Leadership... DUH!

Friday was a very very very very VERY interesting day with Dakota. The farrie was coming on Saturday morning so mission one was to get him over to my aunts house so he would actually be present to get his feet trimmed. Trailer loading is not his favorite thing to do, but he did it really pretty good for him. Coming home was more messy, but thats later.

When I unloaded him at auntys, the first thing he did was check out and start responding to all the calls from the other horses. It really didnt help matters that Pride and Candy were in heat, and giving him the "rape me" eyes. *sigh.. ponies...* So right off the bat, I had to make a choice. Let him go off into his own world, OR attempt a productive session by upping my leadership a zillion points to command more attention than the other horses.

Given the title of this blog, one should be able to disern which choice I made. I got particular. NOW. I didnt get mean or mad, I got effective! And I am so proud!! I played a few games by the trailer, then over to the tack room door - where we had to play some confidence games because apparently doors eat big yellow horses - until he could stand still and I could brush him. He was really dirty, I am embarassed to say. When he was as clean as it was going to get we went over to the gate.

Well, I went over to the gate, he backed over to the gate. Candy was there, looking pathetic at him so I protected my herd and made her leave. Once in the gate I had quite the wannabe stallion on my hands. UGh. I love my home version of Kota because hes so calm, quiet and dependable. Even with Mo and Indy. Give him another gelding to look and and suddenly he decides he has to be Mr. Macho. Apparently no one mentioned the lacking anatomy to him ... NINE years ago. But thats not important, have to play with the horse who shows up.

Right away I went into "a zillion things at once" to get his attention. When I had it, I would lay off and let him rest or do something simple and easy, until his attention wavered again and then it was off on the zillion thing train again. I used the logic that he would HAVE to pay attention to me more than the others because he would have to keep an eye on me to see what crazy thing I was going to do next! So we flew around the ring doing circles and sideways and yo yo's and yeilds and falling leaf patterns, and.. , and...., and. Until he FINALLY started to stay with me!

I have to say, I was pretty ecstatic at that point. When I was sure he was going to stick around I went over and saddled up. Also, for the first time in... a while.. I bridled him, with Mo's myler bit that is a Comfort Snaffle with a C1 mouth piece - but is NOT the Cradle. I would love to experiment with the Cradle, but havent the money. I usually dont ride Dakota in a bit because he objects and doesnt like it - since I usually am just riding freestyle with him anyways, it really makes no difference. This time I wanted to try for something more, so I decided on a bridle.

All preflight checks passed. Girth tightened, everything set, I mounted up. On a casual rein we started around the rail at a walk. Everything went great until Candy came up and went "Hello Lover!" and Dakota went all studdy. Guh. Instead of just trying to run away from her I got Dakota to go closer to her sideways and then used my savvy string to smack her bum. Blissfully, she ran away. Not far, because shes lazy, but some. I probably could have returned to a casual rein then and been safe, but I didnt have his full attention, which was really the goal of the entire situation.

Whether or not it was the correct thing to do, I kept my concentrated reins and went around the arena doing a million transitions, steps of sideways, backing up and everything I could think of until his attention came back to me. Of course Tucker was standing at the fence line so everytime we passed him Dakota went into this fancy show off trot. We did eight hundred million things until he offered to go by Tucker once without showing off - he focused on me instead!

At one point Indy, Ivy and Candy were really in the way so I had to chase them out, which was hard because Candy kept wanting to come back to Dakota. In the end, Indy took the hint and then actually kept Candy away from Dakota and herded her out of the ring and into the pasture. I had to laugh at that.

Dakota and I continued our a million things theme. Interesting to note, that he was confident on the concentrated rein. A) He usually isn't and B) WOW! I had uber power steering, speed control within gait, he offered me a super slow collected canter which culminated in an almost canter pivot going around a corner once. I am wondering if it is because he was more right brain that he was looking for more 'hand holding'? Mo not hates, but she adores freestyle and gets a little annoyed when I 'hang off her face' [her opinion] in a concentrated rein.

So I was quite surprised with Dakota, since usually he really objects to anything finesse, and here he was actually enjoying it and trying really hard! Hmm... pays to win leadership points doesnt it... hmmmmmmmmmm!!!

This delightful leadership lesson was reinforced when on Sunday, I took Mo to play at a friends house and she went right brain in an OMGCOWS fit. It was basically a repeat session of what I did with Dakota, but with more repitition instead of changing things up. Still a need to step up my leadership though. How interesting!

Very interesting and learning-full weekend...

:-)
S

Indy in the Rain

Rain rain go away, come again... next summer. Every day it seems to rain. Every day its just grey and miserable and disgusting. Until one day, it was grey and miserable, but notably less moist. I took this oppurtunity to go out and brush my mud-caked-used-to-be-clean-a-lifetime-ago horse. Indy is the most clean horse I have ever known, she ia dive in the extreme. With all this rain there is little she can do - she looks like a drowned rat.

While I brushed her she stood completely still. I protected our herd of two from even Ivy, and Indy seemed to approve! When I finished with the brush I went to exchange it for a comb and grabbed a halter at the same time. I put the halter on the fence and set to work on the snarls in her mane. Her tial was busy with flies, so I didnt bother. Once I detangled her gorgeous long mane I french braided it... because I like braiding her hair. She has the perfect mane for it - not to long, not to short, not to thick, not to thin!

When I was finished with that [AFTER she stomped on my foot by accident - delightful bruising ensuing] I grabbed the halter and this time she didnt walk away from me! On Tuesday I went to a friends and we discussed many things, among them horsenality differences and how to play with them. I related to her my difficulty with Indy, how she never seemed to lick and chew, and how she was getting duller. When I got her she was most definatley a LBE/RBE and now felt more like an LBI!

It was suggested to me that instead of giving her uber loads of time to think [introvert tactic] try giving her a million and one things to think about [extrovert tactic] SO! First things first, after I haltered her she was crowding me a bit. I gave her a phase one yo-yo and got the innocent "Huh?" from her so I proceded up my phases with some due haste - asking more - and got a snappy backup with an INTERESTED look, and LICKING!

HOW INTERESTING! So now that I had her attention I suggested we go left and off she went, I drive from zone three/ four. I alternated driving with backing and going sideways and got resounding positive feedback! Out on the circle I did tranisitions every quarter - just walk trot, I was on the 12' - and that really seemed to interest her as she kept experimenting with speed within gait all on her own!

I kept switching it up between circles sideways backing and driving and then headed over to the single barrel with the "do something" attitude and got one foot on it rather proudly! Then I walked over and laid two barrels down in a row and played squeeze over that a few times.

I just kept changing the plan, swithcing from one thing to another and she was right with me! Her ears were up, her eyes were bright, she was TRYING and LICKING! When the rain started I didnt even notice it. Only after I tried to go inside and found I was soaked did it occur to me that it was pouring rain. Not just light mist. Pouring. Obsession is fun huh?

Things I learned about Indy: She was introverting at all. She was BORED STIFF!!! She IS still the extrovert I know her to be, I just wasnt challenging her at all! Especially when I switched over to waiting tactics for what I thought was introversion! A major breakthrough and *headdesk* moment for me. Linda always says you have a 50/50 chance of getting it wrong. I just chose the wrong side of the coin! Now that we are on the same page again I think we will make some really great progress!

The only thing left to do is ponder why I thought it was introverted and try to see it correctly next time!!

:-)
S

Multiple Jacks

Last night was a flurry of activity. In the span of three and a half hours I managed to go to the post office, get gas, do groceries [being clever and getting ALL and only heavy things ...ugh] ride Dakota, ride Indy AND ride Mo!

My afternoon began innocently enough. I planned to hang out with Dakota, because he is home and has just been a pretty pasture ornament for the past few weeks other than undemanding time really. I went over to the fenceline and he was there already, waiting for me with a happy "Is it dinner time yet?" look on his face. I hated to dash his munchy hopes, but I offered solace in a good brushing. He seemed to enjoy that. He did a really cute thing, that is really rare for him to - he explored the thing on the ground! I had dropped the fly spray bottle on the ground near him so I would be able to spray him after I finished brushing him, and there he was, investigating is, lipping it, shoving it around, testing its flavour and generally just playing with the bottle! It was so cute! And so nice to see his little play drive coming out!

After he was brushed and doused in fly repellant we drove from zone three over to a stump to use as a pedestal so I could check out his feet. I've got a call in to the farrier, because I know what Mo and Indy's look like, but I wanted to check his to. They are long but solid, which is interesting because Mo and Indy both have a few cracks... I wonder if the uber wetness at home attributes to the non-cracks? I dont know, hoof health is one of my gray areas. I let my farrier take care of them. I *should* learn more about feet, but I just cant wrap my mind around it.

We played with getting a foot on the pedestal for a while, but Dakota was playing obtuse and was exhibiting the classic Kota " I cant do it - I just cant get positioned right!" halfheartedly flapping his leg around, more often that not just resting the leg, bent at the knee, on the stump. I have to laugh at him. He is such a goober in everything he does. I didnt precisely give up with the stump thing, I just accepted on decent try and then mounted. Ungracefully.

The irony is, I KNOW Dakota is tall, but when I got on I turned and looked and the first thing that crossed my mind [honestly] was "Wow, he is small!" I know, I know, a 16h horse is NOT small BUT! Now hear me out! BUT Dakota is built in an uber compact way, short back, short neck. Mo and Indy are both of the longer variety - long necks and normal sized backs. Since I have been on both of them lately more than Dakota it was a little unusual being on a short coupled horse - it felt small! I got a chuckle out of that anyways.

Once I got over my giggle fit we walked off. We walked around, trotted around, doing nothing in particular. I was just enjoying being with him and being fully capable of SITTING his trot in a comfy way, not hanging on for dear life hoping I dont bounce off. The first few trot strides I just sort of melted into his back, revelling in the comfiness of it all. I didnt ride for all that long. I just had to get that need to sit on him out of my system. We walked back to the gate where I dismounted and opened the gate for grazing in the backyard. A whole step and a half later Dakota's nose was glued to the grass! Way to wander, Kota!

I had scooped his grain earlier and it was waiting on the picinic table so I went to get it for him when he would be ready for it, but as soon as he heard the can grass was second best and he trailed me to his bucket. What a goof! So I fed him his dinner, unhaltered and thanked him for my mini ride and set out to go feed Indy. Really. I only intended on feeding her and then coming back home. I swear. Famous last words, yes?

Ivy's people were there when I got there, so I chatted a little bit. Chelsea was riding Tripp around doing her own thing in the ring. While I talked with Ivy's people, Indy made it clear that she felt neglected and needed major attention ASAP! She kept coming in for hugs and following me and cuddling so I went to get her a halter - at which point she walked away! HA! I followed her, mirrored her until she came to me again and haltered her. I dont think I have quite picked her lock yet though, because she doesnt lick and chew a lot? I am not sure what thats about though.

For a while I just stood with her haltered, loving on her, and then I made my rope into reins and attempted to mount via the water trough. I say attempted because.... well because the water trough wasnt very full and when I stood on its edge I went trough skiing! Now THAT was funny! I didnt fall in, but the trough tipped and I surfed and eventually jumped off. Indy had jumped back a bit [but not as far as I thought she might given her water fear] and I think she sort of took me with her. I thought this was hysterical personally. Ivy's people looked concerned, but I was just laughing!

When I regained some manner of composure I untied Indys reins and played with a little falling leaf and sideways, ending with put-your-nose-on-a-barrel. Then in another show of spectacular gawkiness, I scrambled up onto the barrel and finally mounted my poor tolerant horse. We walked back to the gate to just sit and talk some more. When they left I walked Indy around the ring some and then asked for a trot.... and got nothing! So we proceded to entertain thought of miraculous speed and finally came up to a respectable trot. For three strides. Thats ok! We got something at least!

We practiced our transitions from walk to trot. I need an effective phase four I think. Next time I ride her I will try the old savvy string on the wrist trick. That helped Mo a LOT when she was young and obstinate... oh wait.. she still is! By the time I finsihed with Indy we had a pretty speedy trot going at phase two. I was happy with that and jumped off. That speedy trot is incredible. I see it when I play on the ground with her and her extension is amazing. She resembles Mo though, in that when someone is on her back she wants to go very slow and take care of that person. It took me forever to convice Mo I could take care of myself! Hopefully I have learned from her and can move passed this slightly more quickly now !

After hugging Indy thanks I trotted off through the little gap in the fence to find Mo. Chelsea and Tripp had gone off into the pasture to chase the tractor doing the bush hogging, and while declining the offer to go with Indy,[because of Ivy] I thought it would be good fun to take Mo! All the horses were ranging out in front of the barn but there was no sign of Mo. I sighed inwardly because usually when she isnt easily spotted its because she is in the farthest corner possible from the barn. I still couldnt see her so I got excited and peeked around the corner into the run in shed annd VOILA! THERES MO! YEY!

Mo looked all happy and perky so when I ran up to hug her she hugged me back. Shes such a doll! I played a mini game of stick to me and yo-yo over the the fence rail I use for mounting and then we were off after Chelsea, Tripp and the tractor, who were all in the middle of the feild. We trotted most of the way over, me just feeling out Mo, doing some bending and things and then when we were closer we cantered up to them.

Together we started trailing the tractor at a very slow trot, then riding beside it until the bush hog ran over some of those not-trees I befriended a few days earlier and spat out some extra angry mulch which hit Mo, who jumped sideways a foot and a half. I love Mo spooks. They dont go anywhere. Bored with the tractor we continued on ahead of it, cantering down the rest of the feild and then coming up with our grand plan to instigate some disturbances in the herd.

Turns out that is easier said than done! No one wanted to run with us! We ended up picking out Trixie, who caused us all kinds of grief last summer and this winter before the Great Re-Fencing Project by slipping through the electric strands. She is young anyways and can handle the play. I would go as far as to say she enjoyed it to! At first she kept doing little circles, coming back to the herd and we werent on the ball enough to stop her. Mo and I got some good cutting practice trying to keep her out of the herd to! Mo got really focused on what I was focused on [Trixie] and got down and went for her, cutting her like a real cutting horse!

Talk about your independant seat builder! WOW! I just focused and let her do her thing and boy did she! She was jumping back and forth after her, all I had to do was stay on! Trixie finally set out on some bigger circles. That was so fun to! Mo took off right after her and was right in her trail. We did circles after her, blocking her return to the herd and then in a last ditch effort to play, Trixie bolted to the barn! Tripp and Mo both took off right after her! Any qualms Mo may or may not have still harboured over being speedy with a rider were surely gone. We galloped flat out over the pasture after Trixie. It was the most fun I have had in a while! I laughed and smiled the whole time.

In the shed we herded Trixie out and she bolted back to the herd, bringing us with her, for more flat out fun. This time Mo jumped a ditch on the way, which was interesting! Around and around and back and forth we went! It was so fun! After a few rounds we let Trixie have a breather and went to pick on King, the littlest pony with the biggest Napoleon Complex. He was more like a cow than Trixie - he was crafty. He kept trotting and cantering away and then he would stop dead and wheel away the other dirction. More independant set practice! Mo was a little less precise with her tracking skills though since she was all energized from the runs after Trixie.

Still lots of fun though! We eventually went back to Trixie though, not wanting to stress the little pony over much. In the shed Trixie looked like she was waiting for us. She saw us coming, ears pricked and started walking out of the shed. I swear she looked back at us and said "Catch me if you can!" before she took off for the herd again! And take off we did! We whooshed out of there after her, around some trees, circling the herd until she finally managed to weasel her way back into the centre again where we called it quits and decided to walk out. We were sweaty! All that galloping was a good work out! More moist pants for me!

We toured the whole feild a few times, got distracted by cutting Teddy [dog] a few times and then eventually made our way back to the barn once everyone was dry and the mosquitoes were coming out in full force.

Mo got lots of treats in the barn, a good dose of fly spray and then let out into the backyard to graze while I filled the water trough for Candy and Indy. When all that was done Mo even came up to me when I called her to come in. I thought that was really sweet. I gave her a bunch more apple snacks after I put her out in the pasture, and left with her looking over the gate at me, begging for more snacks!

What a cool night.... I havent played with everybody in ages on the same day! PLUS I galloped hell bent on Mo which is a total first!

:-)
S

Weekend Fun

This weekend was a good weekend for me and Mo. Saturday was really good fun and Sunday we went to a show.

Saturday morning I went to play with Mo in and found that my aunt was bush hogging in the pasture. Oh Boy! What an oppurtunity! So after catching Mo, playing some little things on the ground over to something I could use to mount [working on the bare back mounting, promise] we went off to play with the tractor. At first we chased after the tractor. Very slowly. Tractors dont move that fast while bush hogging, so we got to practice our uber slow trot - and we actually got some elevation to it instead of just a slow shuffle! I was really fun!

Eventually following the tractor lost its appeal so we started to trot beside it. And around it. Doing circles. Transitions. Anything! Later I played cow horsey with Legend [the cow dog] and that was really fun - hes a Blue Heeler so herding is his thing, but I am sure he wasnt quite prepared to BE herded by Mo! After herding Legend we went around doing canter circles and trot transitions - we even did some sideways trotting! That was really exciting!

In the pasture there are two telephone poles set... telephone pole distance away from each other. We played with cantering figure eights around them, attempting our drop-to-trot simple lead changes in between.

We played and ran around and generally had a good time, making up transitions and patterns as it fit the music blaring from my ipod. Mo was in a really good mood and we did tons of fun things. Interesting this was - YES I had two reins and NO I didnt have any confidence issues! How interesting! SO now I have to go back and practice one rein + carrot stick more often.


On Sunday we were supposed to go to the local riding club show. Its a smorgasborg of everything ever, with classes in halter, western pleasure, trail, driving, english hunter, jumping and western games. Mo and I signed up for the command class, the Junior Horse class and all the western games except pole bending. My alarm ended up not going, so the day didnt get of to a great start. Luckily though we didnt have to be there until 11 anyways.

We did make it on time, signed in and played a little bit before the first class. Mo was a total trooper, she is so 'over' going places now and just hunkers in wherever we are. We played some on the ground before saddling and went over to an empty ring and practiced transitions and canter figure eights, with picking up the right lead. Then came class time......

Our first class was Command. Judge says do X, you do X and whoever doesnt do it right away is out. Simon Says basically. I really like this class, but usually get called out at the canter to the right because I get the wrong lead. It started with eleven people. We all went into the ring and started at the trot as the first command. So far so good. They called for a canter then and a few people got called out. Some for wrong leads, some for not picking up a canter at all. Then, in true Command Class fashion, we go from canter to halt. Joy. Good thing I have been playing with transitions! Mo halted flawlessly AND stood on the rail calmly, despite my fluttering stomach.

Thats another of my little glitches you see. I get so worked up and fluttery, that my usually calm immovable ponies start to mirror me and want to go go go! Instead of picking up on this, Mo was stellar, stood like a total champ while almost all of the rest of the horses were called into the center for fidgeting! After that ONE halt, there was only TWO of us left!! WHOA! How cool! The Judge then asked us to reverse, which is always tricky because its just turn around, not turn around and keep walking. We didnt spin on the haunches or anything, but we did it, just like the other girl [who I think, pivoted]

In more classic Command fashion, our next command was from a halt right into the canter.. to the right. If I was going to blow it, it would be here but Mo amazed me by picking up the right lead and off we went for 3/4 of a lap when they called a halt [again awesome for Mo] and back up. Mo didnt back up quickly, but slow and steady and straight. The other horse was backing up crooked, but still backing so couldnt get called, but then it reared a little bit and went sideways so... ME AND MO WON COMMAND CLASS!!! WHOOHOO!!!!!

I was so excited and happy and proud of Mo!! She did so so so well!! For her second show ever, to get a first place, that it pretty amazing! Out of eleven she was the best!

In the Junior horse class I think we would have done really well to, except we missed a lead and had a hard time picking up the canter afterwards. The judge even said after, 'To bad about that lead" but besides that Mo was flawless again, so I cant fault her at all.

We then had the whole rest of the afternoon to kill because there are all the jumping classes between everything else and games. My cousin and I jumped on Mo bareback and went down the road to the local bakery to get some donut snacks. It was fun. Mo made bakery friends. Luckily there was a bench outside the bakery we could use to remount after getting off to get out treats.

It started to rain eventually so I got to play friendly with Mo and the umbrella while riding, and that was a total non-event. Games were fun later. We had a couple of turning issues, once in barrels and once in keyhole, but it was really fun anyways. Mo can book it when she wants to. We got sixth in all the games we played, which was neat since there were more than six people!

Then came ride a buck.... its just for fun really. We all put a dollar into the pot and winner takes all. We all come in barebakc and do our trademark opening canter lap and then get our 'bucks'. I think I was third or fourth out or something? I lost it on a canter/trot downwards transition. D'oh! It was lots of fun though. Mo was really good about trotting slow. One of the girls jokingly complained that I wasnt supposed to lose my buck until after her and I had to explain how one does not sit a hackney cross trot so well !

And so ended our show day, with a closing couple of canter laps in the ring, we loaded up and went home. Good times!



:-)

S

Over The Edge, Over Again

Last nights adventures proved... enlightening. I actually found the edge of my confidence, and got to go over the edge, out of my comfort zone and GROW! How cool is that!? What miraculous feat did I attempt that pushed me so much, you ask? Nothing terribly miraculous, but I'll tell you the story if you wish...

It was sunny and humid, but with the barest bit of breeze, it was tolerable. After the previous days incredible ride I thought Mo would be in a fabulous mood to play again. I wasnt exactly wrong, but neither was she galloping cross country to meet me. She was out in the farthest corner bordering the road so I wandered out to meet her. I was studiously ignored until I was ten feet away. How interesting! Usually, when we have a really good session, Mo gets ultra excited to see me again. Maybe she didnt have as much fun as I did? Felt like she did at the time... maybe she just woke up on the wrong side of the pasture? Or maybe she was just being lazy. So many variables.

At the astounding distance of ten feet, Mo finally walked to me. She looked happy enough. Ears up, eyes bright. After tackling some bugs for her and giving uber scratches, I haltered her and played with extreme friendly game. I had brought out my 22' and carrot stick to play in the pasture today. With the muggy weather I didnt want to tack up anyways, so why not play out in the big space. Mo was great for all the ground flogging and everything. She didnt even get worried this time.

After checking out our friendly game I looked into out porcupining the forehand around since that usually comes apart real quick if I dont touch it for a few days.... yep.. right on cue. Forwards, backwards, spin like a top. Everything but standing on the hind feet moving the front feet around. We spent a few minutes re-remembering that until it was solid again. I am one of the many guilty of being lax in my porcupine game. My imagination needs some growth in that department - but I figure, at least I am aware of it!

After playing with the front end, I tried to drive the hind quarters around and got a nice surprise.... Mo took of at a canter on the circle! How interesting! She really put energy and effort into it to! I was really surpised, and she was all uphill and pretty that it took me a second to clue in and shut it down. Because I had dropped the ball and gotten distracted by her being gorgeous, it took a pretty intense phase four to go "HEY YOU! Slow down!". When she did stop, she looked at me all innocent, like she didnt do anything wrong. I guess technically she didnt, but *I* knew I had done something wrong to get her to go off like that - orrr shes just messing with me, as she is prone to doing. Practical Joker that one...

After re-itterating that "move hind quarters" does not in any way, shape or form indicate "please bomb off hell bent any way you please" everything went pretty ok. We played with some sideways circles, some real circles with change of direction and transitions and some sideways. The sideways was really good practice because the feilds were just bush hogged, so there are lines of fallen weeds to help me see straightness. We played with keeping zone three over the line, and zone one on the line to. Mo got the hang of it eventually and tried really hard.

We played with falling leaf and moving circling across the pasture. Some driving from zone three on the right proved very interesting, in that her confidence isnt as high when I am over there! I played around there until it was ok and we drove around some more. Finally, she seemed to be tuning into me really well at stick to me and everything so I drove her over to a stump for a mounting block.

I took the savvy string off of my carrot stick and put it on the halter for one rein, disconnected the 22' and mounted up with my carrot stick. So far so good! We walked over to a fallen tree and dropped the rope on the high point. Then, in a move Mo totally didnt expect, I asked her to walk back to the far end where we had been playing. This flumoxed her slightly, as *usually* when I mount her in the pasture it is to ride up to the barn, because I dont feel like walking all the way back. So right off the bat there was a little opposition to me going "Hey, you are wrong, we need to go to the barn" to which I replied "Not today, today we play out here". This was pretty much the theme for the session, Mo trying for the barn and me reassuring her we CAN play out here. How interesting!

Over where we had been playing on the ground there was a tree. Ok, well a wanna be tree that was mostly an over grown weed. It wasnt even as tall as Mo, but it was a THING and it gave me focus. Focus I did, on that little not-a-tree, until we could circle it without touching the stick. Or the rein. I touched the rein a few times when she decided BARN!! was a good plan ASAP and had to stop her. Mostly it went pretty well though, we just walked the circle until she was good and reliable and then we changed directions and walked it again until the reliablilty factored in for both directions.

About 50 feet away was another not-a-tree so after being solid with the first imposter of a conifer, we moved on to the other one. Consistency came faster with this one and soon we were starting trotting figure eights around our not-trees. Mo's trot was really nice and thought out and slow! I was really impressed! After a while I got a bit dizzy so I started out making a "rail" for a pretend ring, using the lines from the bush hog again.

Here is where I hit the edge of my confidence! It was really cool, because at the time I realized it, and pushed and stayed outside my comfort zone long enough to grow. I am really proud of that. When I took Mo off of her little pattern with her not-tree pals, she got impulsive. Not run-madly-around-like-a-lunatic impulsive. Just faster than she had been going, and with a HUGE stride!

Mo's physique has done a complete 180 in the last month or so. All the bridless prep has left her head freedom and everytime I ride she stretches like no tomorrow, and as a result her topline is coming in amazingly. She has a more upright carriage now, and actually HAS a neck! Its GORGEOUS! BUT! This also means that her striding has changed, and as a result, I have to work extra hard to be fluid with her bareback. Before her stride was just jolty. Now its long and flowy and slightly jolty. Her back moves SO much! She was stretching down at a big trot as we found our 'rail' and it was just and insanely large stride. I am super proud of the changes in her.

Back to my point. Her changing isnt my point... just my tangent... My point is, that on the rail Mo's stride got super huge and super fast and my comfort zone was *just* behind me because I felt just the tinyest bit out of control. Now, to be fair to Mo, if I let my energy out, she stopped, and it I tried to turn her with my leg and she sped up [working on it!] and then used the stick, she turned or she stopped. So we were really out of control. I was just having trouble reconciling to her new found uber-stride. It was really good fluidity practice.

At one point I thought maybe I should just try the canter, since her trot was being so fast, cantering would be easier. Now this pushed my comfort zone just that little bit more, cantering bareback, out in a 25 acre feild with just one rein and a carrot stick apparently is my edge. Which is funny, because while it was happening, I was thinking to myself "If I had two reins I wouldnt be uncomfortable" and then I laughed at myself because that was ridiculous. I grabbed mane, just in case and asked Mo up into the canter. HOLY WOW! It was fast, but it was UPhill and big strided!

The first canter we only did maybe six strides because of ME. *I* was uncomfortable with the speed that we were hurtling around at, and unsure if I could direct Mo accurately without making her speed up more, so I stopped her - emergency style, because of my discomfort. I sat there a while, wriggling my way back to the normal sitting place because of her super fast stop I had slid forwards a bit. I also sat and thought. Why is this pushing my comfort zone?? I CAN canter around fine in a saddle, even fine bareback, in the ring, or on the trails around the farm, or around the house. Ive even cantered up to the stone patio and jumped up on to it bareback.. so why was THIS canter bothering me?

I figured it was just the newness of the place - even though I keep meaning to, I really dont ride that often out there, and it IS big, and Mo was trying for the barn a little at a time. Its not like I could bolt off onto the road though, if she went anywhere, it would be to the barn. I wasnt worried about falling off, I feel pretyt confident about my seat, so it was a control/letting go thing, trusting Mo and trusting in her new uber strides!

How interesting. I did a lot of thinking out there, sitting on my horsey. We went back to some quiet figure eights while I processed my sudden confidence edge. After a while I wanted to canter again. I figured that was a good sign - that I *wanted* to the thing that had pushed me over the edge. So we tried again. This time we got ten strides! And this time I stopped on energy! No emergency stop, but it was a quick stop none the less... Mo likes to pretend shes a reiner, and also refuses to spend more energy than required so when its stop time.. look out because its STOP time!

Hmm.. I thought to myself... that was better, her stride was still big and giant, but I gave myself long enough to get in sync with her and it felt really good. HOW INTERESTING! So thats what we did for the next little while. We cantered little spurts, that slowly got into bigger spurts until we finally did one whole circuit of my 'ring' and then I quit, super proud of myself for moving closer and staying longer. And for realizing what that niggling discomfort was and how to deal with it!

Mo and I walked out, both of us quite sweaty and warm. Back over to the fallen tree to pick up our 22' rope, and then finally to the barn. I wonder if Mo was wondering if she would still have to play in the ring to?? I put Mo in the back yard to graze while I fed Indy, Ivy and Candy and filled their water trough. Ivy is all proud now because she gets her own bucket. Such a dork.

When I finally got around to fetching Mo back, she actually walked to me, which was super nice. Back out the back gate, with lots of hugs and scratches and snacks, we finally parted ways for the day. It was a VERY interesting, highly educational and completely prograssional session! I am very proud of us BOTH!

On a funny side note, my jeans were branded with the standard "went bareback riding" sweat pattern, and I got some interestng looks at the gas station and grocery store where I had to go before going home! HA!

:-)
S

Edited to add: While playing on the ground pre-riding I held Mo's tongue for the first time that she actaully relaxed! She hasnt been able to relax/stop struggling until then! Whoo!

After The Storm

My prowress as a Weather Goddess was proven once again last night. All day I dreamt of playing and riding Mo. I havent ridden a lot lately due to either weather hitches or animal emergencies. Yesterday the clouds rolled inexorably closer all afternoon.... until around 2:30 they burst into a cascade of water from the sky. Everything from drizzle to downright sideways rain was pouring from the sky. The ground went from dry to saturated in thirty seconds flat, I'm sure!

Our drive home from work was eventful, rain sheeting down, then tapering off to nothing, then back again, full blast, so that it was hard to see the road. And hail. Yes. Hail! BIG balls of ice pelted the car, I was sure it was going to dent or crack the windsheild! Luckily it didnt, and it slowed as we neared home. A small patch of sunshine hovered over our house, just long enough for us to dart from the car into the safety of the great indoors, taking Ajax - who is afraid of thunder storms - with us.

The storm had followed us from the city it seemed. Thunder was rumbling angrily behind us as we ran inside, and the rain hit minutes later. Ajax and I hid out in my room, reading Horse Illustrated, waiting out the storm. I didnt see any [if there was] of the light show because my room is in the basement and my window is covered, but I definately heard the rain on the windows and walls of the house... and the thunder! Apparently the storm was right overhead.

Around 5:30 it sounded like the rain had stopped so Jax and I decided to be brave and peek outside. Lo and behold, the rain had stopped, the clouds retreated, and it was sunny! Whoo! It was really quite neat though, because I could see the clouds retreating to the south slowly, leaving sunshine in their wake, and hear the thunder still fading in the distance.

Seeing the sunshine finally return, I threw on my boots, grabbed a rain coat [just in case] and bolted to the barn to visit Mo! Mo was halfway out in the feild when I got there. I walked maybe one hundred feet from the barn before she saw me. She walked towards me and I backed away from her until she trotted towards me. She kept coming forwards full of intention, until she saw something tasty on the ground! She kept trotting to me, then going "OH BOY!" and diving for a mouthful or two of grass. She got stuck and restarted two or three times before she got stuck for good. No big deal, I just resumed my trek over to her, at least she was much closer now!

Funny thing is, I think she was just waiting for me to put forth some effort, because as soon as I started moving towards her a bit, she came right up to me! What a goof! After hugs and haltering we started our shortened journey back to the barn. On the way I mixed things up a little, asking for sideways towards me and driving from zone three. I got a confused look with sideways, like "You dont usually ask for that now and here" so I think it was a positive that I can still surprise her a bit.

Into the barn, with a really nice soft disengage, and up to the front to get brushed and fly sprayed [drenched!] Mosquitoes were really bad last night in the humidity. Blessed blessed bug spray! Suitably soaked in delightfully repellent liquid, I switched out the 12' for a 22', tied a savvy string around Mo's neck, put my saddle on the fence rail, grabbed my carrot stick and set out to the ring. Our poor ring.... it dires up and then we get torrential rain and now its a puddle again! The bottom quarter [ish] is a giant puddle at the moment. Joy.

I backed Mo out of the barn and to the gate, being super particular about where her hind end could and could not drift to. My goal was to practice some L2 assessment things. Once in the ring we walked over to some poles on the ground to play with obstacles. A little yo-yo, went well, then I asked for far away sideways and POOF... there goes Mo, off at a canter. How interesting!

Even more so, because she didnt actually hit the end of the line. She just ran off and went "Oh, heres the end, I should circle" until I interrupted her interestingly mad flight and recieved a funny look from her in return. Sort of a "Hey! I was having fun! Why'd you have to go and stop me??" It was a really nice canter to, very uphill in the front with reaching legs. Super pretty, compared to her usual low slung pulling forwards version.

Since she obviously wanted to MOVE I changed the game. She could circle me all she wanted, but she had to do it sideways. THAT was cool. I just gave her the direction, and off she went, sideways circle, hardly any correcting at all! It was so soft and neat! Then I changed it up again, and off we went on a circle to practice transitions.

One direction was really good - to the left, and one was just all go go go go - to the right. It was pretty interesting! On the first send, which was as small as I could make it, Mo tore off at a canter. Hmmm..... I let her go for a lap or two and then focused on trotting. Downward transition. Only minor rope wiggling later, I had a respectable trot.... that tended to leak into a canter when she went behind me! D'oh! We played with that until she could maintain the trot and then moved on to the walk. The walk is hard for both of us because its slow and we both get bored with it, so we usually end up with just half a lap before moving back into the trot or canter. It took a while for her to remember that she CAN walk out there on the line, and slower than trot is not game over!

Eventually, all three gaits got repectable in that direction, and I was really proud of Mo. I asked for a change of direction so we could play with the other side and as soon as Mo figured out that was what I wanted, she tore off in a canter again, in the new direction. The positive thing being she didnt rip the rope out of my hands, and it was actually a really slow, nice, uphill canter. She just wanted to go, and go and go! I had to actually get to phase three before she registered my directive. When she did 'see' me, she stopped dead. How interesting. I brought her in for some confidence and as a thank you for cantering on a circle and loose line. Thats a new-ish development from her!

When I sent her out again, we played with yo-yo a few times, getting it snappy, before actually going out on the circle. This time on the circle she was a little less in la la land, and more able to do the transitions I asked of her. Going to the right didnt get as good as the left, but she was getting annoyed so I changed games and drover her to the barrel lying on its side and said "Ddo something with it" Mo's version of doing something is slinging a foot over it and calling it a day. I have to laugh at her, because her expression is so laid back and at the same time so much puppy dog "Did I do good??"

After that I went over to move and arrange some of the logs so they wouldnt be in our way, and then sidewaysed across the ring over to the saddle. Just before the water and the saddle we stopped and I unclipped my 22' and put it all up on Mo's neck so it wouldnt get soaked. Mo and I walked at liberty to the saddle, saddle up at liberty and then I put a savvy string on her halter as a safety net and we went to play some at liberty. Normally I wouldnt have put anything on her halter, but the ring is part of the pasture for Indy, Ivy and Candy, none of whom Mo really gets along with, so I didnt really want to have no way to stop her if she decided she wanted to go make some enemies.

The string ended up being redundant anyways, because I didnt use it, but it was ok. We ran around playing stick to me at the walk and trot, me stopping suddenly and backing and Mo coming with me! Also played with some sideways and a little driving the front end around like in a cutting game. It was really fun. When my girth was all tightened I mounted up with my carrot stick and my "one rein". We walked around a bit and then over to a barrel to take off the halter... and test everything we have been playing with for the last 6 months.

Mo was having a great day, but at this point I cannot express how utterly and completley astounded by, and proud of Mo I am. She is just the most amazing thing ever. I took off her halter. She put her head down, licked and chewed a bit then asked "Whats next?" And off we went! Just like Pat says, When you have something on their head, ride like you dont, when you have nothing, ride like you do! And thats just what we did!

We walked around both directions, doing circles and serpentines without the stick! Into the trot, continuing to do patterns randomly around the ring, needing only minimal stick. We tried to canter, but it was to slippery, and after almost going down on one side we kept it to a trot.
After the slip, we had to chase Candy, Indy and Ivy out of our space and that was really fun. I knew it would be a really good test on my brakes, because Mo gets right into chasing Candy and sometimes ignores me for it. Not this time! Go, stop, turn, go, STOP. All of it. Right there. Right with me!

It was such a phenomenol feeling! When they were out we trotted around in the ring a little more before heading out to the pasture part. In the pasture we wove patterns around the weeds, walk, trot, stop, back up. The only thing we didnt do was canter because everything was slick. Oh wait, we cantered a few times in a straight line, just to see if we could. It was super nice to be able to STOP with nothing but my body! I only picked up the string around her neck once - and that was to remind her how my "back up now please" body language sounded.

I felt like I was hardly using the stick at all, it was so great! Mo was tuned right into me! I had no qualms about not having anything on her head at all!! We had go, we had stop, we had power steering! I was very focused about where I wanted us to go, and go we did! It was so perfect!

Everything we have been working towards all winter and spring is now coming to fruition and I just cant express my joy enough! All the frustration with Mo is just gone now.... we both have our basics and we can work on quality now. It is so much FUN!! The only thing missing is my own personal photographer to follow me around and document all my cool discoveries... since I am usually alone when all of these fantastic cloud nine days happen. I think that is what contributes to my focus though. I am alone, just me and Mo, I've got my ipod on to shut out the rest of the world, and its just us, in the moment, doing our thing, be it laugh hysterically or concentrating on getting a pattern.

At the end of the ride we worked on getting some circles at the trot and that went really well! Mo got the pattern really fast and I hardly needed the stick after she got it! The hardest part for her was to give up leaking to the barn, but that didnt take long at all!

So that was my super awesome ride after the storm last night... Mo is amazing! We are going to have so much fun in Florida together!

:-)
S

Ajax Update

Yesterday afternoon at about 5:30 when my mom and me stretchered Ajax out to pee he did the single best thing he ever could have done - HE GOT UP AND WALKED! It was slow. It was unsteady. It was sore. BUT HE WALKED!

He took only a whole five steps, didnt pee, and layed back down but I didnt care. I was just beyond thrilled her GOT UP! Before that he spent the morning in the vet hospital, getting drugs and blood tests. He still hadnt tried to move there, so he was stretchered back into our car and we took him home. In order to stretcher him, they muzzled him... I have never seen Ajax look so abject in misery before. He is SUCH a happy dog, all the time, even all day yesterday, but he was NOT happy with being muzzled!

The vet kept re-itterating to me how I may have to muzzle him to roll him over [so he wouldnt get bedsores] and I just kept thinking in my head "Are you nuts?? Ajax would NEVER hurt me" I didnt say anything, but ask me if I muzzled him later... the answer is no. Did I get bit, mauled or growled at? No. He wagged his tail. Because Ajax is awesome. The best dog EVER.

Once home we comfied him up in our living room, gave him his drugs and put ice packs under his front ankles, which were determined as the problem point. His joints swelled up and are causing him tons of pain - hence the reluctance to put weight on them. He lounged all day, eating the treats I gave him, but no dog food, and not drinking except what I forced down his throat.

At 5 ish mom came home and we brought him out and miracle or miracles my doggy walked! Overjoyed is a mild understatement. I let him sun himself for a while and then encouraged him to walk back into the house, which he did, slowly and carefully! When he layed down again I put his ice packs back on and let him rest.

At bed time I re-drugged him as per instructions and we walked out to the back to his house to put him and Sable away for the night. He seemed happy enough to go. This morning when they came out Ajax walked from the back yrad all the way around the house to the front yard to plop in the front grass. I brought him out his drugs and he [mostly] took them nicely. When I came back out with his food and water dishes he had moved to his more usual spot in the walkway in the shade. I gave him lots more treats and hugs before heading off to work... hopefully he is still there, resting and recovering!

A side benefit [very minor] to this forced inactivity was that I was able to finish Jax's haircut that I have been procrastinating for.... weeks. He looks slightly less dorky now! Yey!

AND HE CAN MOVE AGAIN!

:-)
S

Ouch :-(

On Saturday night my canine companions became caped crusaders, determined to rid the world of vermin.... Only they picked an angry pregnant racoon, and my back porch as the location of their show down. Everything seemed to go in their favour, only minor cuts and scrapes, slightly destroyed porch, mutilated pool noodles and one very large, very dead racoon.



The next day was spent lounging on the front porch, licking their wounds and recuperating. The day after seemed to go as normal, off on their usual rounds - until it came time for bed. Sable came running home as per usual [ although on three legs, as she injured one in the battle] but Ajax walked home, very, very slowly. Due to his innately lazy and slow going nature, I just thought he was tired and so I put him to bed.



This morning: mild disaster. Ajax would not get up. He would not walk. His front legs were stiff. After trying for some twenty minutes to encourage him to move we decided to take him to the vet hospital next to my work office. Ajax is not a small dog mind you, and moving him is no mean feat. I fetched a sheet from in the house and he was uncerimoniously rolled into it and carted to the back of the jeep. Not very high on the dignity scale, but at least it was effective.



At the vet hospital Ajax still wouldnt get up. The doctor probed him, weighed him, bent his paws and he bore all of this with his usual good temper. The vet found some swelling and joint soreness in his front paws and a minor fever, so it was decided to give him some anti-inflamatory medication for the pain and take some blood work. With that desicion being made, there was nothing more I could do, but leave him at the hospital and cart myself off to work.... so here I sit, waiting for the vet to call me and tell me Ajax made a miraculous recovery and is going to be just fine.



Updates as I get them



S

Killer Mosquitoes!

Last night, at the ripe hour of nine thirty, when I was already abed, dreading the next [work] day, I hear some un-confidence inspiring thudding! Calculating the odds of the mysterious thudding being A) Robbers B) Robbers of C) Dakota on the loose. Deciding that I wanted to know and be prepared for either occurance I got out of bed and went to see what the fuss was.

Once outside I immediately saw the culprit- one big yellow horse, pacing the fenceline just outside my [basement] bedroom window. Not pacing just for kicks mind you, pacing because the mosquitoes were forming a cohesive attack plan, coating him in a cloud of their little whirring wings. Taking pity on my poor yellow amigo I got the cloth full of fly spray and approached Dakota, intending to wipe him down and end his misery.

Well! If Dakota didnt scatter like... scattering things! How interesting! As he trotted off, I trotted off after him, aiming my trajectory to come in front of him, catching his draw and making him see me. When this happened he went from "OH NO have to escape!" to "Oh hey? What are YOU running from" and came over to me. Whoo! Until... I turned to wipe him down and he was off again!

We repeated this little pattern twice until he came up the next time and rested his nose on my shoulder. If I said I didnt melt a little inside, I would be lying. When I turned this time, he stood completely quietly while I rubbed him everywhere with the cloth to spread out the fly spray. After that delightful experience I ran over back to where I came through the fence, and Dakota actually followed me! Cool feeling!

I went to bed smelling like fly spray, but it was worth it.

:-)

S

CHZ Burger Thought of the Day:

Cameras and Horses

Last night my goal was to take some pictures of my playing.. but instead I got distracted by all the pretty ponies and ended up just going on a photo hunt. I played a little with Indy - but with the ulterior motive of getting some "in motion" shots.... [ for all visit http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=983321&l=bf94a&id=506582099 ] These are the results:

Playing in the Storm

Like any sensible person during a highly humid day, when the rain began I headed out to play. The thunder only started later, and there was no lightning, so I wasnt to concerned! It was warm, it was dark[ish] and it was raining, not to hard and not to soft. Ironically, the 3.5 seconds I spent in the barn retrieving some treats, the rain tempo increased dramatically and poured buckets - until I was ready to step outside to go visit the horseys.

Mo was actually with the rest of the herd on the far side by the tree line that separates the pasture from the neighbours. I walked over there, amused by my dry foot-prints in the top-moist sand. I got about 20 feet away before she deigned to notice me and walk over. Mo was thrilled I had come all the way out to see her just to feed her! I scratched her some, rubbed her belly, swatted mosquitoes and then walked away. Behind me I hear a discreet "thud thud thud" and turned in time to see Mo [seeing me see her] try to look like she was just browsing grass. I kept walking a bit more and hear more footsteps, so I stop without looking back and all of a sudden there is a Mo at my shoulder! Cool!

I loved on her a bit more before walking away, and this time she realized I wasnt hoarding treats so she returned to finding her own. Crystal on the other hand approached me! She walked right up and stuck out her nose to smell me. I stuck out my hand to be sniffed and sniffed did I be! Her little [thoroughbred] nose scuttled all across my hand, by arm and up and down my body twice before her curiosity was satisfied. I thought it was pretty funny! I dont usually pay much attention to Crystal, because she is not my horse. I spent some time with her though. Finger combing some of the tangles in her mane and scratching some bug bites. She loved that!

I eventually walked away from her and she actually followed me a short distance where we stopped and made nice once more. Her head got lower and lower, until she was determined to investigate my boot. She snuffled it. She licked it. She pushed it. Then, in a really slow, methodical way, she opened her mouth and tried to bite it. At that point [while laughing in a mildly hysterical manner] I blocked her and asked her not to eat my shoes [please]

Some more scratching time later I walked away and said hi to King, the smallest pony in the field. He is so cute, I just cant resist his itty bitty little ears. Mo saw this though and came over to make him leave so I would scratch her instead. She gets jealous so easily! Once King had be removed though, she lost interest in me and walked away. I followed her lead and walked myself back into the barn.

My intention last night had been to play with Indy, and now that I was thoroughly moistened anyways, I figured why not. I grabbed her halter, but exchanged a 12' rope for a savvy string in case of lightning [so my twisted logic tells me] Indy was waaay at the bottom of the pasture with Ivy and Candy. When I was about 50 feet away she 'saw' me and actually came over to say hi, almost. About two feet away she went "Oh no.. cant do it.. sorry... "and dove right and went for grass. Ivy on the other hand pranced her midget bum right up to me all bright and shiny to say hi. She looks a bit daft right now all shedding out. Cant be helped!

I walked over to Indy and she looked up at me from her grazing, so thats a good sign. She also turned her head for haltering, so that was a real nice thing. From there I went into a porcupine challenge mode. Can your hindquarters move? Well.... sort of, but ONLY if you are really really sure.... and then I will take only two steps and then one back towards you. How interesting. Can your forehand move? Sort of... but 'over' gets mistaken for forwards... Can you move backwards off of halter and chest pressure? YES! YEY!

Some of this is Indy's horsenality going "Nanner nanner I'm bigger than you" but a lot of it is just that I tend to under play the porcupine game and havent done much with Indy since her pregnancy left her pretty uncomfortable as is. I plan to play with her a lot more as the summer wears on and Ivy grows up.

After porcupine 101 I went into Lateral Flexion 101. This was really interesting. Flexion came really easily with a lot of licking and chewing to the right. To the left it seemed like everything was a brace! No licking, just brace. I waited for one little try and then filed it away to play with another day.

I started to play a little game of stick to me after that. Just walking, stopping and backing. *Usually* when I try to back like that with Indy she tries to turn and face me. Not last night! We actually achieved moderate success at this activity! I was super proud of her! We moseyed in circles and straight lines all around until we ended up at some barrels nera the barn. I asked Indy to do something with them and she chose to put a foot on them after investigating with her nose. Pretty cool!

We played with that for a while, with her crawling all over the barrels several times before I set them up right into a figure 8 pattern and asked her to go through that way. The required a lot of thinking on her part, but she got it really fast and tried really hard! After accomplishing that pattern I changed it up and stood on a barrel asking for a circle. My goal was to get her to bend around the barrel. She didnt bend overmuch, but she did go around and she did offer herself for a ride. It was so sweet!

I couldnt say no, so I slid on with my one rein and off we went - two steps to practice our lateral flexion. A big surprise here was that lateral flexion mounted was SUPER EASY! How interesting!!! She flexed to both sides like she did it every day, and totally didnt care when I threw the string over her head. Whoo! We walked all the way to the end of the pasture and back to the gate, just getting in sync with each other. Ivy was carovting and cartwheeling circles around us the whole time.

At the gate I dismounted and unhaltered Indy. She was awesome and I am very proud of her. Just a small session, but you gotta start somewhere! Lots of hugs and scratches later, I got her dinner and everyone settled in for the night.

I am very glad I played in the rain!

:-)
S