For the past few days, I haven't been doing much. I did read a lot though, and as I was reading the newest Savvy Times magazine I realized something: I don't have my neutral down very well, and that is why I still have troubles with the Circling Game. You see, I could easily move onto Level 3- except for the Circling Game! I have already started a bit of Level 3, but haven't been able to get very far because of this. What I really need to do is practice and improve my neutral, and my problems with the Circling Game will lessen dramatically. At first I thought it was my Driving Game, but my Driving Game works fine for everything else... It's just when I try to be neutral for a more extended amount of time, I have problems doing so.

Here's my goals for this week. If they run into the next week it's okay too, because that's a lot of material to find time to watch with EOC Exams coming up.

In general:

• Practice being more neutral in everything
• Look at the Level 2 Assessment and Level 3 Assessment Checklist again.
• Rewatch the Level 1 & 2 VHS tapes and then the old Level 1 DVD. 
• Watch and really focus on the Level 3 and 4 DVDs.
• Watch the On Line, Freestyle, Liberty, and Finesse patterns again.
• Take notes on everything.
• Read as much as possible.
• Laugh and talk to the horses as you play.

Cherish:

• Start doing more tasks and improving upon Liberty
• Start & consistently do On Line patterns
• Continue being particular, creative, and patient.
• Continue using softer and softer phases.
• Start riding with Carrot Stick consistently.
• Teach Cherish how to swing her neck to help me up onto her back.
• Driving game for hindquarter disengagement and moving of the forehands at Liberty.

Finale:

• A lot of Friendly. Finale is starting to show RB tendencies along with her LBE innate horsenality.
• Undemanding time. This will prove to her that we are her partners, not her predators.
• Don't be too goal oriented. This is when you push her away.
• Take her ideas and turn them into yours. She likes to feel smart, and she is very smart.
• Have her do little tasks. She likes to figure things out for her own.
• Know when to stop the play session.

Hope:

• Approach and retreat, not for her but for myself. I am still slightly nervous around her due to the past I had experienced with her.
• Play a lot of Friendly, not only for her but for myself.
• Start to be particular and creative, give her tasks to do with the obstacles if you get to that point.
• Maybe play with her with patterns if you get to that point.
• Do short sessions and end them on a good note, once again- not just for her but for myself.

For things besides horses:

• Get my homework done every night (this has been a problem in the past)
• Be more responsible (I tend to forget about things)
• Be careful about analyzing other people's emotions and using the wall of aggravation to defend myself. They're not necessarily angry at me, they may just be stressed. Don't automatically assume.
• Become more distant from those at school that only give you complaints and problems. They do nothing but hand out stress as if it was like free balloons...

I think those are good goals for the week. I don't necessarily have to finish them all this week.