Mini Circles and the Kiddie Pool

So my goal is to try and pass level 2 before they change everything over in January. I've been stuck in a rut for awhile and so when I went to Savvy Conference I took a DVD for Carol Coppinger (Parelli 5* instructor) to view and give me some feedback! I've had the same 2 tasks to finish since Kira left to go back to Utah over a year ago. Transitions online and 7 games in 7 minutes at liberty. 

So Carol called me the other day and lets just say I was overwhelmed with life in general and this was just one more thing I wasn't doing "right" although she told me NOT to call it right or wrong! Anyway as I already knew Duck is unconfident on the circle to which Carol asked me how she was on the "mini" circle which is just 3 ft of rope. I told her I hadn't played with that with Duck, she was already doing the circling game way before I got or even played with her. So she told me to play with the mini circle and work our way up to the 22 ft line. 

So here is what I found. Ah, she had NO clue at all what I was asking her at first! It took me one 40 minute session that first time to get her to walk ONE lap on the mini circle. Ok major BFO (blinding flash of the obvious!). How had I missed this? Of course it would make perfect sense to start back at the very basic mini circle to gain her confidence on the circle. It was very obvious that she didn't know what I was asking. 

So over the last couple of sessions we have been playing with the mini circle and now we can get 2-3 circles at the trot! I decided yesterday to give the 12 ft line a try. We were able to get 4 laps at a trot at which I stopped!

We also played with a blow up kiddie pool that had Duck snorting and fleeing in all directions! This thing is just a 3 foot transparent blue kiddie pool that was supposed to be used as a liverpool for the barn show but wasn't. Well no one has moved it and it has been sitting outside the edge of the round corral for the last week. Well on one of my sessions with Duck she finally SAW it and about came unglued! Actually I don't know if she so much saw it has heard the sound of sand hit it from going around near it. In any case I have hardly seen her spook with such a right brain reaction so strongly! She did a half rear, jump, run and snort! WOW! So I have been playing approach and retreat with this pool for 2-3 sessions now trying to build her confidence. Yesterday she still had a pretty good spook by it but then was getting to where she would pass it without freaking out. She still will not put her feet on it, although she has touched it with her nose. So it has been a process and probably will continue to be.

I also received my savvy club DVD so played with those ideas a little bit. Leading by the mane and sideways to the fence (which we have done some of before). I just did more of it to help build her confidence. I was sitting on the top rail of the round corral (which is about 6 feet high) and I swear she was going to knock me off there every time she got her head near me! Sneaky or itchy I'm not sure!

So that is my update, I am still playing with the circling. Liberty will be next but we need to work on draw. Now if I could just figure out the basics on that....