Either Mocha can count to six or else she recalls pattern elements really well. This afternoon we were working a four leaf clover pattern at trot and lope, and I decided to do six and six sets of cloverleaf loops instead of four and four. That meant that a change of direction swapped around with each repeat.
Darned if she didn’t start anticipating the lead changes in the lope every six loops. Correctly. No anxiety about changing before that sixth loop, but bam! She was ready to hit those changes just a hair before I cued her. I suppose I could have been shifting my weight, turning my head or otherwise very subtly signalling her before I gave the signal, but if so she’s still anticipating and anticipating correctly.
This is going to make schooling for the reining class this fall very, very complicated…..
