So, I've worked Sherwood Tuesday and yesterday, and I have pictures I'd love to show off. See??

How gorgeous is she??

I can't seem to get anyone to take picture of us riding, and I barely managed to get these (because I was also holding a lunge line!), but after a good warmup, we lunged over some cavaletti, then added a 12" vertical after a couple times. The first time, she powered through it like a green horse, so I made her do it 2 more times (total of 3-4 in each direction), until she relaxed and started looking at them and not just flying through them haphazardly. Then we added the 12" bump, and she looked at it the first time, but was quiet and cool throughout. Good girl, right?

So... yesterday, we did the 4 trot poles, then 2 trot poles to a 12" cross rail under saddle. Again, she didn't even blink at it. Today, we're going to try doing the 2 poles to a 18"cross rail, then switch it to an 18" vertical.

Also, we've been cantering every day- no issues, no complaints. Just working on getting her to relax and focus in the canter, go around with her head nice and low on a loose rein.

I think we may have hit a breakthrough in attitude, too. Although initially she turns tail and heads away from me when I go out to get her, it's more like a- "Do you -really- want me? Really really?? Oh, okay then!" Because after about 5 steps, she turns and looks at me and if I stop coming towards her, she turns around and walks over and follows me into the barn without a leadrope or halter. No carrots involved. Swear! Yup. I think Sherwood and I have turned a corner for the better, and I couldn't be happier.