Domino 11

Today was a good day to work with Domino. It was sunny and cool. Nevertheless, Domino didn't think so. I got out there about 4pm and had everything set. He didn't really want to work so before I even had the halter on him we had to play a little bit in his pen. I just did the same thing I would have in the rd pen. Finally, I walked up to him. I did this a few times before I actually put the halter on him and went in the rd pen. However, when I started to saddle him he wanted no part of it and walked off. So we had to play some more. Finally, I got him saddled and decided I have to make him realize that it is a place of rest to be with me and hard work to be away from me so I had to round pen him. My pen is not so muddy now so I really worked him, for almost an hour. I really did not want to get him all sweaty, but he gave me no choice. During that time I tried several times to turn him into me and give me both eyes but he didn't want to cooperate. I trotted and cantered him most of the time. He never did carry his head to the inside, but did lower his head and lick his lips so I would let him rest. Then during one of those times I started to desensitize him more to the whip cracking. He wanted to move off so we worked some more. In the end he was huffing and puffing and standing next to me and following me better than he has yet. I put the bit on him, flexed him and then got on. We rode about a 1/2 hour transitions from walk to trot, flexing, one rein stops, disengaging, etc. I also worked on circle esses to get softness vertically. Then after more flexing I got off. I got the tarp out and sacked him out with that some more and then my weedeater. Finally we were done. I had intended to take him down the road, but just didn't have the time. I think I worked with him about 2 hours today. I had fun and didn't want to quit. He will have tomorrow off and then I will see if there are any changes come Monday.