So Many Things!

What a cool day today was. Figuratively and literally. Great great things happened today, and it was also not so very warm!! Apparently, Mother Nature lost the memo that said "BTW, its JULY!" *sigh* Moving on...

This morning I had to go over to Auntys house to let Pridey in because they are being lucky and off on a massive road trip and such. So ponies are my responsibility for the next however many days. Cool beans. I went out to fetch Pride and technically Crystal, to play with but its funny how things dont always work out how we plan them!

Pride completely ignored me, and since it was cold and there werent any bugs, I ignored her to, to let her graze until she wanted to come in. She really only comes in to get away from the bugs anyways. INDY on the other hand, saw me coming, watched me for a while then walked 1/3 of the way across the pasture of to me. OVER TO ME! She didnt run, no, but she walked, steadily, in my direction, a rather long distance to come check me out, say hi and ask to play. How cool is that?!?! I was super excited! Since Crystal wasnt exactly offering herself in Indy's place, I haltered Indy instead and we went on our way back to the barn, playing little stick to me games on the way.

Inside the barn I shined her up, and made her look her most gorgeous. I really need to get some new clipper blades so I can re-clip her legs, but other than that she looked fabulous as per usual. Going out into the ring I grabbed the 45' and off we went. Usually things go really well on the 45' with Indy but I guess her adrenaline was way high because she was completely out in left feild and I just couldnt get the attention of my beautiful, rather large, kite flying 45' away from me! Doing what I hope was the savvy thing, I swapped for my 22' and moved on. OH BOY

Things completely turned around! Our session turned into the most fabulous thing! She was so attentive and wonderful. We played with transitions on the circle, being more particular about fast trot and slow trot, that got her licking a LOT even while she was out on the circle. Also, since her adrenaline was up, she was pulling on the line. Funny little habit that comes up only when she gets hyper and disconnected now. So we played with that, transitions and dont pull on the line and she gave me some of the most fabulous relaxed, rhythmic and connected circles on a loose line. The funniest thing happened with one of the transitions, she got confused and started to brace to pull away off the circle and then just stopped, and backed up six steps. Fast! So random! But I think it is from all the times we did backing circles and backing ransitions in her pen in flroida! It was an awesome self-check on her part. She really was going to pull away from me to, so fabulous timing on her part.

We also played with some squeeze games over jumps of barrels and sideways and things, but the circling was the biggest thing. I couldnt really think of anything to *do* while riding today, so I just opted to sit on her for a passenger lap of the ring then sit on her while she grazed in the back yard. Turns out that was a really fun plan! While my dear is grazing to her hearts content, I am sitting on her back playing away! I layed back, using her bum as a pillow, I did around-the-world- several times, sometimes lying on my stomach from sitting backwards, sat side saddle, kneeled on her back, sat on her bum and finally slid off of her from her bum. Super cool stuff. I wouldnt have guessed she would be so calm about all that, but she was perfect. I love my pony!

The only minor grey spot came when I went to put some things away and left Indy grazing and Candy came running in from her pasture screaming like a moron. Apparently she just noticed Indy was here. She scared Indy into walking away, and then Indy scared herself by having the 12' trailing her and she trotted off down the trail. *sigh* I hate that feeling, as you watch your beloved run in a direction you know isnt fenced and you cant run faster than them... Since I was close to the barn I grabbed a bucket with some crunches and shook them hoping for a good response. I got something, she looked at me, but then kept going. Dang, so I started walking.

She was grazing in the tall grass and wandering around, stepping on the rope every so often. I was *almost* to her when Candy comes pounding hellbent down her pasture still screaching and freaking Indy out AGAIN. Cursing the pony as Indy runs into the bushes leading to the neighbours yard I start jogging after her when I hear hoofbeats coming back my way. I stopped and waited and out bursts Indy from the tall grass. She stops, looks at me and then turns to walk away...what an opinion!... I lean down hoping to disengage her hindquarters and VOILA disengage AND she walked over to me! THANK GOODNESS! Lesson number one... make sure your bring back is JUST as good as your send!! Sheesh!

Candy was still doing her song and dance, so Indy wasnt to pumped about grass so I brought her into the barn and rasped her feet by myself for the first time [on her I mean]. She was fabulous, I am really proud of her! After that I turned her out accompanied by many crunches. By this point the weather looked threatening, as if it would storm again, so I decided to get Mo instead of Crystal, incase it did get bad, I knew at least I could for sure trust Mo not to freak out. Weather turned out fine later. Crazy clouds. But I had Mo anywyas, so we played.

Coming in from the field we did little trot-halt stick to me things, and as a change, I got her to back INTO the barn, up the step, instead of just squeezing in. That was fun. Interestingly enough, while she will back out with just one of the gates open, it took having both gates open for her to consider backing in. She had a lot of unconfidence with it and licked and chewed a LOT when she finally went in the first time. The second time she licked as she backed and went right in. Smart pony!

I prettied Mo up, brushing her many many hairs, and making her shiny before taking her out to the ring. I put Mo on a 22' based on Indy's fun, plus, the ring really isnt enough room for the 45'.

Right off Mo was uber tuned in. Like, UBER tuned in. It was fascinating! I turned and looked at her and she shot of sideways with a squeal. SERIOUSLY! I wasnt even trying to ask her anything. Hmmmm... So I used it. We sidewaysed over all the way to the barrel line of jumps and I suggested she jump it. She offered to try and sideways over it. I said thanks, but back up and jump it, so she did and I disengaged her a la squeeze after. I had planned to go on to something else from there, but she turned and jumped it again, so obviously, given Ms. Horrible Jumper was offering to jump, I took it and hugged her! Cool stuff.

We played with yo-yo on energy and got some really cool fast back ups without even having the rope moving! Wherever my introvert went, it sure isnt here at the moment! She was all motion today! But it was all GOOD positve motion, that was the cool thing. She was trying everything for me! On the travelling circle, she jumped the little upright barrels on a SUGGESTION! She easily could have gone around them, but she AIMED for them! How cool is that? Upright those barrels are easily 3 feet, and the jump she took even looked rideable!! Which, I have to say was part of the coolness.

We played some with transitions on the circle again, she was offering a lot more canter today so I took it and did fast canter/slow canter/how slow can you go without breaking gait. Apparently REALLY slow. It was very cool. You could distinctively hear each beat and the pause. One...two...three. She was really thinking about what I was asking and maintaining her responsibility to not change gait! It was really cool to feel her take part and be a partner so much!

We played with trot transitions to, and those went really well too. Then I thought, since I really should be getting to filming my L3, maybe I should *actually* remember to work on my patterns... I am great for playing, then getting home and reading the assessment thing and going DOH patterns dorkball! SoI was proud for remembering.

I set myself up a weave with the little barrels standing up, and let the fun begin. Mo completely remembered the figure eight [which I started with] and offered it right off at the trot. She did it pretty well but drifted out a bit far on the right barrel so we played with that until she got the point. *Then*, oh yes, then, when she got the pattern, it went *click* and she started offering me COOL THINGS. She went, "oh yea, figure eight, no problem, how about I do the figure eight, and jump this single upright barrel on my way by, would that be good?" SERIOUSLY! I love my horse!

She just started offering me these fabulous little tid bits, like cantering, and jumping the barrels, and sidepassing over them, away AND towards me! Very cool stuff!! For me though, the highlight was when we were playing with some more sideways, I just got my "go sideways' ENERGY up and pointed it at her and she flew off sideways [straight to, no leaking forwards!] and licked and chewed and relaxed. THEN from the end of my 22' line I asked her to COME to me sideways AND SHE DID!!!!!!! Like.. four times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I called it quits then.

What a fabulous HIGH note to end on! It was by far the coolest thing ever. GO MO! I just need a personal videographer/photographer at all times apparently, because of course, the day we do some of the coolest things ever, no one is even home. Oh well...

So I didnt even ride Mo, becuase that was such a highlight. I let her graze in the yard though while I put some stuff away and then backed her out the door giving her lots of crunches and hugs. I also got her to bow accidentally while itching her belly, which was kind of cute. I was standing at her withers hugging her whole body and scratching her belly and she started bowing looking for something yummy - her bow suggestion is my tickling her belly lightly. Funny horsey..

*insert lunch break here*

I came back after lunch to play with Crystal. Today was my first time ever riding her sans supervision, so it was going to be exciting!

For the first time ever, while we played online she jumped the barrels calmly! That was a big deal!! And then one random time in the middle she circus ponied it and just got all four feet tangled up close to the barrels, which was really funny before finally popping over it. Silly horse.

We played with lots of squeeze games online today. That was sort of our theme - and the firgure eight pattern. Interestingly, she went a bit right brain in the beginning of the pattern, so I just stuck with it and when she finally calmed down it was just so soft and fluid, it was beautiful! What a cool horse... She just needed to find that confidence with the new task!

When I saddled her up, an interesting thing happened. I backed her up after saddling and getting the girth up, and that was fine. Then she spontaneously jumped forwards two steps half bucked and then I stopped her myself and she stood looking at me licking all innocently " I dont know what just happened there, I think I was possessed..." Strangest thing! She showed no inclination whatsoever to do anything else the rest of the ground session or ride! I even tried to provoke her after that, pushing her into a fast canter, over jumps and things. Nothing! Hmm..

When I finally mounted, I rode with a carrot stick for the first time. Now THAT has to be the best idea Ive had in a while! She went from having no clear idea what leg = turn meant, to having a pretty good semblance of steering on her in one session! YEY! We were also able to maintain a trot for 3 laps or so! WHoo! Go Crystal! No canter yet, but I am working on refining that cue online still, so it will come!

OH! And also, she had the bridle on today to! Not in use, just in a friendly game way. She takes the bit fabulously, lowers her head and opens her mouth and lets it go so gently when it comes off to! All it took was a minor suggestion to look in my palm for a cookie!! Everything about her is so soft and willing... I love it. Shows what you can do when there is no previous baggage!! And of course, when you know what to look for and how to be particular about it... Crystal is teaching me so much! We had a faulous ride, I survived, so did she, and we both came away knowing several new things!

And so concluded my awesome horsey day! I got to play with all of "my" girls and we all did some fabulous things!! I couldnt be more proud of all my pony partners!

:-)
S