PLAYTIME! Sort of....

Since everyone else in the office is on holidays, we got ot leave a little early from work yesterday. Just enough to make it to the barn and still have a little daylight left to play with! And the weather was even being reasonable, so that was a total bonus.

When I got there, Mo was on the other side of the lower pasture fence again, and she just looked at me while I approached, so I went out back with a cookie and a halter to see Indy. When I got to the back door I was swarmed by Trixe and Tucker and Pride. I was able to defend my space enough with out [I hope] being rude, just in a "Sorry I am not just here to socialize with you all today" kind of way. They made their way carefully away across the ice while Indy actually came to me! I was so relieved when she did, because the last time I had a halter in my hand [even after all kinds of great come to me at liberty stuff!] she walked in the other direction.

She walked right up to me and said hi! When I went to put the halter on I wasnt demanding at all, I just WAITED. That is a HUUUGGGEEEEE thing for me that I learned at the ISC. I waited for it to be her choice to put the nose piece over her nose, and that made all the difference to her. As soon as it was her choice, and the halter was on, she licked at chewed A LOT! YEY for good starts!

When I sent her through the gate into the barn she tried to go in her stall, which is the first one on the left, so I had to stop her and brought her back to the gate for a cookie so she would hopefully see the point is to stick with me, not make up her own story lines for now...

We played a little practice yo-yo up and down the barn aisle before going outside onto the laneway - which was now perfectly melted and I have somewhere to play!! We walked partway down the laneway, going handy grass patch to handy grass patch - she was thrilled with that because the pasture is obviously picked clean. The mysterious re-appearance of grass in december is nigh unheard of!

We moseyed down the lane past the swingset and into the yard where there was some tasty longer grass. Indy was pretty pleased with that. After point to point grazing for a little while I tested how light we could be to get up and leave the grass - she is pretty light! On the laneway again we played with walk/stop beside me transitions. The first stop leaked a little, but when I added in back up she understood the intention more and each other stop was right with me! Back up is still a little stick, its not her favorite direction to go, but its definately better!

The first time I transitioned from walk to trot she got this big energy burst and I could hear her doing her BIG TROT behind me, and she came up and passed me for two steps and then, just when I was thinking I would have to get in a power position to hang onto her [we have done this before] she disengaged herself and looked at me like "OH boy, that was a big energy burst... can you help me control it??" I was floored! Indy got a cookie for that! And we played more with trotting not being a scary-cant-go-there-without-being-right-brain place. Just two steps of slow trot and then walk or stop. Transitions, lots of them, until we got a few steps of slow calm trot without it looking like it might explode any second. YEY!

And thats where we stopped! Mo was at the fenceline by this time, and its a good thing she was. I like to play forever, but Indy right now needs short little bursts of learning [because it makes her unconfident] combined with lots of happy go lucky undemanding time, so she still likes to be around me. Having Mo waiting for me at the fence essentially tapping her watch MADE me stop with Indy when I should because I wanted a chance to get Mo out of the icey ring to. So Indy and I walked back to the barn, still practicing our transitions, and when I let her go, she actually turned her head to me AFTER I took the halter off. What a nice treat!

Catching Mo was easy... go anywhere near her, she comes over and tries to find the halter and shoves her face in it so we can GO ALREADY! It might be anthropomorphizing, but to me it looked like she was ecstatic to see me and tickled pink that we were doing something. LOVE IT!

We slowly stepped across the ice and out the gate onto the laneway. I could see Mo visably relax when she realized she had solid footing under her. It must be terrible trying to walk on mostly ice all day! I think it is better out further into the pasture, but come 5:00, they all start coming to the barn begging for dinner!

After loving on Mo for a bit I took off at a trot over to where I had been grazing with Indy. Mo sumarily attacked the grass with an enthusiasm reminiscent of a fat kid given smarties... it was so cute! Her ears were all perked and she was all happy to just eat grass! Thats pretty much all I did with Mo, just hang out with her, shadow her while she ate, let her graze until it was dark and then bring her back to the pasture.

She was so funny when I was trying to leave. She kept shoving her head under the gate chain [two narrow gates chained together, space in between] thinking she could fit and sneak in with me. Then giving up on that and putting her head OVER the gates and into the barn so I couldnt close the doors. Mo got a lot of extra hugs because she was so persistant. I had run out of cookies in my pocket though, so when I finally got the door closed [sorry Mo] I ran into the tackroom to grab a few more then out to the front gate to call Mo for her treats, so she wouldnt get attacked at the back door.

I think she knew exactly what I was doing because as soon as I called her name she was on her way over. I feel like if it had been solid ground she would have trotted to me. She got her extra cookies and love and then I finally had to go home. She always looks so forlorn when I leave her at the gate like that.... I keep telling her I WILL come back though.

It was really nice to be able to play with/hang out with both of them. Even if it was just short, fifteen minutes maybe for Indy, maybe a little more for Mo before it got dark? Or maybe a hlaf hour for both... I am not sure, I lose time when I am there.. but I was there for an hour doing all that I did. But yes, very nice, I felt very successful with Indy, which was a welcome change, as she has been my brick wall, and hang time with Mo always makes me happy.

I am SO glad I got that time yesterday, because today the winds are gusting around 100kms and its COLD. Welcome back Winter.... dang..!

:-)
S

Ponies are TO Useful

For everyone who thinks horses are useless, I defy you with this story.

Yesterday the weather was... interesting. Gorgeous, but interesting. Sunday is my day to do stalls, so I went out to do them, marvelling in the WARM that came in over night. Eleven whole degrees. Celsius. That is ABOVE freezing! Snow was melting left right and centre! The laneway was almost ice free, and the sun was almost out. Whoo! While I was doing stalls though the wind picked up... to 100km... WHOO! So obviously... in my infinate wisdom, reveling in the warm, I decide to go out with my handy carrot chunks and spread the orange love.

The pasture was pretty much still an ice chunk unfortunately. But it was ok, because I could sort of jump poop pile to poop pile - gross, but effective! Pride was adorable and met me at the gate. She has decided I am her new best friend and now comes with me eveyrwhere. I think it is so cute. She gets this cute little whuffley breath when she gets happy and she always does it when I am coming now, and she looks at me all perky.

So I crossed the ice after seeing Pride, and she came to. Tucker came to say hi, so he got a little treat and then I got to Crystal and Tripp onmy way to get within yelling distance of Mo [windy...] Crystal was all OH BOY A PEOPLE! but Tripp is always more reserved, so I waited for him to come to me before giving him anything. This approach really seems to be working for ihim, Mr Skeptical, because on my way OUT of the feild later, he walked right up to me and Indy and basically said "cookie please?" which was cool. He is very polite about it, gently takes it and does the horsey equivilant of saying thank you. Cute.

Mo was out in the lower part of the pasture with Trixie and Clarisse, across a huge expanse of poop-free ice that I wasnt about to cross... so I do the clever thing adn start yelling her name at the top of my lungs [which sounds dismally silent in the wake of howling winds] and waving my arms hoping to catch her attention. As if I can possibly adore her even more, Mo looks up and comes over - as far as the fenceline, avoiding the gate where there is tons of ice. I get the "Whatcha got?" look so I give her a bunch of carrots and then go find Indy, since neither of us were crossing the ice right now.

Indy was part way out in the big pasture, so I went over to see her. She came over to me when she finally noticed me so that was nice. We played a little tag-for-cookies for a little while, and a little stick to me which was a FIRST and very fun! She LOVES food, and sort of needs to learn a little decorum when taking cookies from fingers... but I will work on that. I am still just happy with her wanting to be with me - food induced or not!

We wandered over to Mo who was watching us at the fenceline to share some more carrots with her and Candy who wandered over, that was fun. Indy got a little offended that the pony warranted carrots as much as she did so I had to be the leader enough to keep the peace. I actually got her to back up by the nose really lightly to - which is something she has always leaned on me for, so whoo!

Finally, my fingers were getting cold from all the hrosey slobbers so I decided it was time to go in, and Indy followed me like Old Faithful all the way to the ring gate where Tripp met us happily and got some more carrots. More leadership points for Indy because she doesnt like to share.

And then I had to cross the ice. The BIG ice. The ice I avoided by going all the way around the edge of the ring before. *sigh* I started doing the poop pile hop, but soon ran out. Horses arent stupid, they know not to hang out on ice! I was looking around thinking I would really like my Jax about now [he is a good balance board] when there is Mo! She is walking all happy in my direction, l;ooking proud that she navigated the ice to get to me [she is so cute] PERFECT! I spent a few mintues just loving on her and giving her carrots when she got to me and then grabbed mane and asked her forwards. AND WE WENT!

She was a perfect angel, walking us across the ice, straight to the gate. My very own guide-pony. GOtta love her!!! I was so thrilled! And, so was she because of the amount of carrot chunks she got!! Hopefully she will remember the tasty bits next time I need a hand across something.

So there you have it, my pony is not useless, she HELPS. A lot! :-)

:-)
S

Adorable Indy

Just a little happening today. It has been ice raining and cold and obviously the holidays. So I havent done to much in the way of ponies, other than make sure they are fed and happy :-)

Today when I went to get hay for Dakota I called a hello to Indy and Mo who both looked up, and then went about my business. I hauled out hay and grain to the truck and was all ready to go, but first I wanted to say hello to Pride, who was right by the barn. She is just so cute. She is this adorable standerdbred 29 year old mare. I grew up learning to ride on her - an ex pacer! She is an adorable old lady these days.

Much to my surprise, when I stopped to say hi to Pride, I noticed that Indy, of all horses, was making her way over to us at the gate from halfway across the feild! WOW!! I ran inside to grab a cookie for her and waited. She got all the way to the ring fence and then got stuck. I think she forgot the gate was still open so I made my way over to her. Pride got all happy and hufy so I gave her half a cookie - this mare is impossible to catch when you want her!Indy just looked tickled pink that I was coming to see her and she met me at the gate WHAT A DOLL!

Her eyes were just so bright and happy that I ave her the cookie, a horsemans handshake and a hug! We hung out for a while, with her expressing her desire for more cookies by nibbling [attempting] on my mitts and jacket. She is just so cute! She looked so happy.

When I finally walked back to the gate to go back to the truck, both Indy and Pride followed me. They were both adorable!!

This change in Indy, her suden interest in me, is amazing. I love it! I cant wait until the weather starts to remember it actually likes me again... so we can PLAY!

:-)
S

The Horse is Our Gift

Someone posted this on Savvy Club and I really enjoyed it, so here it is;

To have a horse in your life is a gift. In the matter of a few short years, a horse can teach a young girl courage, if she chooses to grab mane and hang on for dear life. Even the smallest of ponies is mightier than the tallest of girls. To conquer the fear of falling off, having one's toes crushed, or being publicly humiliated at a horse show is an admirable feat for any child. For that, we can be grateful.

Horses teach us responsibility. Unlike a bicycle or a computer, a horse needs regular care and most of it requires that you get dirty and smelly and up off the couch. Choosing to leave your cozy kitchen to break the crust of ice off the water buckets is to choose responsibility. When our horses dip their noses and drink heartily; we know we've made the right choice. Learning to care for a horse is both an art and a science. Some are easy keepers, requiring little more than regular turn-out, a flake of hay, and a trough of clean water. Others will test you - you'll struggle to keep them from being too fat or too thin. You'll have their feet shod regularly only to find shoes gone missing. Some are so accident-prone you'll swear they're intentionally finding new ways to injure themselves.

If you weren't raised with horses, you can't know that they have unique personalities. You'd expect this from dogs, but horses? Indeed, there are clever horses, grumpy horses, and even horses with a sense of humor. Those prone to humor will test you by finding new ways to escape from the barn when you least expect it.

Horses can be timid or brave, lazy or athletic, obstinate or willing. You will hit it off with some horses and others will elude you altogether. There are as many "types" of horses as there are people - which makes the whole partnership thing all the more interesting. If you've never ridden a horse, you probably assume it's a simple thing you can learn in a weekend. You can, in fact, learn the basics on a Sunday, but to truly ride well takes a lifetime. Working with a living being is far more complex than turning a key in the ignition and putting the car or tractor in "drive." In addition to listening to your instructor, your horse will have a few things to say to you as well. On a good day, he'll be happy to go along with the program and tolerate your mistakes; on a bad day, you'll swear he's trying to kill you. Perhaps he's naughty or perhaps he's fed up with how slowly you're learning his language. Regardless, the horse will have an opinion. He may choose to challenge you (which can ultimately make you a better rider) or he may carefully carry you over fences - if it suits him. It all depends on the partnership - and partnership is what it's all about.

If you face your fears, swallow your pride, and are willing to work at it, you'll learn lessons in courage, commitment, and compassion in addition to basic survival skills. You'll discover just how hard you're willing to work toward a goal, how little you know, and how much you have to learn. And, while some people think the horse "does all the work", you'll be challenged physically as well as mentally. Your horse may humble you completely. Or, you may find that sitting on his back is the closest you'll get to heaven. You can choose to intimidate your horse, but do you really want to? The results may come more quickly, but will your work ever be as graceful as that gained through trust? The best partners choose to listen, as well as to tell. When it works, we experience a sweet sense of accomplishment brought about by smarts, hard work, and mutual understanding between horse and rider. These are the days when you know with absolute certainty that your horse is enjoying his work.

If we make it to adulthood with horses still in our lives, most of us have to squeeze riding into our over saturated schedules; balancing our need for things equine with those of our households and employers. There is never enough time to ride, or to ride as well as we'd like. Hours in the barn are stolen pleasures.

If it is in your blood to love horses, you share your life with them. Our horses know our secrets; we braid our tears into their manes and whisper our hopes into their ears. A barn is a sanctuary in an unsettled world, a sheltered place where life's true priorities are clear: a warm place to sleep, someone who loves us, and the luxury of regular meals. Some of us need these reminders.

When you step back, it's not just about horses - it's about love, life, and learning. On any given day, a friend is celebrating the birth of a foal, a blue ribbon, or recovery from an illness. That same day, there is also loss: a broken limb, a case of colic, a decision to sustain a life or end it gently. As horse people, we share the accelerated life cycle of horses: the hurried rush of life, love, loss, and death that caring for these animals brings us. When our partners pass, it is more than a moment of sorrow.

We mark our loss with words of gratitude for the ways our lives have been blessed. Our memories are of joy, awe, and wonder. Absolute union. We honor our horses for their brave hearts, courage, and willingness to give.

To those outside our circle, it must seem strange. To see us in our muddy boots, who would guess such poetry lives in our hearts? We celebrate our companions with praise worthy of heroes. Indeed, horses have the hearts of warriors and often carry us into and out of fields of battle. Listen to stories of that once-in-a-lifetime horse; of journeys made and challenges met. The best of horses rise to the challenges we set before them, asking little in return.

Those who know them understand how fully a horse can hold a human heart. Together, we share the pain of sudden loss and the lingering taste of long-term illness. We shoulder the burden of deciding when or whether to end the life of a true companion.

In the end, we're not certain if God entrusts us to our horses--or our horses to us. Does it matter? We're grateful God loaned us the horse in the first place.

Author Unknown

Little Things That Make You Go Awww

I think today is one of the coldest days yet this year. Incredibaly chilly PLUS a windchill. Just not fair. Simply not fair at all. Today was our baking day for all the pre-christmas things. Two people came out to see Dakota. The first one isnt very promising, didnt even want to ride, but the second was a VERY nice lady who really seemed to get on well with him and she rode and things and it seemed good. She is looking at another horse after christmas though, so we will see how it works out.

This afternoon though, when I went to pick up some hay for Dakota, Mo and Indy were so cute! I was just going out into the ring to say hi to them for a second, but it never ends up that way, does it? They both walked over to me, which was a REALLY nice treat. I gave them each a hug and a piece of cookie I had from playing with Kota earlier. They really liked that!

I hung out with them for a few minutes and then noticed Trixie pacing the fenceline like she forgot there was a gate and she thought she was locked out from everyone else. How weird! So I ran over to the gate to try to get her attention - I was worried she might try to jump or something - and then behind me I hear this crunch crunch crunch..... I turn around and there is Mo TROTTING behind me!!!!

I just about burst. My liberty, I have said before, is the savvy I neglect and therefore it isnt very good. The last few days in Ocala we were actually finally playing and doing some good stuff at liberty but then obviously I had to leave... BUT WOW! I havent had draw like that with her before! She was trotting after me! I hadnt even asked her to come! I was amazed.

After I got Trixie to relax and be on the right side of the fence I started running around again and guess what... Mo kept running with me! We ran and played tag around for a good fifteen minutes! It was so much fun! I was actually warm to because I had a zillion layers on PLUS snowpants! I forgot how much I love my snow pants - they are even SAVVY with beltloops I can put my string on. That is my big annoyance with winter [one of several] is that I end up wearing a zillion layers of fleece and flannel and none of them have belt loops so I never have a string handy when I need it! So big bonus that my snowpants have belt loops :-)

Me and Mo played for a good while, and at the end, Indy was even joining in! One big breakthrough with the two of them is that they were standing close together - think line up, Mo, then me then Indy - and they werent trying to kill each other!!! Which is very new! I like to think its because I am being a good leader for Mo, because she is always the defensive one who starts it. Her bubble is LARGE!

So thats my story. OH! And Mr Shy Guy, Tripp, actually came over to say hi and got close enough to get a cookie. Fun stuff. I was totally thrilled that I got to play tag - in my rustley noisy snowpants none the less! Mo is such an awesome girl! Indy is getting so curious about me to! Its great! She was going through this "pfft.. I dont need you" phase right when I got back, so I hope seeing Mo get so excited and happy every time I come is helping.

Thats another thing I adore. EVERY time I get to the barn and call Mo's name, her head snaps up and shes all OMG YOUR HERE WHERE ARE YOU!? And she comes right over to get a hug. Its SO adorable! I love my ponies <3

:-)
S

Hard Choices

Now that I am basically settled back from my adventure I have had a lot to think about. A lot a lot. I want very much to back and participate in the Extern Program with Parelli. I want my future to be in Parelli, and to do that I need to get back to Florida or Colorado. Either will do, although I would prefer to leave sooner rather than later. Which begs the money question. How do I get it? What do I do with it? How can I be smart about it? Where will it come from once my job ends?

It also begs the question of horses. I have three, yet only a two horse trailer. A recent fiasco has seen Dakota evicted from his barn, and so he is at home. This is working out alright, but it isnt my favorite layout. I do prefer keeping all three in one place, just for convienence sake, but this is what I have to do, so be it. Sadly, since I have been back I havent done anything basically but go and feed ponies. The weather has been dreadfull, and is scheduled to get worse. Cold subzero and windy, with upcoming forty centimeters of snow. Joy oh bliss.

So the choice I have made: I have decided that in this situation, right this second, I am not being fair to Dakota. I dont have the time to dedicate to such a great horse in the prime of his life because I am infatuated with Mo and Indy. Both are young and need the time, and when I think of who I want to play with more, it is them. Mo I adore just because she is who she is, and Indy fascinates me with all the talent she has about EVERYTHING! She could do L4 stuff no problem [when I figure out how to do it first]

Thus the desicion has come about that it is time to sell Dakota. It has been a really difficult choice to come to terms with, but I know in my heart that it is right for him. And thats what this has to be about. It isnt fair to him that I would be galivanting off for months at a time with Indy and Mo and then leaving him high and dry all alone at home to sit in a pasture. He deserves his very own person to love and dote on JUST him. He is that great. Sure he can be a dork, but what horse is perfect all the time?

They say that if you love something, set it free, right? Well, since I am pretty sure it isnt legal to just open the gate and let him go, I am doing my best to find him a new home that will suit him and be his next forever home. He has been with me for almost nine years. I dont want him to have the trauma of home jumping now. I am going to be very picky about where he goes.

So thats my news.... sad but true.

S

The Trip Debrief

I am now officially back in Canadia – the affectionate name B gave to my frost ridden home country. I am starting to wind down from my post school adrenaline. But not so much. The last two weeks were especially intense for me, as I am just starting my own Finesse. There were a few days where I attended morning class, vacuumed up all the info I could, and then took off shopping for the afternoon because my brain was melting. My brain was just so full that I couldn’t be in the moment for Mo, so I didn’t want to cheat her.

My internet is down right now so I cant remember my last blog, but I know its been a while. I think the last time I wrote was on Jumping Day in Fluidity 1. Since then a lot has happened. After being in the jumping Demo, Mo and I had a great few days. We played with all of the Freestyle concepts we were learning and had a great time. I got to see Twilight on the day it opened – and again on the next day! B and I went and took our Europeans too.

The weekend of Fluidity 1 ending was supposed to be Beach Weekend, but the weather wasn’t agreeable so we postponed. Fluidity 2 began with only 14 people checking in. I would have helped with check-in again, but there really wasn’t enough to do! J, my hostess, was actually attending this course to, so we got to hang out a lot more! Instead of helping on check in, I went over and watched Brandon Crew trim and shoe a bunch of horses. Very interesting stuff! The whole methodology of balancing a horse is really intriguing. I should probably learn how to trim my own horses in a vaguely soon manner… Mo could have used a touch up while we were away.

In Fluidity 2 me and Mo were in another demo! This one was about bending properly on a circle and snakey bends. Since I had no idea how I was supposed to do these things, I thought it would be a prime demo to participate in! I LOVE being in demos like that – it was a perfect mini lesson on how to help support Mo through her spaghetti noodleyness and help her find the right bend through pushing with my KNEE – NOT LOWER LEG! One little adjustment from lower leg to knee and VOILA ! Success. AND do in my body what I want her to do. That has been a really powerful statement for me – the biggest thing being sideways on the ground so far. Her hind end tends to lag, so on one of the last days [Tuesday maybe?] I started to finally clue in and mess with my body language, shifting my hips over more and her hind end instantly tracked over! SERIOUSLY! I felt dense, but at least I did eventually get, even if I am slow!

The first weekend in Fluidity 2, the weather gods finally agreed to our standards for a day at the beach. First thing Saturday morning M, B and me loaded up Jack, Chance and Mo and took off en route to the BEACH! The beach we picked wasn’t just any old beach on a lake… no, it was the COAST!! An hour and a half from the centre is a HUGE gorgeous beach on the ATLANTIC ocean that just goes for miles and miles – we didn’t even find the end! We showed up around 11 I think [?] and played on the ground first [obviously!]

All three horses were total stars. Literally! We apparently signed up to be the entertainment for the day because all the people on the beach were looking our way and taking pictures with cameras or cell phones. It wasn’t long before a crowd actually came to visit Jack, who kept bee-lining to them.

We played approach and retreat with the waves until everyone was in to their bellies and knees. It was amazing. When we mounted up it was like a dream come true – one of those things you always have on your Bucket List, you know? We all rode bareback off down the beach. We walked and trotted on and on and on. We waded into the water – and found the most interesting thing…… Standing in the moving water, on a horse that is standing still, feels like being in a crazy kitchen. The tide is coming in and out, the horse is still, but you feel certain that they are drifting backwards or sideways – for me it was enough of a strong feeling that I grabbed mane to make sure she really wasn’t moving. It was the most bizarre thing!!

Eventually we turned around and headed back to B’s trunk, which is like a pantry, for some lunch. The ponies were happy to go and stood tied nicely while we ate. After eating we tacked up and rode down to the beach again. We played and played on the beach, racing around, taking pictures and videos and generally having a blast. Chance was so funny, we would walk up beside him and he would pin only one ear at Mo. Just the ear on the side she was on. It was to cute, I have never seen anything like that before. And I don’t just mean ear back, I mean FLAT to the head on one side, and perky happy on the other. SO funny! Chance and Mo had snarky face making contests. Chance would turn and make a face, then go back to walking straight, and then Mo would turn and make her face and go back to walking straight… lather rinse repeat. To funny.

We didn’t want to leave the beach in the afternoon, but we had to get home… The best day ever came a close with a beautiful sunset. I cant wait to go back!

And so the last week of Fluidity snuck up on me. Me and M were lamenting the fact that we have to go home to cold snow – M is from Michigan, so she feels my pain! B gets to stay in Florida with J, in our now empty echoey room … Hopefully to start the apprenticeship in January! [GOOD LUCK!!!!]

There was sooooo much info in the last week, I cant even express. Thank goodness for notes, because I couldn’t remember it all in one shot. I found out that Mo is ready for finesse, and she picked up fluid rein in one session. We played with duck landings and suspension rein. Avery also pointed out that her bit-fidgetyness was not an opposition, but her just asking questions. VERY cool. We rode in the confidence snaffle pretty much for this course. Except for a few times when I could feel Mo getting fried [ just like me!] and I ditched everything and went and played bridless and bareback in a round pen. M’dear enjoyed that.

I discovered that as much as I adore the end result of Finesse, I have a tiny little brace about it. I haven’t figured out the root of it yet, or exactly what I am bracy about, but I feel it there, and that’s half the battle. One more thing to work on – whoo!
I decided to apply for the Apprenticeship Program. I just need to save up, and hope I get accepted. It would be so much fun to go to Colorado!!

BIG NEWS: On Finale day, I had to wait for the vet [because of stupid extenuating circumstances] and so I was missing the little graduation ceremony. I finally went back into class to sit and watch and wait for K to come tell me he was here and no sooner do I walk in than John is pushing me up to the front and Avery is telling me to come here… Obviously I am very confused by this point, and even more so when she tells me to turn around… I thought maybe it was a simulation for something so I played along and turned around … I turn around face the class and then… A BLUE STRING IS DRAPED AROUND MY NECK!!!! I had taped and submitted my level 2 tasks on the third week and I PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Much squeeing and hugging Avery and Kathy later, I found a seat with M, who had grabbed my certificate for me [thanks!] The vet did finally come, and Mo and I got our pass out of Florida.

The weekend inevitably drew nearer, and Friday came when I had to pick up my dad at the airport so we could make the journey home. On the up side, we went boot shopping and I am now the proud owner of a pair of cowboy boots!

Saturday morning we went and loaded Mo and my things and set off on our journey home. We made it no problem to NC for the night – although it was COLD. We set of at 6 am the next morning for the long haul home – a trip we did in two days we crammed into one, neglecting to stop in PA this time. We pulled into home at 2 am, unloaded Mo, ditched the trailer and went to Dad’s. It was so late/early I just didn’t bother to do the return trip home and crashed on his couch.

Much to my pleasure my Aunty was off on Monday so I got to hang out with her and catch up and talk for most of the day – until she had to go to the dentist, but Chels was home an hour later so I probed her for the goings on when she got there.

Dakota and Indy are FAT! I pulled in on Monday morning at nap time apparently because Kota was sleeping. He let me come and hug him while he layed down, which was really cool, and I controlled myself to wait for Indy to come to me before hugging her to.

I was off from work on Tuesday too, so I slept in [something I haven’t done in six weeks!] and snuggled with Cairo – I missed that kitty more than I thought! He was adorable and following me everywhere and meowing at me to hug him. Goodness I love him! <3

Tuesday was stormy. Winter Storm Watch and all that… yey… welcome back to Canadia! EW! I still went to the hardware store, grocery store and then to visit my ponies. Even though I closely resembled the Michelin Man, I made it out to see them. It was snowing quite hard by then and Mo looked miserable. I opened the back door to the barn and called her name. Her head FLEW up, she looked for me and RAN! She ran to me! It was so cute! I brought her in, got all the snow and ice off her that I could and gave her some hay. She liked that.

My next mission was de-snarling Indy’s mane. She has that nice straight hair that gets snarly and tangled so easy… *Sigh* I went out to fetch her, but instead of barging into the pasture I waited at the gate… and waited and waited… Dakota finally got curious and came over and started Spanish Walking to see if it would get him a cookie. Seriously Kota? SO CUTE!!! The look on his face was priceless.

Indy finally waddled over [although honestly it is NICE to see her chunky after how much Ivy sucked out of her!] and I walked over to say hi. I let her be the first on to touch me before rubbing her withers and offering the halter. I tried to remember everything I learned in LHB and offered zero brace. It took a while, and it was hard to wait in the blowy snow and frosty cold, but it paid off when she put her nose in the halter. I did it up and then did the hardest thing for an extrovert…. I waited…. And waited some more. After what felt like an eternity Indy finally licked and chewed!!! SUCCESS!!!

When I turned to go to the gate, guess what, zero brace, she was right with me with slack in the line! Through the gate no problem and on to the barn entrance which was partially blocked by a tractor… well, approach and retreat similar to trailer loading and she went in confidently. I had her go first because I didn’t want her to suddenly get claustrophobic and run me down. Safety = Savvy and all that…

I spent a good amount of time getting the snow off of her, and bushing out her mane and just loving on her. Every time I approached I asked her permission to touch her, because one of the things we talked about was horses who shiver [like they do for flies] when a person touches them. Indy does this and I learned it was her saying I didn’t have permission so I asked her a lot of questions and let her always be the first one to touch me. I had a very different look from her at the end of this session.

I played with picking up her feet with INTENTION and you know what? She tested me once and that was it. I have been fighting with her and her feet for a year…. DOH. When I put her back out she went right past the tractor when I sent her and was really soft. HOW INTERESTING!

After finishing with her I toweled off Mo as best I could and put her back outside. She wasn’t to pleased, but I couldn’t leave her in all day. It was still crappy and snowing so I went home to clean and organize my room and catch up on my Heartland – since it’s a Canadian show, I couldn’t watch it stateside!

Today I am back at work, its ok, but not Florida. I really want to look forward to each day and be pumped about getting up in the morning. Each day I am working my way back to Florida .. or Colorado, whichever comes first!

:-)
S

MO CAN JUMP!

WHOOHOO!!!
Wednesday was Jumping/Squeeze game day and we had soooooooooo much fun!!!
Firstly we got to be in the demo in front of the whole class with two other people and their horses - affectionately called the Black Horse Demo, all were black - and it was super fun!!

After being in the demo and figuring out how to motivate Mo through the sand which slows her basically to a stop, we had a workshop in the afternoon. OH WAIT. I should explain about Parelli Jumping. Its much different that normal jumping... in parelli style jumping you dont lift up in the saddle, but keep you balance pushed back to help the horse engage their hidquarters. So you do pushing jumping, and for now, only at the walk to build confidence. SO lots of horses just walk over the jumps by stepping, but Mo decided in the afternoon workshop that it would be super fun to do little hops! YEY!

So there we were, up on the hill with everyone else going through the jumps - which were real stadium style jumps, set lowish - actually jumping them! The whole thing is about confidence and impulsion - sure you can gallop your horse up to a jump and force their momentum to take them over, but can you make it their idea to go over, and put the effort forth when the momentum isnt there to push them over. Hence the low jumps - obviously not going to jump 4 feet at a walk!

Me and Mo went around at a walk popping over various jumps and having a blast. Something Kathy said that day really resonated in me - Delight in your horse. Hmm... one would think thats a no brainer, but how often do we get direct line and get the thinking pattern of frustration and internal narration along the lines of "Why cant you just do this already!" instead, delight in everything your horse offers. Laugh at them, smile when they do something, ENJOY being with the animal you profess to love! I did a lot of laughing at Mo on wednesday... but then again, I usually do because she is such a goober. Iris has lots of pictures to prove this.

Yesterday was American Thanksgiving. We had a dinner thing and that was cool - the whole turkey gambit. When that was done I went out to play with Mo and wait for Iris and Anne to come out so I could return the favor and ake some pictures of the two of them! While I waited I played with some uber balance point things and I think I finally got it right at Mo's canter - although I am still getting dry spots under my shims, so I am going to ask Kathy about that again today.

After taking a bunch of pictures for Iris we moseyed around up the hill and played a little over the jumps and mostly just let the ponies graze before it was their idea to head back. We had to go back into the honeycomb to get our things and so naturally to Left Bain Extroverts get distracted at the carwash and have to take pictures of each other going through it! Which led to an entire session of me getting Mo to jump the various logs and things so Iris could take pictures and then her doing the same thing - although on the shorter side since she was bareback.

That is what happens when you combine to LBE's, a camera, two horses, and a playground.. hahaha!

It was a very awesome few days! Today is bit savvy day so who knows what I will learn!
Tomorow is beach day, and that should be AWESOME!

:-)
S

Mo's Most Interesting Day....

This is day one officially of Fluidity two and it was by far Mo's most interesting day here - for me.

First thing this morning was interesting and very cool thing number one. Every morning I come in, I grab a wheel barrow, then I say good morning to Mo, get her buckets, fill them, and leave them to soak while I clean out her pen. Usually, Mo stands and stares forlornly at her buckets trying to phase them through the bars of her pen so she can reach them.

This morning Iris was kind enough to give me one of the carrots she brought for her horse Anne and so I broke that up into bits in my pocket and gave one to Mo on my approach. She must have really liked that because it intrigued her enough that alfway thorugh mucking out she gave up her eternal quest for mind bending powers to come and hang out with me while I finished. I was floored!!! She was standing right beside me, intered in what I was doing, not even in a "give me a treat" kind of way! How cool is that?? To top of the awesomeness of the morning ritual, today when I brought her bucket into the pen she BACKED out of my way, with EARS FORWARD! Usually I get her to back out of my space, but uasually she does it with a snarky look on her face. I make her wait til happy ears, but anways, today she got out of the ay, with happy ears and did it voluntairily. I didnt even ask her to. How awesome !!!

Which brings us to the afternoon. Today we talked about finesse and finding it with zero brace, so everything we did today had the zero brace underline in my head. Right from appraching Mo to haltering and every thing else. I have been trying really had to look at everything that way since I got here, but the reitteration has really helped me today.

On my approach today I was watching extra carefully for any brace - there was none, just happy "Oh boy come play with me!" which was stellar. Then we were scheduled to play with Me and My Shadow on the ground and riding today. So off we went, first to the water trough and then I got us into the playground via Mo's suggestion. We roamed the fenceline over towards the drive for a bit until she got a little to impulsive for me to be able to keep up [keep in mind this is total LBE WHOOHOO speed walk] so I disengaged her and got a squeal/grunt and a FLINGING of the hindquarters away from me..... well... now the game was ON!

In my head I was totally thinking "Oh boy this is fun, look at her ENTHUSIASM!" . So we played. Hard. For maybe only ten minutes, but it was so fun, AND ALL ZERO BRACE - which is HUGE for us because usually when she gets like hat all she wants to do is pull away and just leave to play with her own friends and thats that. But not this time. This time we got tiny soft canter circles, change of direction, sideways circles , yo-yos with trot draw with no drag on the line, mirroring each other with impulsion forwards and back and it was all happy playing with enthusiasm and exuberence. It was so neat and refreshing to know that I CAN go there now and not have to worry that my horse is going to leave me!

From there we went back to me and my shadow when I was content that Mo was going to respect her 51% and not take off with 65%. We walked the fenceline around until we crossed the creek - by her choice!- and then she got impulsive and took about 54% again so we went back to doing things. This time it wasnt as much squealy play but it was still play and she offered to go up on the high side of the two step cross country jump! That was a first. I ended p using the high side there to mount and move into the riden portion of the game.

Our walk went really well, Mo powered around pretty happily in the back corner, and over to the side where she stodd for a while watching Vanna and Magic with serious fascination which was pretty funny. From there she aimed at the pedestal - which is like the green ones they have on tour - and proceded to attempt eating the green foam that covers the top of it. My goodness that was FUNNY! It was so slow and deliberate - opening her mouth, pressing her teeth against it and trying so hard to get a bite off and then licking and chewing furiously when she couldnt. What a goof. I have to say I directed her away from that after laughing hysterically for a few mintues because inside I was secetly terrified that she would get a chunk off and it would be Dusty all over again except horse sized.

Near the pedestal was the big dressage arena thing where the Patterns were filmed I think so we went in there to have a confined but big area to practice our trot. Trotting went ok. At times I felt like I was bouncing all over because she would really open up and do her speed trotting which really isnt the best thing for riding bareback. I mirrored her as best I could and then when I finally felt good I jumpd off because I was out of ideas. WELL. As soon as my feet hit the ground and I was finished undoing my 22' from reins I had Miss Playful Goober from earlier back and so we played some more HARD. I kept thinking how much of and extrovert she was as she went around and then wasnt being food motivated at all - it was all play motivation.

Even though she was winging around though, there was no brace, it was all light and soft and FUN. I worked hard trying to keep up with ideas and things, and I think I did ok. Lots of change of direction, circles into sideways into yo-yo and things like that. Even got a few flying lead changes on the change of direction at the canter. THAT was cool. But she was right with me the whole time - my changes were litterally one step back and one step forwards. Incredible. So soft. I was just loving eevery second of it. Then when she calmed down and stopped offering a canter at every little gesture I got into really playing with circles into sideways and really refining that into a valid thing, which was really neat and really empowered Mo a lot - the whole coiling the spring and then letting it loose when she went out on the circle again - very cool. Canter departs while being rocked on her haunches are very pretty and powerful looking!

After playing with that for a while until Mo was out of exuberence for a second we walked out over to the honeyomb and I mounted again to see if we could trot slow in the honeycomb. Answer was no sorta kinda, but she was focused enough to do canter transitions, so we did that some, and played with upping the speed and still stopping off my body language. When I got bored with that I went over to visit J who was just mounting and we hung out and talked until Julia on faculty came by and somehow we attached ourselves to her horse and three of us ended up shadowing her around the yard and out into the hill playground where finally Mo decided to head back to her pen.

So that was our awesome day. Some very cool things for Mo, and some very interesting lessons in lightness for me!!
WHOO!!

:-)
S

Time Flies

Time really flies when you are having fun. Week four of my six week journey is nearly over. I dont know what to feel anymore. I am so glad I am staying, and so sad that another course is almost over.... and devestated that I have to leave this wonderful environment to return to cold dreary Canada. ALTHOUGH its effing minus 2 celcius this morning. ICE I tell you was on my windshield this morning :-(

Anyways.... yesterday was a great day for Mo and me. We played on the ground being soft an responsive before saddling - I am finding that for Mo, warm up strong doesnt mean run run run til you are out of steam - she just gets high on adrenaline. To her it means getting engaged and thinking and giving her puzzles to keep her crazy brain on me and not plots to leave. So we played, andI played the ""how little does it take" game, seeing just how little I could offer her and still get a response. We did that on tuesday in workshops - offering lateral flexion in just your body and being able to get a response before going to the rein - now THAT is cool. Lateral flexion because I look at her bum.. hmmm... the places that could go! So lightness is a big deal - and has been for my time here - but now I am really starting to have soaked on it long enough to try to apply it!

In yesterdays workshop we went to visit Kathy and played with fluidity and got some ideas abotu not over posting the trot - really really just letting the horse push you out of the saddle. I have a hard time with that, because for some reason I am uber programed to rise and fall on my own...? So Mo trotted and let me mess with my own self. Very nice. OH ! Online before we had been doing transitions within gait at the trot - very cool stuff - fast trot slow trot and back again, very fun, very good for energy control! So Mo trotted the rail of the honeycomb while I tried six million and three different ways of posting and flowing with her. I could really tell when we got it right. When we got it right we got this gorgeous slow lovely relaxed trot, and from that trot, without speedingup at all, we could pick up a gorgeous slow rounded canter for six strides and halt. YEEHAW MO!

That was just amazing and awesome for us. Tuesday I got lazy and didnt saddle and we had a good ride but our impulsion was a little off - she kept rushing the trot instead of cantering, so this huge change was VERY welcome and felt incredible. I tried to tell her that I need those quicke asy transitions bareback and I can deal with the sloppy ones under saddle LOL.

I also changed up my shims yesterday, taking it down to one thick in a sideways wedge type thing. I still got dry spots so today I am trying on thin in the same place. If that doesnt work I am going to try none and see how down hill the saddle is - because thats the only reason I am using shims right now, is to suit the saddle, because Mo has no hollows and is uphill. So we will try that today and see how it goes, if I feel thrown forwards I have no clue what to do next. Will have to ask a faculty member.

I still havent edited my L2 video. Need to do that soon. There hasnt been time! We watch an old video last night of Linda warming up Allure, adn all I could think of was how grateful I am the none of my horses are that extreme! On the subject of my other horses, I miss them terribly but I am learning SO MANY good strategis for both of them!! I am going to approach them both completely differently now! I cant wait to play with them!!

Thats about everything for now... GOING TO SEE TWILIGHT TOMORROW!!!

:-)
S

Flying and Taping!

Firstly about Flying:
Friday was a good day, me and Mo rode up in the Hill Honeycomb with our pen neighbour amigos and had a lot of fun with that. I was practicing my uber pedalling trying to aleviate some dry spots under the saddle. When I moved the saddle afterwards though they were still there and my ruffled hair had changed sides..? Avery gave the ok to play with shims now, so we will see how that goes!

Right at the end of the ride Mo and I went out of the honeycomb over on of the log entrances. Going out was fine, she just walked over it but then coming back in... my lazy pony dragged her feet over the log [which I didnt realize was on a stand and not the ground..bad me] and she actullay PULLED the log off the stand with her hind foot. UGH.

SO Log chases us and Mo goes OMG and jumps STRAIGHT UP in the air. Needless to say.. we didnt land together and I am now the proud owner of one delightfully dark purple bruise on the left side of my posterior... think the background of this page color. Its quite awesome.

To top of this set of new bruises, I also ran into the counter in the lodge on the corner RIGHT on my hip bone, so that hurts more than everything else! DOH!

Friday night J came and picked up Mo and we went to her place. Mo was awesome and settled great. Saturday morning was grey and a bit grossly wet, but we played and then... *drumroll*
J FILMED MY LEVEL 2 FOR MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Since it is likely to be snowy gross when I get home, this was an excellant oppurtunity so when she offered I jumped at the chance and now its done! We got it all and hopefully its ok! I am REALLY proud of Mo because the one part I was worried about - simple changes - went FLAWLESSLY!! I am so excited! I honestly didnt know I could do them that easy LOL!!!

So that was spectacular. And now I have to edit. I am so pumped.

:-)
S


PS: C&T I miss you guys lots and lots <3

Riding in the RAIN!

Wednesday has come and gone and we were finally allowed to RIDE! Of course this is the day a mild tropical storm decided to blow through. Lovely. It was actually really really fun to ride in though. It was hot and sticky [and I loved it] and then it rained while maintaining that lovely warmness. Mo and I cantered across the playground in the rain. Super fun.

I actually changed Mo's shim pattern again, so we will see how that goes. I got a few tips from Avery yesterday about dry spots so today is going ot be my experiment day with that.

Yesterday we rode again, lots of point to point with trees, wokring on riding off just my energy and things instead of reins, and that went pretty well. I got to help out Jamie cantering the perimete of the ring to help Raisin get used to being around other horses. That was fun. Mo was having fun. After our ride she was all super warm though so I let her sit in the pond for fifteen minutes. THAT was funny! She went in over her back, stopped, turned and looked at me and just stood there. Priceless. I love my horse!

This afternoon J is coming to pick us up to go over to her place, so that tomorrow morning we can tape my level two. That should be fun. Then in the afternoon we are going to a horse sale and a horse expo. I LOVE FLORIDA! So many horsey activities!

Ummmm... what else is new? Dancing Pete came back lat night, and that was uber fun. And I had my first Ben and JErry's ice cream to - cookie dough - and that was really good ! Scoff if you want, but I havent ever had it, so I didnt know it was good!

I think thats about it. Today is leadership day, and that should be interesting. I also have to learn how to post without squeezing with my legs. Let Mo push me out of the saddle. That is one of the things Avery said could be causing the dry spots. How interesting! Experimenting day!!!

:-)
S

Course 2 Begins!

So we had check in and orientation on Sunday - I got to help with check in which was ultra fun and orientation was just an overview of the course and the logistics part I was told in the begining on L&HB.

After that was over around 3 ish I took Mo out to play since she didnt get to come out in the morning because I was to busy checking people in! OH AND BIG NEWS!! We arent penned in the end of the world anymore!!! We have moved from the verrrryyy last pen [A1] to a pen about 50 feet from the lodge!! [D9] I feel so spoiled now yeehaw!

So we went out ostensiably on a grazing route but then I decided to change it up and pick the grass for Mo so I got particular about snappy departures and things and her play drive just went through the roof! She wouldnt graze just kept looking at me with two eyes like "OMG WHOO HOO!!" and we PLAYED. And then the coolest thing happened...

Out on the circle [on the 45' that I am trying to break in] she picked up the wrong lead cantering and THEN did a FLYING CHANGE to the correct lead. Post haste she caught some adrenaline and started speeding up to much so I decided to slow her down so I raised my stick in front of zone one and what happens but ANOTHER flying change to a counter canter again.. hmm... so I disengage to bring her in and she offers ANOTHER flying change to the correct lead so that she can come in properly. HOLY WOW... I LOVE MY HORSE!

They say mental and emotional collection brings physical collection... I am SO seeing the results of this! I LOVE IT! Yesterday again Mo was super play-y and we played for real doing lots of sideways with energy and circling with change of direction on the smallest suggestion. She got really into it doing her squeally thing and LAUNCHING herself in the other direction. It was really funny and then she would stop and look at me all "OH BOY THIS IS FUN"

It is really fun to playw ith her on the 45' because I can allow her so much more drift that when she gets in her little tiffs about being online, I can let her go and then she stops on her own and goes "Oh, right, Im with you..." And trots back to me, and I just coil in the line.

Yesterday we just did a revisit of the Me and My Shadow game for the new people. And a saddling pre requisite demo - we have permission to saddle today, and ride tomorrow - and today is our study in horse posture which I am really excited about. We also got to be on the seat builders yesterday which was SUPER fun and I want one installed in my backyard post haste.

:-)
S

Last day Course One!

I am so sad course one is overrrr :-( It is so sad seeing everyone go home!
Yesterday was kind of a non event day. The whole atmosphere was just sad and melancholy and so Mo and I didnt do much but take a few passes through the pond and hang and talk with Barb, who had to go [I miss you Barb!!!]

So after a not so productive play time we went over to Brittneys and had pancakes and bacon [mmm] and assaulted the walmart staff for a few hours. That was fun.

The day before yesterday was sideways/squeeze day and even though I didnt really work on to many things other than being particular about zones moving, Mo got really actually playful so we had a blast with that for the next twenty minutes until she said it was to hot and she needed a swim and went and stood in the pond in the deep end for another fifteen minutes.

So my brain is full. I need to digest some of this info before tomorrow because tomorrow is orientation for course two which i have to pay hella attention to because as much as I adored L&HB I live to ride and thats what I want to learn the most.

So yesterday was finale and we all got our certificates and a t-shirt that says Its not abut the... which is the theme in the course, so that was really cool. We just sort of reviewed what BFO's people had had, and how we were going to address the "So, what did you learn??" attacks when we get home. I still havent figured out the answer to that because everything we are soing is so intrinsic, its not lke THINGS its like growing roots to a plant, not the flower... you know?

My journals are getting worse and I am sad about that... I will try to get better at recording things, time is just not the easiest to find because I am always DOING and not thinking about doing like I used to at home.

I promise I will try to do better for course 2 for those living vicariously through my sadly put together journals!
<3
S

Circling Day

OH JEEZ I FORGOT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT YESTERDAY!
LINDA GAVE US MORE DEMOS!!! COOLEST THING EVER!!! one was a mule who pulled away and she showed us how not to pull back but to drift with him into zone five to create curitosity and like magic he turned and looked for her. The other was a big holstiener gelding who pulled off on the figure eight and first she had the person try driving zone 1/2 harder for lb snotty, but that didnt work and he took off so then she took over and it turned out it was unconfidence enough to send him catatonic! It was very interesting watching her just wait wait wait wait wait until he came out of it! BIG CHANGES!

So since it was circling day me and Mo worked on lightness in circles since we have been having some troubles going to the right - going to the left everything is dandy and light no worries, but she pulls to the right. On the plus side about half the time when she canters to the right and picks up the wrong lead she is now doing a FLYING change to correct it! MO! FLYING CHANGE! COOL!

Ugh.. I left this to long again so I gotta go... so more later for real today since I drove myself now!!

Yo-Yo focus day - yo-yo from zone five, backing by the tail!

So yesterday was yo yo focus day and Mo did great - the title says it all... and since I am to distracted by fbook to get to this in time I am going to have to fill this out later - sorry guys!

Ok, so im back! I didnt get to post yesterday because I had to go pick up my truck from the garage - its all better now and I have transpo so WHOOHOO!

So the other day was yoyo day. When it came time to play me and Mo headed to a roundpen to experiment. We played with yoyo from zone three and got almost to canter departs which was way cool .

In a crowning Mo-ment we were playing with driving from zone five and yoyoing back and I thought it would be cool to see if I could get her to walk forwards and then stop and back up by the tail... and SHE DID! It was so cool. It has been soooo neat having these focus days because I am usuallly terrible at keeping focused on one thing so these days have really helped me refine and concentrate on things!

So there we were, backing around by the tail and driving forwards at the lightest suggestion. Very cool stuff!

It was interesting trying to tech Mo initially about moving away from the carrot stick because she really likes to turn and face - which is a left brain thing because getting zone 1 driven is a dominance thing that they dont like. So it was really neat when she started to yeild to it and stay straight. We were still working on the rail though to use that as reinforment and an extra support for her. And me.

OH AND LATER!
DANCING PETE TAUGHT US ALL THE SEVEN GAMES DANCING !!!!!!!!
So much funnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!! I did it in Colorado when I went to Savvy Conference and it was still sooooooooooooooooo cool!!!

Principle Games Day

Today was an indepth study of the three principle games - Friendly, Porcupine and Driving. We had demos and remudas about them and it was very interesting to test how far you can take it, and tolerate vs accept and adding imagination etc...

So that was the theme for my play sessions with Mo today. We didnt do anything fancy, we just moseyed our way into a free round pen by the lodge and played in there. We started out doing some driving from zone 4/5 and playing follow the rail. It was interesting. Mo sort of got the concept but then didnt want to stop so we went into a version of a million transitions on the ground, walking, stopping and backing by the tail. This was all well and good going to the right but when I changed it up going to the left it sort of fell apart so we started up really slow again until it was ok.

So then we started working on following with backing by the tail because she tends to go in just straight lines or pull AWAY from me instead of with whatever direction I am going. We took it slow, and I released with just a step or two and got lots of licking and chewing. That was really cool.

I only had a little time because there was a workshop at 3 for 45' rope handling that I really wanted to attend so we pretty much finished up with that and went back to the pen so I could put Mo away and grab my rope.

Rope handling was fun, my rope has a lot more breaking in to do ! So do I before I am competent enough to use it wiht a horse attached to the other end. After rope things I got Mo out again but I am pooped today so I grabbed my book and we just grazed for a while til dinner and then I went to the intern/extern thing to get a new booklet [Suzie, I swear Im emailing you, give me time!LOL] I really want to apply for it, its affordable [comparatively] and coming out of it I could be a trainer or go on to intern or whatever... but I just have to get my Level 2 officially.... so we will see about that!

J said she would help me video, I just have to wait for the first week of fluidity when I can ride to film the riding portion... I should see if maybe she wants to come do the online/liberty stuff this weekend or something....

blargh.,... planning! Anyone want to donate to the send S to school fund???!?!?!?

Sorry this is short, it was a short sort of day...

Last Day of Week One :-(

One whole week has already flown by. How sad :-( I have learned so much and it is slowly sinking into my brain.... slowly. I will have to read all of this again when I get home to remind myself of several things.

Today was Leadership day. Kathy gave us an excellent presentation on leadership and what it means in each different horsenality AND we charted ourselves for personality to compare to what our horses are. Me and Mo are both LBE with a few LBI tendencies - AND I found out I am imulsive so that might be a lead on some of our ocaisional impulsion issues... how interesting! [oh boy!]

During remuda today we were with our LBE group again - what a fun crew! I am so proud to have actually had the confidence to jump into the extrovert group, and BE an extrovert. I love it. We talked about mirroring and energy and about Linda's lesson yesterday with the energy holding in the core and then we did simulations with a partner to mirror. I partnered with Iris and off we went - I got to lead first. Being me, I took off at a 'canter' and played with flying lead changes and canter/halt transitions - at first my partner was ehind but then she kept up really well - reading and mirroring me as I did what I did. Then it was her turn and I think I did a poorer job of keeping up with her - how interesting! So when I did finally get out with Mo I was really conscious of staying WITH her and not a step ahead or behind when I was trying to mirror her.

I was able to get my hands on some Sneak E Snacks today for Mo. She is very much a food monger and would be very easy to turn into a cookie monster, in fact I almost did today before I got it through my head that licking my pockets wasnt the best plan, no matter how funny/cute it was. She asked politely after that and started trying things to win a cookie instead of demanding one.

We also got to watch a trailer loading demo today by Kathy and a students horse named Shannon - a RBI. I dont know what the full story on her was, but we were asked for a non-extreme horse volunteer who just didnt consistently go into the trailer. We got to see just HOW MUCH waiting is needed for an introvert - and how much safety/comfort matters to a right brain horse - vs yesterdays demo with an left brain introvert. She was very much an obediant horse, a lot like Dakota on some days, and just sort of did things because she thought that was the right thing to do instead of actually wanting to do them. After Kathy played she offered a few really nice things and quit there - not even doing more than giving a really good confident lok into the trailer because ... guess what... ITS NOT ABOUT THE TRAILER!

After that Avery and her two horses Ahug and Akiss gave an inspirational trailer loading demo. These two huge belgain crosses [bakshir curly and paint respectively] went into the tiny two horse straight load in tandem. How cool!

And so my playtime begins.....

Mo met me at the gate, she usually does, and if she doesnt its because shes unsticking her head from out the window to get around the corner to come greet me. She has nickered at me every day for the last three days, almost every time I get up to her pen. SO COOL!! So haltered and armed with cookies, we took off down then lane and into the Enchanted Forest. I experimented with driving from zone four and five the whole way and learned a lot because one of the things that is hard for a left brain extrovert horse is giving up control of zone one [their nose, my dear C and T <3] SO being able to direct Mo's nose from allll the way back behind her was a fairly cool achievement since I couldnt do that a week ago!

Once inside the allocated area we pit stoppd at the first pond to see what would happen and I found out Mo wasnt really about offering things, and was really more interested in having her cookies. Hmm. Oky, well we moved on because she was getting unconfident about the whole water thing and I really dont want a horse afraid of water.

When we got to the bridge that crosses the creek I thought about needing a plan for oday and needing to engage my LBE horsey... well... one of the 'solutions' on my horsenality card for LBE's is backing! So I felt brilliant and decided to back Mo across the bridge. I found a rather large amount of hesitation and lack of confidence with things is zone five...[behind her] so that was really interesting to me, since I have no problems *personally* flopping all over her no matter the zone. I guess thats the difference between *things* and ..well, me! So there we are, zone five facing the incline [mild] for the bridge and Mo looking at me like " Are you crazy?! I cant back up this!" I took a second and actually thought about it to make sure I was reading her right, and that it was a mild unconfidence thing and not a snotty "yea right" thing. But nope, it was her not being ok [in a really mild manner] with things behind her, so I took a page from Kathy and WAITED. OMG do you know how hard it is for an extrovert to WAIT?? They have actually suggested a stop watch to time it - and I know I am guilty of the wait 5 seconds OK we're good, so I had my ipod and I listened to a song and waited for Mo to relax.

Lo and Behold, 3/4 of the way through the song Mo lowers her head and relaxes and licks and chews ultra over time. HOW INTERESTING! And then we back up another three steps and lather rinse repeat [ I swear I WAITED every single time and I am SO proud!] This went on until I got all four feet on the bridge [ that she has no problem crossing going forwards] and thats where I quit. Mo looked delighted and empowered and totally like "OH HEY thanks for waiting!" Which Ithought was really neat given her *usual* confidence with everything - which I now know is everything in FRONT of her.

By this point I am debating asking a faculty member about how to build confidence in zone 5 and as I am thinking it my brain is coming up with plans on its own so I didnt ask. I decided to devote today to mostly gaining that confidence by back and sidepassing up to things and wokring on backing up - since it was and has been sticky since I got here [dominance thing]

After crossing the bridge we went over to the honey comb in a sort of zig zag and appropriated the giant log to use as a confidence builder #1. Sidepassing Mo up against the log I found a big, ok well not big, but issue getting zone four to line up! How interesting. So I stop and think about this again. I realize [ok, admited] that in my sideways game zone 4 lags and I have not really ever addressed it, so now it is showing up here and it is unconfidence to go some where with zone four without leading with zone one first... hmm....

We worked with that for a bit until she was ok touching the log with her whole body and then went into an open round corral in the honeycomb. I set up two barrels in the figure eight pattern and thought about how to get creative and use backing so I went back to my attempt to back through the pattern. Hmm... V e r y s l o w l y things went at first, and I backed with her the whole time until I thought "I wonder if I can do this from farther away" and that went... well.. interestingly. I could get so far through the pattern and then she would get stuck and turn and face. SO then I went to our sadly underused backing by the tail. Mo picked THAT up in a *snap* and then we went ok through the pattern one and a hlaf times before she got bored and made up her own games.

*will finish later, have to catch my rid ein ten minutes!*

Morning with Linda Parelli!

Dearest C! And T! I am so very proud of your shiny new blog! <3

My adventures recently follow thusly:

Well this morning we got our very own up close and personal time with Linda Parelli. How very very cool. As an entire class [80 some odd people] we got to sit out in the [chilly] morning and watch a new savvy club dvd segment being filmed. With Linda. And two students with mismatched horsenality/personality problems. There was an extroverted person with an introvert horse and and introvert person with an extrovert horse. Very cool. I took a LOT [srsly, a TON] of things away that I can use with Dakota AND Indy.

For Dakota : I need to do less than him, I need to bring my energy waaaay down, I need to engage his mind with subtlety and intrigue instead on just slamming him with a phase four.. and lots of other things I need to soak on.

For Indy: I need to also bring my energy waaaay down. I need to be particular and make her feel SAFE so she doesnt have to go to the blowing up place. Because that is never fun. Safety is a very big thing with her. So I need to make very sure to deal with that.

Today I realised how very much Mo needs to move her feet. As an extrovert she likes to move [sometimes!] and as a left brain horse she is innately very very confident. We have been discussing the ways a horse can be confident and there are five areas : As a Learner, in Themselves, in a Herd, in their Environment, and in me as a Leader. In herself as a horse she is innately incredibly confident. In a herd she is also very very confident – enough so that it makes her a loner by choice on most occasions. In her environment she is most often pretty confident, as shown by the way she walks off a trailer acting like she owns the new place. That leaves her confidence as a learner and in me as a leader. Hmm. I would say that as a learner she is mostly confident but is peppered with mild unconfidence if she doesn’t get it right away. In me as a leader Mo is petty happy. She likes to test me every day, but not to hard, most days we have a working partnership.

SO! As an essentially 98% confident horse, she is happy to move around and explore everything – not run around scared out of her wits! Indy would be the run around scared out of her wits, and I am learning a ton about how to help her and redirect her. Mo needs direction though to. Creative and constructive direction that doesn’t hold criticism for her and her flamboyant self.

If you know Mo, you know she is a total goober and likes to run around flailing happily and hopefully not tripping over her own four feet. On several separate occasions she has so far [in four days] tripped over her own feet, on FLAT ground and almost fallen flat on her face. One time she almost did a nose dive off of a bridge. Hysterical laughter ensued. Sorry Mo.

So today I was making a big effort to observe her since I have sort of gotten the OMG PARELLI LAND LETS PLAY out of my system and I can focus now *coughextrovertcough* I was watching her, and waiting for any lacking in confidence in her part, and I really didn’t see any outside of the pond. She was happy to walk everywhere and even offered up a trot regularly. So we played and I tried different things and I changed it up. We went first into a round corral in the honey comb of the enchanted forest playground to practice our sadly lacking liberty skills. A friend had just shared some horsey cookies with me so Mo was uber enthusiastic!

We played at liberty for a good while, working on yo-yo, sends on the circle, trying a squeeze over barrels [not so good] backing by the tail [SUCCESS!] and sideways – which is getting better! I am getting better at regulating my energy so its not a SEND but a sideways… you know? It was really cool at one point I was standing in front of her and making the sideways motions in my body, crossing my legs over and things and then Mo started MIRRORING my legs with her front legs! How cool!

After that we clipped a line on and went out.. OH WAIT I FORGOT THE COOLEST THING!!

Going into the honey comb, there is a gate obviously, but also, sporadically around the biggest ring there are tree logs of varying sizes that you can opt to jump… WELL!! Mo JUMPED the BIGGEST one SEVERAL times!!! This tree was BIG !!!! maybe up to my waist or so. And she did it.. I was soooo floored… so proud. I couldn’t believe it! And she did it more than once with a very tiny send, it was like she offered it at the lightest suggestion!

My darling darling amazing cool horse jumped this monster log again on our way out and patiently waited for me and my uncoordinated self to clamber over the giant log. Finishing with the round pen we headed over to the different logs, jumping our way over to the back pond where we played squeeze game until we got two feet just barely into the water and I left it at that. From there we went over to a large log circling our way there. When we got there we found a cool set of logs in a semi L shape. The long wide of the L was a short log and the short side was a tall log. I started circling and squeezing Mo over the different logs and then thought it would be cool to stand on the tall log that had a flat space to play. Well! As soon as I got up there Mo sidles up like “do you want to get on?” And it was so cute! I am not supposed to ride for these to weeks so I had to politely decline, but it was so sweet that she asked.

So we played circling and squeeze and tested our lightness and change of direction – because lets face it, there isn’t much room to maneuver on top of a log! Mo did me proud and was excellent. Maybe could have been a little lighter in the canter, but otherwise super great. So I walked around on my loggy loft and Mo kept playing around me until she got the point and we moved on again. Extroverts you know.

On our way we just happened by another side of the pond so we played more with the water and this time Mo went in!! She went all the way in and came back out, got a cookie and we moved on! Its not about the water!

Our next stop was two tractor sized tires lodged upright in the ground with a horse width between them as a squeeze set up. Being the maniac I am, after letting Mo investigate them, I climbed up onto one and got her circling around me. That was all well and good, until I decided to up the ante and get a change of direction from my seat. Shouldn’t be to hard right? Given that I was just working on that? It wasn’t, not technically, but I wanted the change to run through between the tires. Hmmm!!! Mo thought that was really interesting! AND it took her more that five seconds to understand the game! Whoo!

After she figured it out – not to much longer- I realized it was time for the seven games workshop in the honey comb and went back over there to watch and listen. There were bunches of horses inside so Mo and I just watched outside. They were working on friendly game when I got there, so we watched that … er, I watched that and Mo grazed! Then porcupine game, where Avery talked about moving the front and hind end etc.. so when experiment time came I decided to see how my lead by the leg was. Well darnit if it wasn’t really light!! I was so proud of Mo! I tried her back legs then, with my carrot stick/savvy string around her back legs to test that one. She was distracted eating so at first it was not so good but then I got her attention and she did it amazingly – and THEN when I stopped she didn’t even want to start grazing again because I had been INTERESTING!!

When they got into driving game I was noticing how I was really really thirsty and how Mo kept licking me [srsly, constantly!] so I moseyed my way back over to the lodge ish area. On the way there was a bridge traffic jam so while I waited my turn I went over and played follow the weird white birdies. Hopefully such exercises will prevent them “ OMG KILLER BIRDS” issue while riding! Crossing the bridge has never been as issue with Mo, and when I get the chance I want to play with backing over it.

At the lodge area, still on the playground side I realized I had a problem.. no hitching rail and Mo isn’t allowed indoors. Hmm… luckily there is a round corral right there, and since they don’t want us leaving horses unattended, there was thankfully a few people there that I asked if they could watch Mo for me and they agreed. It was only a few minutes while I grabbed a cup of water, but I appreciate it none the less!

Mo is so adorable, she watched and followed me when I left and then through the big windows, and then got all happy looking when I came back out. Awwww!!

Once I finished my water, I noticed the big green ball in this particular round corral, so I went over to get it [Mo at liberty] Mo came about halfway then found some interesting sand and ignored me so I just started bouncing the ball around her doing approach and retreat etc.. Another horse who was scared of the ball came in and her owner took advantage of my bouncing to help her horse approach and retreat enough to get her nose on the ball! How awesome! After enough retreating for Mo, I decided that her look wasn’t an “umm Im not sure” look but a “ Pfft… I do do balls” I walked right up to her with it and started bouncing right next to her. That didn’t bother her so I bounced it high and sat it on her back for about ten seconds before I couldn’t contain my self any longer I had to hug her and tell her how awesome she was!

After that grand finale with the ball we moseyed out of the playground to get Mo a drink – she has finally found the world of molasses water, and it took her literally seeing another horse drinking out of it right in front of her to convince her it wasn’t a poison attempt! What a goofball. Now she [well today] only drinks the molasses water.

After getting a drink we moseyed back around and encountered Carmen and the Killer Golf Cart! Mo’s reaction isn’t your typical OMG reaction when you think of a horse being afraid, but it was an OMG for her so we went over to visit Carmen and investigate the cart and convince Mo it wouldn’t eat her. In fact she tried to eat it. Whoo! Even when Carmen drove away we were able to follow her, with me driving from zone 4/5. Cool stuff. I have been practicing my driving a lot more now I find, and we are getting pretty good!

We tried the pond one more time, making it more of a circling game and Mo went in awesome and pretty deep to, playing and splashing around. After that it was pretty late so we walked around, met up with Iris and dried up our horses in the sun and then brought them back to their pens and went for supper before going home to J’s for the evening.

Hopefully more tomorrow!

:-)
S

Days One and Two

And so it begins...
My course in Liberty and Horse Behaviour has begun!

Yesterday was all about reading the horse and the nature of the horse. We played with a game called me and my shadow. Well now! If I didnt discover that I personally own a green bucket fiend [thats what all the grain and cubes are fed in] While playing Me and My Sahdow the whole point of the game is to be able to hand over the 51% leadership to the horse and take the 49% for yourself, and just go with the flow and see what they do.

Mo took me on quite the adventure! We power walked everywhere for starters. And I mean POWER walked! We sped around, bucket to bucket up and down the lane of pens. At one point, one of the girls offered to go around and start blocking all the food buckets... well if Mo doesnt start RACING her to get to the buckets before her. It was HYSTERICAL!

Interesting to note that Once Mo got the idea that Her Supreme Highness was in charge, she WENT and was curious and a few times I had to say GAME OVER and get my leadership back up. That was interesting to note because I never realized how close to the surface her dominance was! So that was cool to learn. And her curiosity! About EVERYTHING! There are some shelter things the size of about a bigish standing stall and they are raised and she walked right into and out of several just exploring! Not so much for the claustrophobia that one!

So that was pretty much our day yesterday - Pat came to talk to us in the afternoon so we had less horsey time, but that was TOTALLY OK! He was explaining to us about the new intern/extern program and such that you can apply for. John gave another Q&A Session on it this afternoon which was really interesting.

So today was Horsenality day. We went into all the dfferent horsenalities and then were sent out armed to see what kind of horse had showed up today. So I went up to my pen to see which Mo I had to visit with today. Well, first she nickered at me, which is always a good Mo-sign. She also basically thrust her head into the halter so off we went. I sort of drove from zone three and sort of shadowed her out to the Enchanted Forrest.

Once there we went into one of the round corrals and I let her go to see what she would do. She sort of stuck by me so I experimented with what we could do. We can do sideways towards, yo-yo, driving and porcupine. I forgot to try squeeze - my bad. Then I tried our sideaways circle which went pretty well to!! Out on the circle she was really good, yesterday we got a canter/trot transition with just a minor finger point, and we were pretty much on the same page today. That was neat. And she kept LOOKING at me! Like "OH BOY! What are we doing now??" she trotted to me a bunch of times which was super awesome.

When we had the circling thing and bring back down ok we attempted sideways. And I say attempted because thats just what it was. It wasnt to pretty but I was able to get about four good steps each way and be really pleased with that and walk away. I learned that my send was to strong for sideways. I need to be more sublte and not yell so that she leaves completley. Very neat to play with that - her leaving flight line got smaller and smaller... very cool. So I snapped my 22' back on and we went out exploring in the playground.

There was supposed to be a workshop on a few things in different areas but I missed them because Mo went on adrenaline adventures! We cruised around and she went LBE adrenalized for a bit so we squeezed over a line of logs that made her think about her feet, then moved to a box jump, which she actually jumped, and I promise you it came to her chest! I was so proud! When we got off of that we went to a big tire filled with sand and Mo promptly put four feet on - nothing new for her really. OH! And also, there is a bridge - a real one made of wood - that you have to cross to get to this part of the playground and she crossed it like nothing the first time I asked. To cool.

So after the tire we went to a little bridgy thing on the ground, more like a plank type deal and she semi jumped it and stepped over it and across it again no problem, but a little adrenalized still, and not really coming down because horses around us were going right brain. There is a little round corral up in that corner so I decided to head in there. In there I took off my lead to see what she would do and started on a vircle. Well,real fast I got worried about Mo jumping the little panels because she kept looking at the other horses. So I strarted mirroring her again. And she did a total 180 and went ... what ARE you doing?>? And then she was with me and we walked out of the roundpen [online] and went around, still a little adrenalized, but now responding so we did grass point to points.

Eat some grass, trot or canter to here, eat some more grass. I usually put some logs in her way or something. Big ones. It was awesome watching her jump the giant logs at a tiny send and at a trot. Sometimes even a walk! So she was more in control of herself and reading my energy down part to go for grass so we headed back over the big round pen where the ball workshop was. They were playing ball soccer with the horses and people, the poeple having to stand still!

So when that semi ended I went in and got to play and that was cool. Mo was in a good mood. Then we went over to the hill playground just a little to two cavellti on the ground and played with energy up and down with grazing point to point over the caveletti. She got to where she would slide to a halt when my nergy went down and dive for grass! How cool!

Finally we had to go in for the night because it was dinner time. Then I ate dinner and now I sit here :-)

Will hopefully post some more tomorrow,
Gotta Run!
:-)
S

The beginning

Dearest C! I hope this finds you well,

Here I sit, in my new room for the six weeks, Pirates of the Caribbean playing in the back ground, contemplating how my journey has gone this far.

We left Russell on Thursday morning fairly early. [And I shall need to know your name…] The first hour and a half went great, then we hit the Canadian border. That was a little nerve wracking! My coggins test semi-technically expired on the 24th, since for travelling they are only good for six months – which I didn’t know until the day before I left practically, but my vet took another before I left, so its coming in the mail. Anyways, we thankfully got through, squeaked through really, and were on our way after about an hour.

Day one was good. We stopped and did the bathroom thing, the Arby’s thing and finally made it to our stop for the night. We stayed the night in Elizabethtown Pennsylvania. It was a great place and we met great people. Day two we were scheduled to meet another travelling companion so we got to dawdle around in the morning having breakfast and such before hitting the road. We didn’t get on the road until nearer to ten thirty. This turned to be a sort of negative thing because the mileage between PA and our stop on the NC/SC border was the longest leg of the trip. We didn’t pull in there until near to TEN PM!!! YIKES! To top that off we were having transmission problems to we had to go slow. The hills in PA/NY are killer!

So we made it to Sally’s Ark, which was fabulous [and then they made me their chief] Mo had a great snooze that night and was fair coated in shavings come morning. When it came time to leave, we left early for the last day of travel, and Mo loaded up like a complete champ. I adore my horsey.

The last day of travel went well, we made it in fourth gear all the way here, if a little slowly. At least we made it!! Mo unloaded here great and has been in a great paddock stretching her legs and napping alternately ever since.

Horse country around her is simply stunning. STUNNING I tell you. If I get a chance I will photograph it all! We saw palm trees on the roads on the drive down, that was fairly awesome to. I found Waldo! He is in fact a town in Florida! And I saw a town called Dumfries, and I found the original Brunswick [vs NEW Brunswick LOL] Also saw New Carolton, which made me giggle and think of Tanya.

My hostess is amazing, and I cant wait to be able to talk more with her! She is so so so nice, and [I think] we get along great. Dad and I took her and her husband Ralph out to dinner last night, it was a really good time! So, anyone looking to come down for a course here, I HIGHLY recommend staying at J’s Place – contact me if you need contact info! I obviously cant guarantee she will have space, but you can try! J

Dad and I did some grocery shopping this morning – after accidentally getting lost down the road with some of the most beautiful horse places I have ever seen – so my fridge/cupboard space here now looks exactly like it does at home – Poptarts [my sundae ones!] orange juice, and milk. Joy!

There are TONS of tack stores around here, and the mercantile at the Parelli centre [ you seem somewhat familiar, have I threatened you before?] so I am so totally pumped to go SHOPPING!!!

Hmm… what else…. [hows your footwork?] OH! At the Florida Ag stop [which I was also panicking about] I made friends! ME! Who never talks to anyone I don’t know, who is SHY – but I saw rope halters on the horses in the trailer so I got brave and asked if they were headed to the ISC and they were! So that was awesome and we got to follow them most of the way through Florida, so that was spectacular. [Or, perhaps the reason you practice three hours a day is that you have already found one, but are otherwise incapable of WOOING said strumpet…. You’re not a eunuch are you?]

So now I am just waiting for my AMAZINGLY GRACIOUS hostess to get back from an errand she had this morning because she said she could trailer Mo over to the centre for me since my truck is sort of done being usefull until I can get it to a garage and get it fixes [PIRATE] So that is so nice of her.

I cant think of anything else to add right now so I will add later!
:-)
S

Last Update...Probably...

This will probably be my last entry until I get TO Florida. Laptop is coming with, so I can blog my experience while I am there! I just dont know if I will have webz at the two places I am stopping at overnight on the way down. If I can update, you can bet I will, because I will want to share the awesomeness that will be this trip!

Before I ramble some more about travel plans I just wanted to go WHOO about my Sunday ride [when I should have probly been packing/doing laundry] Mo and I practed brdless and bareback some more, and it was awesome. We practiced canter departs and coming back down to the walk or trot - she goes... "slow? STOP!" There wasnt any middle ground.. until now!! That was fairly completely spectacular in my books. I also got some super cute pictures of Indy snoozing and my aunts horse Pride sleeping in an awkward position.

Mo is now officially ready to go! She has all papers, I just have to call the USDA vet tomorrow to book a meeting on Thursday for our crossing. Health papers got signed yesterday, no problems and everything is ready for Mo!!!! Truck is shiny and ready, trailer is healthy and red and awesomely ready, all thats left is to load up our things and go... after I pack my things of course.

My travel companions [besides my human father] will be Jack and Fillipé. Look for their adventures to be posted soon. They are adorable, if I do say so myself. This shall be an adventure titled : Jack and Fillipé Do Florida. Well, PA first, the NC, and THEN Florida :-)

I think that about covers it..... We are taking off at 7am on Thursday, and I have to remember to call my dad to remind him about his obligatory Tim's run because otherwise I might cry...[its mandatory road trip treats] I also have to hitch up and LOAD UP everything tomorrow night so I can just pull out Thursday morning without going OMG I FORGOT THE KITCHEN SINK!

I think I have labelled everything I own... I hope so? I am bringing my ribbon with me anyways in case I forgot... Not that theres a theft problem there, just with 25 12' ropes on the ground.. how do you tell which is which??? I CANT WAIT TO BE WARM!!! I am sooo excited to be there! I am going to be like the paparazzi the first days!!! I think I might just post an album link or something.... hmm... I shall ponder that.

GOTTA WORK! ACK! bwahahahhaa 1 1/2 hours left today then 8 hours tomorrow then IM DONE !!! No more works til DECEMBER WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

I cant believe I get 6 straight weeks of Mo time.... she is going to LOOOVVEEE all the attention!!!

Ok, back to work!

I will post as soon as I can :-)

S

She CANTERED to Me!!

*squee*
firstly, I wasnt even supposed to go home last night because it was my birthday and I was going to hang out with my sister and cousin so they could give me the present they got me [ a portable dvd player for my trip OMG!] but I ended up having to deke home to meet the vet for Mo's health certificate.

I wasnt the most excited about that, but it had to be done and I couldnt find anyone else to stay. So anyways, the vet was due between 5 and six so I was going to bring Mo into the barn hoping she would get there right at 5 so I could skedadle! No dice, she got caught in traffic and wasnt there til 6:30 but thats ok, she is awesome and I love her anyways.

The whole point though, is that when I was walking up to the barn, I called to Dakota and Mo, they both looked up and Mo started following me with her eyes, Dakota to. I forgot something in the car so had to go back and get it, so removing myself from their sightline, but as soon as they could see me again they were both looking at me.

Neither moved a muscle the whole time, just watched me, Mo had that "OMG Its YOU!" happy look that she gets when I bring her treats so that was so cute. When I got a halter and got to the gate and was *just* about to take a step out to get Mo, she BLASTS off into a canter and cantered all the way over to me from the gate into the pasture. EEE!!!

Seeing Mo gallavant off, Kota also did some showing off and cantered over to!! Mo had come right up to my nose for her hugs, and Dakota was actually respectful about 'our' space so I haltered Mo and made her stay while I hugged Kota. What cool ponies I have! It was so cute!

After putting Mo in a stall for a while, brushing her, tidying things up, killing time basically... I went out and Kota was still right at the gate and he actually nickered at me so I took pity on him and let him graze in the back yard while we waited. Mo had finished her 'keep busy' hay so I let her out in the yard to. Such a pretty picture!

So, thats my story. My horseys ran to greet me on my birthday. It was awesome. The End. [for today]

:-)
S

*Happy Birthday To Me*

Its my birthday today and its been a total rollercoaster week! In a really awesomely good way!

NEWS #1: CANADIAN BORDER BAN ON FLORIDA HORSES IS LIFTED!!! MO IS GOING TO FLORIDA WITH ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now the rush is on to get all paperwork accomplished before next thursdays departure day!

NEWS # 2: My Cradle came last night! Perfect timing for my birthday present to me! And, in a delightful true LOL moment, when I tried it on Mo I realized just how LARGE her cuddley cranium is.... I had punched an extra hole in her headstall to prepare for the high cheek peices even though she was on the second hole from the top - from all accounts extra holes have been needed..... Well not for MO! Miss I Have A Giant Head fits the Cradle PERFECTLY on the top hole that was already there. New holes for nothing. Oh well! At least I did a good job on centreing them and they look good :) I only got to ride in it for twenty seconds bareback because I was late but Mo thought it was really cool and I got forehand isolation which never happens! Needless to say, I am ultra uber excited to play with this in the next WEEK [omg] before I leave and then again down in Ocala!

So that was my thirty second last night, the night before was awesome to! I played with Mo on the ground, trying to maintain high engery without going to the right-brain place and was pretty successfull! I tried to look at my obstacles in new ways, and be as soft as possible and try new things... it all went really well! When I mounted, I was just sitting on her bareback because I had been circling her from standing on a barrel and she offered to sidepass over. I decided to see how my bridless was going and unclipped my 22' and we proceded to wander all over the ring!

I tried to emulate what I did last weekend at Shirley's weaving around and through and over everything to keep Mo interested and it really worked! We even cantered around, which is something we have been having trouble with only at home in the front ring because of scary trees. So that was a big deal!

Even cooler, it was the first time I could tell my aunt about being able to take Mo afterall, so when she got home and I was riding, me and Mo went over to the gate, opened the gate [still bridless!] closed the gate and TROTTED over to the house, onto the patio and up to my aunt so I could tackle her with the great news! AND Mo was totally with me when I dismounted and stuck right by me the whole time at liberty!! YEYYYY

That was the first time we were outside of a fenced area bridless. Unless you count being in the 25 acre pasture, which I dont since thats Mo's home turf as it were, and is not potentially scary. The whole escapade felt completely safe and controlled and was wonderful! I was so proud!!!

SO! RECAP!

1. Mo IS going to Florida
2. My Cradle came in! [C3 for m'dear Mo if you are curious]
3. Bridless gate opening!
4. Its my birthday and Im watching Greys with my sister T and cousin C tonight! Yey!
5. Mo and I are going to another playday at Shirley's on Sunday with Suzie and Blue! And hopefully Shirley and Jeanette to!
6. Hopefully going to tape some of my Level 2 on Sunday!
7. I am NOT panicing to get everything ready for leacing in a week... NOT....promise
8. Stay tuned for Mo's adventures in Florida! I can guarantee she will ham it up!

Cant wait to be there!!!! Our Liberty needs serious help, thank goodness for LIBERTY & Horse Behaviour!

:-D
S