Hauled Dakota out to bit by bit today to ride with natalie, get her worked on by the chiro, and buy some hay.

   Lets start with the good.  She loaded BEAUTIFULLY. Each and every time, even after loading/unloading her to load hay.  Really suprised me, just walked right on no trouble every time. She even warmed up well.  Loped decent circles, was paying attention, picked up leads, seemed correct for the most part.  She was feeling pretty good. 

    Then there is barrels.  The main reason I hauled out in the first place, to work the pattern seeing as though I have no decent place to work it at my house.  Oh barrels.  Kota hasnt been using her hind end and really working the barrel, she's choppy, sort of planting and then pivoting around it.  Big no, no.  Well, I tried doing what Natalie does today, even though it somewhat did not make sense to me, but I needed all the help I could get.  Natalie wanted me to use my inside leg back, and outside leg forward.  But to me, that seems like it would cause hip swinging?  But I tried it, because Karma seemed to be working well with it.  I got frustrated, Kota got frustrated, we all got frustrated.  Frustrated Kota = Bitch session.  She would get to the backside of the barrel, grab the bit, and then run off.  I wish I could keep my composure better, but I just get so frustrated because I expect her to work so well.  I dont know about the new method, I dont like the idea of her hip swinging out.  I just need to figure out a way to get her working that barrel, with her hind end and whole body, not just lazying around it.

    I think I need to remember she is just a baby, but it really got to me seeing Karma do the pattern so well, and my 4 year old cant even trot me a nice pattern. Like what am I doing wrong? I need to consistantly work her, ask more of her I think, and not just when it comes to working the pattern.  But really while we are doing foundation work.  I really need to get her working that hind end of hers, thats the first thing I need to accomplish, instead of having her trot and lope me nice circles and be done with it.  

  Kota boot camp starts tomorrow! Or wait, the next day, I'll give her a day off after her chiro work.