Mo Is All Grown Up!

I cant believe its happened already. She will forever be the tiny little two week old filly hiding behind her mom in the box stall. Mo isnt just a baby anymore, she is all grown up and I am so proud of her!

Today, she gave her first ever pony rides to a crew of ten/eleven year olds for my cousins Eleventh Birthday Shindig. Before the event I went out to bring her in because she was in the run in shed and close. I just called her name and she walked over to me, which was nice. Indy said hi to, which was also nice and Mo proceded to follow me into the barn sans halter AND disengage and wait for me while I closed the gate which was an extra treat.

Once in the barn we played with our new thing - bowing. I accidentally taught Mo to bow last night when I dropped a cookie and she dove for it, performing an awesome bow. Anything for cookies that one! She cracks me up, really. After that she got all fancied up, brushed and lovely [have to look nice for the young'uns right!] and we went out to play.

Online was fun, she was in a really good mood, being really sesitive and I was testing out how little I could do to still be effective. It turned out to be a *very* little, which pleasantly surprised me. We have been having some minor issues with her being obstinate lately, since being home, and I thought it was maybe just because she was rusty after being left alone so long, but I think now maybe its because I was YELLING at her! I would be offended to if everyone YELLED at me instead of talking and asking politely!

So with that now in my perspective, things went a lot better. Until saddling! Mo has NEVER been a complainy horse about having a saddle on. She bucked one time with a new western saddle I was trying on her, but it was sitting waaay to long on her back so she was completley entitled. Today, she really didnt have a reason that I could see, I re-checked everything after she started hopping around and there wasnt anything physically wrong with the setup.

She wasnt outright bucking. More just hunching her back and crow hopping a little. Generally looking uncomfortable/having an attitude outburst. Given that we were supposed to be giving pony rides to complete novice children in the next hour, I was pretty concerned with her behaviour. I asked her out on the circle and asked for speed, since you cant really buck and gallop at the same time [I hoped] This seemed to help, and she started blowing and relaxing and getting some SHARP change of direction. I am still perplexed as to why she bucked in the first place, but she seemed to come out of it fine so I decided to mount and see how she was feeling that way to, just ot be ultra sure!

When I got on I just made my 22' into reins and had my carrot stick for support. Going freestyle around the ring doing walk/back transitions and troting with her head down went great. Mo eventually got bored of that [in about two minutes] and started cantering. Now THAT was different. Mo isnt usually an overly go-y horse, she is more extroverted on the ground and tends towards introvert in the saddle. So to have her offering a canter was definatly different! To boot, she was offering almost perfect canter CIRCLES! MY INTROVERT! Circling! HA!

I even have witnesses! My aunty was there to see the whole thing! Me and Mo cantered for a good while [and it was nice uphill slow flowy canter to.. mmm] before finally stopping [on energy!] and feeling ready for pony rides. Mo did GREAT at pony rides. Her whole attitude shifted really dramatically and she stepped more carefully and slowed right down. What a change in her!

Mo has grown up so much over the years. Mostly in the last year or two really. I really do love the horse she has become ....

:-)
S