Success!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Honestly, I don't think I really need to make a time line now because my biggest break through was today. I went out for our last time to work before the final. I had been thinking a lot about how I could be better at directing Spirit and being intense enough. I knew that when I was kicking really hard and fast then adding the reins I was giving him no directions. So he would end up just trotting in a tight circle. So today I brought my spurs. I know many people that use spurs very harshly but I always learned that spurs have phases just like we have been practicing. They hopefully could help me have the same intensity but with less exerted energy on my part.
I got on him and just raised my energy and squeezed with my thighs and calves. Then when I wanted him to go faster I added a voice click and lightly touched him with my spurs. He responded so well. I was truly thrilled. As we worked around I could focus so much more on where my body was and what I wanted him to do. Then we ran into the same problems that we have been experiencing lately. Those problems are Spirit not wanting to go down to an end of the arena where other horses are not, and wanting to slow down as another horse passed us. Usually I would have to get really big with him by kicking fast and hard then adding the reins. Which, like I said early just made him want to go in a circle. With the spurs I was able to ask him with a high intensity with a jab and therefore give every little try a more immediate release. By the end I accomplished my goal of walking or trotting without hesitation down to the end of the arena and back and I could use small cues. I felt like I had finally gotten what Brother Twitchell had been teaching the whole time. The lessons of getting what you are asking for the first time and then building off of it.
The other thing that I learned is taking a step back and maybe riding another horse is a very good things to do. I was able to ride a horse much like Beauty, Dottie's horse, all day Saturday. Being able to apply the principles I learned to a different horse that I could not predict so easily made me more clear on what I asked for. I think this also helped my confidence which then helped my leadership for Spirit. Spirit needs a leader all the time. I have noticed that when he does not feel safe under my leadership he gets very dominant and scared. He is just trying to act brave but ends up being so on edge that he can not think rationally. So as my confidence builds so does his. Another example that horses feed off of your emotions. Now lets hope that he and I will do just as good tomorrow.