Thanks guys-well they already adopted out the paint (gee, thanks for calling and telling me!) so I guess Cherokee is back on the menu. Ava is now on the website for adoption so hopefully we'll get someone.

I've not tried a standing martingale-she dosen't wear a regular bridle, she rides in a specific hackamore. I am very against the use of a tie down because once she figures that she can't rear, she's going to continue bucking.

I can put her in a very relaxed frame, head down and neck relaxed, and bring her off her forehand. Then we go by the gate...get a little past the gate...head goes up, she stops and spins. If she dosen't get to go the way she wants, then comes the rearing and hopping around. I can keep spinning her but she gets more frustrated and acts worse. I rode her today with a totally different saddle, but there was no big difference. She was OK by the barn but I started to walk her back to the field and she balked and really started getting nasty. Quiet persistance paid off so I was able to walk down the row and open the gate and get into the field (that was a problem spot) but once we got in the field it was a fight. She bucked a few times here and there. As I said before, bucking dosen't bother me too much, but I couldn't do anything with her. I can do anything I want with her but when she decides she dosen't want to do anything, I can't help that. If I try to get her to back when she's in that mode she'll rear. And transitions won't help if I can't get her to do anything.

I have to go to work now...I planned on typing much more, I will finish later.