Day Thirty One: Now that Happy has carried a rider at a walk, trot and lope, staying relax he is ready to ride solo. My main goal at this point is to start teaching guide. The wind is blowing and it’s cold today so I work happy in the indoor lunging him until he is done playing. I mount and start out asking him to walk a small circle, following his nose around, without someone to direct him he starts to wander around trying to go where he want to go. I start to bump him with my legs when he wanders trying to guide him back around the circle. He gets a little scared when he wanted to go the gate and I insist he guide where I want him to go, He tucks his ass and looks back at me. I pull his head around to my leg until he relaxes and then let him out on a bigger circle again. I start out going in a circle and then try to get him to move out straight, after he will walk forward straight staying relax I change directions. Working one side until he starts to guide and listen then I work the other direction. Horses learn each side separately, doing something on one side doesn’t transfer over to the other side and I have found working one direction at a time works best. It’s important to go slow and keep it simple. All I need from him at this point is him to understand why I’m bumping him with my leg and for him to move off. He is good to the left and I can guide him in a circle, When I go to the right, the pigeons start two fight with the owl nesting in my indoor, Happy gets a little nervous and leans into the presser getting a little rude pushing his way to the gate. I work him until he will walk a circle to the right and then quit. Less in more and so keep it simple and he will retain his lesson and progress a little each day.