Monday is a fresh start

The photo is showing Tucker waiting for his "good" food with two eyes and two good ears and standing still and away from me.  That is the picture I wanted to see this evening. 

#1

7:00am....Went out and fed with a flag.  Didn't really use the flag much but good to have.  Tucker had his nose in the feed bin.  I told him in a pleasant voice "Move over".  He did.  I asked again and he did move sideways again.  I then asked him to back up and turn the fore.  After too much backing, he turned the fore and I immediately released the pressure.  I threw the feed and turned to make sure no one was crowding me and I had two eyes and two ears.  "Good job, buddy."  And I walked away.

#2

8:00am....Watched Respect course: Getting Attention: Case Study #3  I can do this.  Yes, I have watched it before but I need to refresh and regroup.

#3

1:00pm....I got home from shopping and went to say hi to Tucker who was hollering for me.  I asked him to step back from the gate, made him stop trying to bump me with his head and rubbed his face and neck a bit.  Walked away, brought some hay in, asked him to step to the side with his fore.  He did that.  Asked him again.  He did that.  Asked him to back away from me and the food.  He did that.  He licked his lips and stood there sweetly waiting for the okay to go get his food.

#4

5:00pm....Took Tucker out to the big pen.  Had him do respect exercises on the way out there.  Had him spend some time alone while I did some chores.  Came back.  Asked him to move out off lead.  He did some galloping and then decided a trot would be fine.  I managed to turn him properly most of the time.  When I decided he had enough, I invited him over.  He came to me.  I asked for a few basic exercises...turn fore...turn hind....worked with off side which is a weak point for him I have decided.   Had him come up along the barrel from both sides so his off side got worked there, too.  Was able to send at a walk in both directions.  Included some gentle back, step up, back step up.

We did respect exercises all the way back home. 

#5

Feeding with a flag for the "good" food and for the hay.  Asked for him to stay back.  Looked for two eyes and two good ears. 

Hope I remembered plenty of releases and hope my timing was good.  Tucker is improving and he did do some lip licking today. I know some people don't think I should be doing groundwork and I should just be riding but I think the groundwork is doing us a world of good.