see him getting bored in the round pen when we ride. While I've advanced into the levels on the ground, I found I still have some old habits to break in the saddle. My mind draws a blank sometimes, and I need to be more interesting. No more circle circle circle. Break out the toys!
I also started Tuck on a new diet...in reverse. I hope to help him gain weight. So we'll see how it goes. I'm really excited to have found a natural way of adding calories to thin boy's feed!