Liberty Fun

The last few days have been interesting with Mo. She has this whole in her foot that the farrier thinks might be a little bit of white line disease [ so my brain is in overdrive YIKES mode] but to check her out, I have been taking Mo out to the trailer to pick out her foot and soak it a little.

In addition to this I had mom watch her move to see if she was lame or not - conclusion being she is just the tiniest bit off but nothing hugely noticeable. The whole best part of this was that to check her lameness I just had my mom watch me play a circling game with her... except we were at liberty! Somewhere in our recent history, our liberty has taken a dramatic turn for the BETTER!

Our circles have all of a sudden shown up gorgeously... I am so proud of Mo. She sets herself up on about a 15' circle and maintains it just beautifully! Trot and canter to! I am still in awe. She is trying so so so hard. The other day she also even offered me some falling leaf at liberty! WOW! It is really shining through how much setting her up for success online really sets her up for success at liberty!

I am really proud of her and really excited to see her progress! I am also really anxious to get my farrier out to check on her foot to make sure she is ok to play!

:-)
S

My Face Hurts!

.... from smiling to much of course!!

Today was a fantastic day with Mo!

I went out to the barn and walked out the back to call Mo and she looked up and came right over! She was halfway to the far corner, so it was a pretty excellent feeling! I love that Mo is so enthusiastic these days! It really makes me feel good about what we are playing with.

We cleaned up and got ready in the barn before heading into the round pen. Once there I unclipped the reins and started with a little hindquarter yeild and sideways. Mo was in a really good mood, and I remembered some little cookies to help motivate her.  Things were going really great! She was very in tune to me, and really sticking with me. She offered me an incredibly soft trotting figure eight that made me squee out loud.... and then she decided that wasnt enough.

I half heartedly asked her to go off on a circle, which she usually squeals off to the fenceline of the round pen and does her laps there, BUT NOT TODAY!

Today, not only did she not squeal off, she left calmly at a trot, and stayed close to me, about a 12' circle and trotted TWO laps that close like she did it every day! HOLY WOW! Thats a first for Mo! I was SO excited, I brought her in before she lost interest and stuffed her face with all the cookies in my pockets while hugging her and scratching all her itchy spots and telling her she was awesome.

After allowing her to soak on that for a bit, I mounted and off we went on our adventure. I usually mount inside the round pen, since then we have to gates to open before we can be free, and today Mo was really soft and clever about the gates. It was such a treat! She is regularly pretty good, just sometimes gets a little ahead of herself, but today she was spot on and SUPER light!

Once we were on the laneway things were going really well. We passed the place where we had thresholds the other day and made it almost to the big tree before having one. It probably took ten minutes and a whole bunch of thresholds to make it to the 3/4 mark of the laneway, but once we were past it was smooth sailing. We made it all the way to the fresh cut field where the combine was the other day, before having another threshold.

After that one was addressed we trotted off and moseyed around the feild. I didnt really have a plan or a focus, and I think Mo felt that. I was still just flying high from the liberty wowness. Mo was a bit wishy washy at first, wandering this way and that, and feeling like she was getting tighter, so I finally clicked back into the present and did something about it. I put her on a circle, though it was pretty big to navigate in and around the moguls and hills the field was made up of.

She picked up the canter on her own, but I didnt slow her down, just directed her energy to maintain the circle. She got faster in the beginning but then started to level out in speed, and then miraculously her head went down, she started stretching and blowing, moving off my leg without speeding up.... WHOOHOO!!!

By the time we finished, we were bombing around the field doing flying lead changes freestyle and stopping without me even picking up the reins! Overall, pretty successful I think! I was smiling the whole time, and now my face is sore... Completely worth it though! I love Mo!

:-)
S

Mo, Meet Combine, Play Nice.

Yesterday was a nice day, one of the few we have had lately. Seems like its always raining! Everything is saturated and mud is just... prevalent. The ring isnt really use-able, and neither is the round pen for more than a trot. We dont have sand, so its just slick ground and mud!

I went to go fetch my dearling Mo from the pasture. Well, I went to see what would happen. I thought it would be nice to hang with Mo, but if Indy decided to show up, I wasnt going to say no. El Princess deigned to look at me, but didnt come forward, so Mo took the chance and moseyed herself over. She won herself some cookies and scratches and we wandered our way over to what has become dubbed 'the mounting tree'. Its really just a fallen tree in the pasture, but we tend to use it as a mounting block more often than not, hence the name!

When I go out into the pasture to see the ponies, I have taken to just bringing myself, no halter, to see what I can see. I havent caught Mo with a halter in.... I dont know how long! She just comes on over, and walks with me back to the barn, or the tree, or wherever. Its such a nice feeling. She *actually* wants to hang out with me more than the herd! And not just because there is some rope on her head dictating her course of action!

We got to the tree and I sat on it and Mo sidled over so I could use her as leverage to stand up balanced, and swing a leg over. Talk about team work :-) What a rockstar. From there we wandered our way to the barn. I checked in with her on our way, doing circles and things to make sure she wasnt just making assumptions about our pattern, but she was right with me.

Once we got to the barn and crossed all the mud I jumped down and let us into the barn itself. Mo was a complete .. [was going to say gentleman? whoops] lady and waited her turn, turned faced and waited while I fingaled the gate and asked her to come with me to the grooming area. She patiently waited while I prettied her up and de-tangled her obscene amounts of hair. When I got the bridle, she was nosing around for the bit before I even got set up with her cookies! PROGRESS! She is getting super pro at putting her own bridle on, and now I have added that she has to put her own reins over her head first, she is really becoming a puzzle solver about the entire scenario.

Next came the saddle and off we wandered in to the round pen. Its not really in the optimal place, but it served its function earlier in the year as a weaning pen, and has yet to be relocated. I unlcipped Mo's reins in the pen and we played some at liberty. She was pretty with me, which was really nice. We played with some little stick to me, some figure eight and attempted some close circles. She left a few times, but usually trotted back, which was really nice!

After our little baby warm up, I hopped on, let us out the two gates and headed off down the laneway, since the ring was unfriendly. There were Cows of Terror along the fenceline of the galloping trail, and Mo was pretty unsure about them. At each threshold she had I just stopped and waited, rubbing her until her head went back down, telling me she was ok to continue. We made it passed the Cows of Terror!! Stalking Teddy up the lane was fun. He catches onto the game pretty quickly and plays along, darting this way or that.

We made it to the road without further thresholds, and Mo was really responsive on the way, moving just off a suggestion when we were going to run into a branch or somesuch, or even to traipse through puddles. At the end of the laneway we turned right and then right again to turn into the hayfield that borders on the Cows of Terror's pasture. Its high and dry and such a nice place to ride when everything else is slippery!

Mo was pretty adrenalized once we got moving around the field. New place, windy day, brisk temperature. All makes for an excitable pony! I put her on a trotting circle pattern, riding with some contact, if not really asking for collection. It didnt take her long at all to blow and snort and relax. I was really proud. There have been times when I take Mo out there and shes a mess, but yesterday she was a real trooper!

When she relaxed and started to flow, I started asking her to think about carrying herself correctly, bending on the circle and accepting the bit. Both of which she did admirably, even on her stiff side! I changed the pattern to a figure eight and picked up a canter and played with that for a bit, when the combine mowin the feilds across the street moved into the field directly across from where we were!

Lo and behold, Mo didnt even seem to notice! I am sure she DID notice, but she just stayed on her pattern, remained responsive and present and generally just rocked my socks!

When we finished, the combine was just finishing the field, in the end closest to the road, right where we would have to walk by to get home. I brought Mo out onto the road, walking home, right by this giant piece of machinery like she did it every day. It was turning and making some new sounds, so we stopped and looked at it, and waited for it to retreat. Mo just watched it, with some interest, but not concern. It was great! I knew I played all that friendly game with a tractor and four wheeler for a reason...!

Back down the laneway we went, untacked in the barn and Mo got to hang out on the back lawn for a while. I think she was pretty proud of herself. I know I was and am proud of her!

:-)
S

The Right Brain Extrovert goes BRIDELESS for the FIRST TIME!!

Today is a total first for Indy!!!!!!!!

I have been having some impulsion issues with Indy. Everytime we trot freestyle, she had been running away at the trot a little bit. Very strange, but not really unexpected due to her nature. We have been playing with it, while working on fluid rein and transitions with contact. I feel like she felt a little lost with no contact in zone one.

With that in mind I have been playing with riding with contact and loosening it and picking it up again etc.

Today when I went to play with Indy we warmed up extra strong online. My initial plan had been to play with more contact riding, so I wanted her uber ready to ride. We played with maintain gait at the canter, figure eight - with some real enthusiasm, stick to me at the walk and trot, and getting her to stop over the barrels coming at them at a trot. She was a little go-ey today, really ready to move and I had a hard time stopping or interrupting her patterns, but when she finally got balanced she was my little hovercraft on hooves!

With that nicely acheived, I bridled her with the confidence snaffle, grabbed my dressage whip [was planning on playing with getting lighter sideways] and mounted up. After some friendly and lateral flexion checks we walked off on the rail, with the reins on her neck.

We walked circles and a little bit of cloverleaf as a warm up - with the reins on her neck. Then I got brave and asked for a trot... and we did the same - with the reins on her neck. I only had to use the stick a handfull of times when she leaked out a little on the turns. Then I got braver and asked for a canter, and we cantered the rail, balanced, and confidently - with the reins on her neck!!! HOLY WOW!!!

This is the horse I have been wondering if I would ever advance to bridless riding with... and look what we just accomplished!! I cant believe it!! Her stops and downward transitions were seamless!!! I even got a little bit of transition within gait at the trot!

Lesson of the day : WARM UP STRONG!! I learned that in Florida... why havent I been applying it consistently?!?!?

I am SO proud of Indy!!!!! Even though my plan went right out the window, I cant be happier with what we DID accomplish!!! I even was able to lead her at liberty from the ring to the barn and out to the pasture - another first for her! *squees happily*

:-)
S

Crystal Tries Out Reins!

I played with Crystal today, after playing back hoe driver in the morning and early afternoon. I cut out a little early to get to the farm before a thunderstorm rolled in - luckily I beat it!

We played on the ground with her wearing the bridle, which went well. We worked on cater transitions online because she was swishing her tail undersaddle - interestingly she did it with NOTHING on her back to, so I am wondering if its just an introvert "I dont wanna go" thing. She stopped it after about three transitions. Interesting. I wonder if its related to the bridle?

I re-visited our figure eights, and our circles over two sets of barrel jumps, both are solidly coming along. Crystal's juping for is MUCH improved from the laughable state it was when we started! She is doing so well!

When I saddled her she took a few steps while I was girthing up, so we played with some approach and retreat until she was ok with that again. I think she just wanted to play. She was as playful as I have ever seen her today, offering canter through the figure eight, asking loads of questions about which direction to go and such! Cool stuff!

When I went to ride I put the 12' line as reins AND the finesse reins on the confidence snaffle on the bridle. My logic being that I could direct in a sort of double bridle sense to help transfer follow a feel from the halter to the bit. She did great with it! I am really proud of her! We worked on our cloverleaf pattern in both directions at the trot, and canter transitions -which are getting better and better each time! She even offered it a couple of times when I didnt ask for it! Not sure if thats the greatest yet, but its a nice offer, and it wasnt a bolt, it was an honest offer for what she thought I was asking. I just polietly re-phrased my request and we trotted on.

After the ride we went to play with the trailer. Getting ocnfidence to put her feet on the ramp and then in. Interesting observation - she hasnt been on a trailer since she came to us as a yearling [she is 6 now] BUT she would FOLLOW me into the trailer willingly after her confidence got high with the ramp. She would not be brave enough to go in on her own yet though. I thought that was interesting. "OTs ok if my leader goes in, but if she is outside I should be to" is so far her opinion. We got as far as nose-neck-two front feet on the very edge of the inside confidently beforr I quit for the day. I thought it was a good stop point. She DID put all fours inside, just not on a send, on a yo-yo game instead.

Someone is coming to see Crystal tomorrow, so I hope what we played with today shines through and someone will fall in love with her!!

:-)
S

Thunderstorms Get In The Way...

I know this is Canada, and as such I should be used to inclimate weather and such, but really, it has rained basically every day this summer so far. Even the great sunshiny days, it rains at some point. I am sure there are statistics about it somewhere!

When I got out to the barn today it was SUNNY. So I thought *yey* I can finally play with Crystal again, since the eons of rain have prevented to much play, when I do get out to it, I want to play with my ponies! They were all in "The Spot" when I went out. Everyone sort of waltzed over slowly, faster after the first to arrive got a small cookie! Crystal seemed pretty pleased to be chosen, but Mo was rather put out. She cracks me up that one!

As soon as Mo saw me halter Crystal she marched her butt right up to the gate and basically intimated that she got to come in to or else. Realistically, I could have made her move, but I was feeling generous so I let her into her stall for some nap time. Goober pony.

Crystal and I had some really nice online play time! She is improving every time. She goes out into the pasture when I dont play with her and just soaks on what she knows. Thats what it feels like. She just gets better and better. Her figure eight today was practically flawless. Trotting calmly and just flowing. So responsive and sensitive to what direction I was asking her. Love it!

I also made a circling game out of two sets of barrel jumps, one of the big barrels lying down and one of the small barrels lying down. She had to circle jumping both of those each round. That was cool. Her squeeze game over barrels was so good now, but she would turn face and wait after each time she jumped, if I asked her to or not - hence the new game! Fixing the assumption! She picked it up right quick and was really starting to jump nicely!

When she first started actually jumping instead of just pushing through, I have to say, I didnt know if she would ever figure it out. Lo an dBehold though, she has the makings of an adorable hunter in her! Even a jumper maybe! She sure has the legs for it! Just needs that summer belly worked off a little bit...

I rearranged the ring to make it suitable for a cloverleaf game. During that time I parked Crystal at a barrel, which was cool. She just hung out and waited. Investigated the barrel and such. No fear in that one anymore! I love it. I *adore* seeing her confidence blossom. It is my favorite thing about playing with her. She was such a little skittish thing, and has been since ever, but really she just needed to know HOW to be confident. Even the boarders are commenting on how much more friendly she is in the pasture - like she is a different horse! GO CRYSTAL!

When I sent her to the saddle she went right to it, sniffed it and was content. I saddled her up and off we went again, this time negotiating the assumption that yo-yo means take off on a circle. She is pretty clever though and got it after two tries.

Pretty much as soon as I mounted it started thundering. Yep, seriously. I didnt really think anything of it, not much will get me off a pony weather-wise save lightning or walls of water. So Crystal and I walked a couple of laps and trotted a couple of laps and got ONE cloverleaf pattern in before the drops hit. I thought it might just sprinkle so stayed out...

Enter WALL OF WATER.

Yep, wall of water. Talk about moisture! *insert running for the barn here* I even hung out in the entrance for a while thinking it could rain this hard for long... turns out it can. 40 minutes later, it was still raining. So I gave in and unsaddled Crystal, gave her her treats and grain and put her out. HUGE compliment here -HUGE - Crystal STAYED at the back door for something like 20 minutes. I am not kidding! FIRST ever! Not because of the weather, because its not sheltered back there, just because. She was looking in the barn, watching me hang with Mo, generally just relaxing by herself. That is a total first for Miss Herdbound. JOY!!!!! I am SO proud of her!!!!

On to Mo! Of course, my dear napsalot was fresh up from a snooze, shavings decorating her everywhere. So cute. I didnt really do to much with Mo other than practice our mounting thing in her stall - her stall is the foaling stall [for no reason other than she likes luxury and it was the only one left] so its practically 10 x 20 giving us lots of room! I played from a bucket and that went well so then I practiced getting her to keep her head low enough for me to swing over from the ground and getting her confidence with that. In the end I got up three times, which was cool. Not sure it was entirely left brain though, so I am not celebrating yet! Going to let her simmer on it for a bit before asking again. Definate improvement though!

Oh, and Mo also is figuring out that if she bows, she gets a cookie, so when I ask her now, I dont always have to show her nose where to go, which is really cool. She is starting to ask her own body questions and try to figure out where it is supposed to go in order to win a treat. Such a doll! After all that I spent some time attacking the millions of hairs on her head that are soooo long, making her look like some acient flowy goddess pony.

I loves my Mo :-)

:-)
S

What Happens When Then SUN Comes Out!

FINALLY! A long awaited visit from Mr. Sun, and I sure made use of this fabulous sun-shiny day!

First things first, I went on a bike ride with my Aunty, and that was super fun. Havent biked in ..ever [since florida, surely] but, its like... riding a bike... [haha] not something you forget at least :-)

After a nice bike ride we actually opted to saddle up and go for a ride! I chose Mo, because Indy and I were slated for a play-day later in the afternoon. Mo was good coming in from the pasture, they were all at The Spot, so I didnt have far to go and she came and met me part way. I groomed and saddled her in the barn and then went ot the ring to play some ground games. We did just little focusy things and played with her helping me mount again, culminating in her actually helping me mount! YEY! That was cool. Pretty much by the time I got on Aunty was done schooling in the ring, so we hit the trail.

We went down the galloping track as a short cut to avoid the laneyway due to bugs, but were thwarted when some 'vicious' cows ran at the fence scaring our ponies terribly. Lucky for me, a one rein stop is really sinking into my muscle memory and Mo and I both survived. Aunty and Candy did to! We backtracked our way back down the galloping trail and went down the laneway instead. Luckily the bugs werent to bad yet and we werent swarmed.

Slowly but surely we made our way down the dirt-dead-end road and onto the trail that connects to it. We moseyed a bit there and up into the forrest where we WERE swarmed by deer flies and that was no fun so we opted out of the forrest! Someone has been back there with a bush hog trimming cute little trails so we toured those for a while before heading back home. Mo was really good. She was a bit skeptical of a couple of rocks, but we did well.

Back at the barn I untacked Mo and let her graze while I loaded up the trailer for Indy's adventure. It was really nice that when I went to get Mo off of the lawn she actually came over to me, instead of waiting for me to come tell her to stop stuffing her face! That was a good feeling. After turning her out and giving her the sufficient quota of cookies, I went to hitch up the trusty trailer.

I have to say, my trailer is among my most favorite possesions in the world. I LOVE my trailer. It is perfect. Anyways! Once that was all done [thanks Aunty, it always goes better when I have help!] I went to fetch the Diva Queen, aka Indy. She was cute and coy as per usual. I usually go out with some crunch in my hand and she has gotten into this routine of waiting to see if I am coming for her or someone else. She sends her lackeys over to check me out first before coming over herself. Trixie is always first, then Tripp and then Crystal. Once they all pass free and clear she comes right over and everything goes great. Silly horsey.

I brushed Indy in the barn and then off we went to visit our new amis. Luckily they only live about 10 minutes away! That is SO nice! When we got there I left Indy loaded to go say hello and such. That kind of thing is good for her because every time she sees the trailer she goes "OH NO Not another 26 hour trip to florida!" so just waiting, relaxing and getting off after a ten minute trip is perfect right now.

When she did finally come off, she came off super quietly and most of all, CALMLY! I cant even express how proud I am of Indy for this whole day. She did FABULOUSLY! For a previously extreme RBE, she was just super! We hung out chatting with S and D by the trailer for a little while and then I went to set my stuff on the fence and play in the ring while they got their ponies.

Since I had the ring to myself I opted for the 45' line and went out to play! We had some cones set up as a question box, some barrels on a weave and a trampoline! COOL STUFF! I tried to start out with some nice relaxing friendly game but Indy wanted to move her feet. When I remembered that extroverts need to move their feet before they can move their brains, I relized that I should allow her to move out instead of trying to shut her down. Duh... Slow brain!

After a nice travelling circle across the ring, we settled in the back half where there were no obstacles to catch the rope on. Indy mostly wanted to trot, so we played with some transitions and change of direction until I felt like she was focusing more on me and more willing to stop/slow down. We played a little bit of sideways and yo-yo and a little bit of yo-yo on the fenceline with canter departs to back up. That was pretty cool to see the power come through.

On to the TRAMPOLINE! S set the challenge when she brought it out - mounting via bouncing - and I was really curious to see what Indy would do! Sure I have jumped all around her on the ground and such, because I am a lunatic like that, but a trampoline? Who knows... Indy gets skeptical of some things I wouldnt expect her to, so I had no idea what her reaction was going to be!

Turns out I had nothing to worry about. I sent her over to investigate, she did, no problem. I stood on it, no problem. I sat on it, no problem. I started bouncing... NO PROBLEM! HA! Go extreme friendly game! So I bounced away until she was calm, approaching and retreating as needed. The first time I launched myself at her, I wasnt the most graceful in doing so and she sort of shivered in her skin a bit, but didnt move. Lots of rubbing and scratches to make up for that! I continued though, to jump and lean over her and *try* to mount. The thing about Indy though, is she is TALL. And I am not! So even with the trampoline and bouncing, I just wasnt making it high enough.

S, though, is my good luck charm! She came out with her pony and saw what I was doing and encouraged me and VOILA the first time I try as she came out I made it up! That was a cool feeling!!! I hugged Indy and jumped down and did it again! Cool horse :-)

We went back to playing around then. Some circles and figure eights and such before saddling up. When I was ready to mount I thought it would be fun to still use the trampoline as a mounting block, but I had to be creative because now I had a saddle in the way. So... I mounted *behind* the saddle. I was midly concerned that Indy may not appreciate that, so I did some test half-mounts, but she passed the tests and didnt move an inch while I clambered up behind the saddle and scooted forwards to the right place! Yey!

Once settled we went out on the rail and played a little bit there but she got really impulsive so I put her on about a 22' circle. She tried to canter it but soon got herself under control enough to trot the circle calmly. Even going so far as to experiment with putting her head down! That was nice. What felt like a gazzillion circles later, she offered a stop so I took it and relaxed with her until she offered more go and we changed directions. Much less time to stop this go-round.

Feeling like our impulsion was pretty happy, we went over to the weave and did some of that at a walk and a trot. She really picked up the idea and tried really hard at that. It was a real treat today, to ride with her in such a partnership frame of mind. We also played a little cloverleaf uding the question box setup before SPARKY came in!

Now, Sparky is this super-awesome-uber-cool ROBOTIC roping cow thing that L has. Its kind of like Pat's except you dont have a remote control steering, it just staying straighish. I am pretty sure Indy never got to see Pat's while we were in Florida, so this was a first. I dismounted for this, just in case and went over after it stopped to say hello. We played with some squeeze games first, then when she got brave we moved up to touch-it and sideways around it. She got confident with it standing still pretty fast so we moved on and I remounted - again with the trampoline! I need to get me one of those!

When L was ready we played with Sparky. Well, we all followed while he roped it. It would go off on its line, he would chase it to rope, and the rest of us would follow and go touch it when it stopped. Indy was a little hesitant at first but she got into it really fast! I think she had fun with it.

Oh! Before we played cow ponies, we had some fun on a circle - all four of us! Two of us went one way and two the other way, with one way being spinning in the middle. We alternated which ring of the circle we played according to horsenality [Indy never made it to the middle] and trotted and cantered circles that way! It was really fun. Indy started on the second ring from the middle trotting and then as her impulsion stayed under control I moved her to the outer most ring and we did CALM FOCUSED canter circles. RHYTHMIC and RELAXED. It felt fabulous. Casual rein, happy pony, good fun! So that was really cool. We did LOTS of circles to. It was a game, so it worked for all of us.

We played a lot with the cow. That was really really cool. Indy was pretty fascinated by it, and at the end, she got confident enough to play control-holder pony, which involves standing beside the cow and keeping beside it as it runs [so as to be able to invoke the stop button in case a fence looms near] It was such a treat to see her go from afraid to confident in the span of about an hour. She is getting so... I dont know, she is just wowing me so much.

*Then* came nemesis numero deux de la jour. Im am fairly certain Indy has seen a giant green ball before, I am just not terribly sure if she has *met* said giant green ball before. From the look on her face, I am going to vote no. Her head went waay up and she got all frozen and wide eyed. Luckily I was on the ground because I volunteered to hold L's horse while he put away Sparky and fetched out said ball.

Interestingly, it really didnt take much to get her focus back, she kind of relaxed all on her own and I felt good to mount again [used the fence since the trampoline got kicked out of the ring!] The trick to the ball confidence thing for Indy was not to follow the ball, but to follow the HORSE following the ball! S's horse is SUPER confident with the ball, loves it and loves pushing it around so we opted to follow him for a while first. When Indy felt ok we approached the ball and she had no idea what to do. It was so cute. She kind of just stopped in front of it and sort of asked "What now?" I suggested she kick it, which she did, sort of, and so began our ball playing fun!

We progressed from "OMG WASSAT!?" to being able to trot and play pony soccer in one go! I really think being around the other horses that were confident with it played a huge role in Indy's success though. So that is something to remember for the future. We played ball for a while, even scored a few goals!

Eventually though we all got tired and it was time to go home! Indy got to load up and hang out some more in the trailer while I chatted and said my goodbyes [and THANKS for an awesome day] before we headed homeward bound.

What an awesome spectacular day! Good things happen with its SUNNY!!! Hopefully the sun will stick around for a little while!

:-)
S

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!

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FIRSTS!

It has finally happened... I have lost my mind. Well no, not really, I am just really really pumped on adrenaline right now becuase I just got back from Aunty's house, where forthe very first time I SAT ON CRYSTAL! YEY!

We played online for a while, and I wasnt sure if today was going to be the day because she was a little buzzed and checking out. She did settle and start checking in and gave me the most wonderful moving circling game on a loose line! I am so proud of her! Her send is getting much better, her allow is great because she likes to move her feet and her bring back is finally coming along after a little hide your hiney session yesterday when she chose to ignore me!

I have been incorporating the barrels into our sessions to, getting her to think about them and where she is putting her feet. It is working out in a very interesting fashion in that she will trot full power up to them, throw her head and neck over them, then her feet stop a la circus pony on a pedestal and she looks at me all "That was awesome, yes?" Then she proceded to stumble and push her way through them on a re-send. What a goof. She DID jump them once today though. Terrible jump though! She forgot to check in and was just power trotting around and then POOF barrels and she went EEK and up and over. Definate deer jump Up-Forwards-Down with all fours!

When she was ready I saddled her with the bareback pad. She is really good about that now. I play a friendly game with it first, swinging it all over her body until she is relaxed, the up onto her back and cinch up a bit so its tight enough not to roll. I learned on the first day to get her to think backwards before forwards [after an interesting bucking spree that lasted ten strides and was done] so we went backwards nicely and softly. She was really paying attention! Her herd bound issues are becoming less and less, and it is really nice to see that coming along!

When I did ask her to finally go forwards she was a little tight in her trot so we just did some more travelling circles until she was blowing and putting her head down, at which point we went over to the mounting block and played with sideways towards for mounting and me putting my weight on her and friendly with things above zone three.

Aunty came out just after I saddled her, so I could. if it was right, get on and have a spotter *just in case*. So that was perfect. I played and played over her, laying on her, just putting weight on her, using my foot to rub her bum and back, throwing a leg over without getting on.... etc... She thought about walking off once, but I was able to bend her and stop her after one step, which was GREAT!

AND THEN! It happened! aunty was saying she had to go get dressed for work so I begged 5 more minutes and she said ok and was playing with the Demon Spawn, so I just kept doing what I was doing, and then it was right... then I had permission, THEN I GOT ON!! Just like that! No fuss, no muss, not even a step of movement of concern from Crystal! YEY!!!

The funny thing was that Aunty didnt even notice right away because she was distracted by the cat... so I said a quiet *tada* and she looked up and was all " OMG! YEY!" which was really awesome! Simple as that I got off, hugged Crystal, gave her some cookies and took off the bareback pad. Done and Done!!!!

So thats where I am at currently. Cloud nine for having sat on not-my-pony for the very first time! Annnd... now I have to wait until Friday I think before I can do it again unless I play in the afternoons, which I might just to keep up with her, because no one will be home in the mornings until then.

YEY!
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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 ....

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