Re: The old zig-zag problem

[Abigail Aiyagari <abby1@itsa.ucsf.edu>]

I hear ya!  I used to get this BIG TIME with my spooky guy...but I figured
out that it was more me than it was him.  Because he was so spooky, I
tended to anticipate him leaping around, and spend most of my time going
down the trail looking side to side for things that might scare him.
There was one spot in particular where he would always leap about 10 feet
to the side no matter what gait we were in, and finally one day I really
focused on the trail ahead, as far ahead as I could see straight between
Cola's ears--and we trotted through straight as an arrow, maybe a little
ear flick at the "boogey rock", but that was it.  Since then, if I notice
him getting really "lookey", I refocus my attention on the trail ahead,
and usually the shying clears up right away.  If I keep the reins clamped
tight and look at the ground, he jumps around like a crazed rabbit.  :)

I don't know if this will help you at all, but it worked wonders for me!

--Abby (there's NOTHING there, #^$%*@ it!)
& Cola (yipes!)