Snow!

Not much snow thankfully but the weather report says more is on the way. Breeze is coming in around 2 in the afternoon I am told so a few hours in the snow will be great for her. I watched her trot then canter to the herd and saw that she is much more balanced than when I first got her. Her feet used to fly all over the place! Her gait seemed smoother and her legs more in control. This might just be her being careful of course lol!

So today is a 'housekeeping' day and time to do chores around the yard. Just general sweeping and tidying. We have all been asked to 'put our muck up' instead of just dumping it and making the muck heap into a monster that takes over the yard. I did wonder why my arms have been aching so much lol. The much heap is now a thing of beauty.

Not much else to say really. I didn't feel like playing with her or riding. I feel like being at home and getting on with making presents and tidying the house. All the while I am licking and chewing about Parelli and digesting all the changes in B and how we can continue our confident journey. I have another pp lesson nest week with Claire and am grinning at the prospect of more praise for our progress. I feel like a big kid who wants to show her how well we are doing and jump up and down in excitement! Having said that I may be shot down in flames instead lol.

Walk in the woods.

We had a quick walk in the woods this morning. No thresholds leaving the yard or crossing the road. I had to ask her with back up from the c/s to walk next to me not lag behind. I cannot get enough of that look on B's face. I think she looks relaxed and happy, she looks at me and asks what we are going to do next. She made a beeline for the 'log trailer' as soon as we crossed the side road, after taking me on a detour into the woods for a new perspective on things. Looks like her confidence is coming back again.

We practiced walking past the exit a couple of times then waiting in the exit. She offered sideways going away from the exit towards the old woods which she seems to do now if she feels unsure. It was clear she was unhappy about going away from the exit but as soon as she relaxed into sideways I asked her to stop and we turned and headed for home. I noticed B is happier these days to let me stand in zones 2, 3 and 4 and touch her. She would always either walk off or go backwards before, even when I just placed a hand on her gently. I can lean on her now and she stays put. We can walk together with me resting an arm on her withers or back (well, as far as I can reach seeing as she is quite tall!)

I ordered some new featherlight lines today and plan to try some driving game from zone 5 and being able to ask B to change direction, not just go in a straight line. Should be fun. I wonder how soon and how often I get tangled up in them lol

That extra 2% again.

My goodness but it's cold! Barely above freezing but the sun was shining and Breeze was in a great mood. We had some hanging out time while she grazed. I played 'go eat here and here and here' and we both warmed ourselves in the sunshine.

B's wound is looking a lot better. I am slathering Sudocrem over it and hoping it continues to heal. We went out without mud socks today because they make it go soggy. I am debating if I should leave them off tomorrow too. Depends on how frozen the mud is!

We had a great play in the arena. B has a much happier face these days and we are doing lots of different things. I am finding it a little easier to be more particular and I am getting better at thinking up new ways of playing the games with obstacles etc. Today circle game was even better and when I set two poles out for B to circle over she relaxed into it like she knew her job. Very nice to see.

She looked like she enjoyed trotting around and I actually got to ask her in lol. She couldn't quite get the hang of fig 8 but after a few tries she actually looked at me and asked me a question! I could see it in her face and when I slowed it down and then asked her to go around, not over one of the jump sides from then on she could do the fig 8 in walk and trot, then walk one side and trot the other. Cool! We got back up between two poles only a few feet apart too. Next time I will try a 90 degree turn?

We left the arena on a very good note and saddled up in the courtyard. B couldn't let me get on tho and circled around and around me. So I just relaxed and let her, asking for cod occasionally. Eventually she got bored and stood still and I got on. She no longer walks off now and we get to chill out before we set off.

I met up with Sandra and Bert round the corner. Sandra asked if I wanted her to lead us again because B decided she didn't want to go forward lol. I said no and persisted in turning B around and around. We didn't have to do this much before B got moving, just as two other horses and riders were leaving the yard with a car following behind us. I took advantage of this and B and I were over the road before she had time to think.

We had a lovely, relaxed, happy ride. Breeze was very chilled and even took the lead for a short time. The ground was very frozen so we took it very easy and I noticed she took particular care about where she was going . We only went around the old woods and B didn't stop or hesitate. I kept my hands in my pockets to keep them warm most of the time.

We did some weaving, circling and zig zagging as usual. We walked past the exit without any hesitation and went a little further this time. Today it was Bert who didn't want to go there. As soon as he relaxed and accepted we turned and went home.

Back on the yard I asked B to go into the arena. We met one threshold so I turned her, retreated, then asked again. She walked into the arena but not far past the gate. That was ok. I scratched her and gave her some treats. We circled a few times and I felt calm and happy.We hung around for a short while but I could feel B had had enough so we left, went back to the courtyard and I got off. On the right side too which was a bit clumsy but at least I gave it a go!

Fun in the cold.

I had to post this photo! Since B and I have been working on our draw, whenever I go backwards she wants to come to me including when I am taking photos lol.

Here is the 'proper' photo showing B's 'new' stable rug...the weather has really turned now and it's very very cold. It's a little on the large side for B as it was bought for Lizzie but it means if needs be I can put a fleece underneath if she gets cold.

Anyway, as it gets colder my good intentions seem to go out of the window and we do less and less in the evenings. I did think about saddling B tonight and going for a mooch around the yard but I didn't get there till late so instead I thought maybe just go for a short play in the arena.

Our short play turned into a longer time of great fun with B being quite energetic and very focussed on me. She hardly went intro and when she looked like she might I asked her to come to me but if she didn't I would let her rest some more. She did want to come to me which was great and we carried on playing.

Circle game is marvelous these days! B is maintaining gate and direction with confidence but I am not asking her to do too much of it. After 3 or 4 laps I ask her in for a scratch or treat. We had falling leaf forwards and back, sideways with a fence and without and she offered yo yo over a pole several times at the end of the 22' line and with me standing parallel to her. Fig 8 was great too. Lovely to see both her eyes and looking so happy. Marvelous.

Success!

I was hoping this weekend had set B (and me) up for success and I think it has. I had talked myself out of riding this morning because I have neglected everything but Breeze lately. But Sandra was at the yard having a day off and she asked if I was riding and I said yes!

Getting saddled up was pretty good with B walking away only once and we had had short but pleasant play in the arena just to do some pre-flight checks. We played with mounting at the block by the arena but B couldn't stand still. I got on politely in the courtyard using my steps. B strode out of the courtyard with purpose and headed back to the arena where Sandra and Bert were getting settled.

We had problems leaving the yard again, even though we had done some approach and retreat online. Doing a lot of circling and lateral flexion wasn't working but I noticed Breeze wasn't getting emotional, just stubbornly refusing to leave the yard.

There was a lorry delivering stuff to the pub and Bertie couldn't handle it. Sandra got off and asked for my lead rope. She led Bert by his reins and me on B by the lead rope across the road. Breeze didn't put up much resistance. It certainly wasn't fear, just pure LB behaviour. I am glad we didn't have to put any principles aside to get her into the woods.

B was a little spooky to begin with but quite relaxed for her so I kept her brain busy by asking for zig zag so that she didn't have time to think too much about bogey men in the bushes. We weaved around trees and tried not to follow in Bert's hoof steps. I don't want her to think she is a riding school horse and just follow on behind. Sandra said Bert felt quite tense and he did spook at a few things.

I think she likes me to ask things of her judging by how relaxed she became and happy to follow my directions even if it meant going away from Bert and the direction of home. I praised her all the way around the old woods and sometimes me saying 'good girl' works on me too lol!

We did some weave and circling around trees and just circling on the bridle path. I asked for sideways and have noticed B gets a bit bracy when I ask for this so I relax and ask again until we get it. Need more of that I think.

At the exit I asked Sandra if we could go past and you know what? Breeze carried on happily with a good expression, so we let the horses graze on the grass as a reward.

What a great ride! I am so pleased with our success. Back on the yard B decided we should go for a mooch about and go see things. Nice. I am pleased she doesn't just want me to get off immediately. She was cuddly and focussed on me when I got off but if I put my arms around her neck and squeeze too tight she doesn't like it! Even though I am so happy I want to squeeze her hard lol. She is very much a 'get off me' kind of horse lol and allows me only so much affection then I must cease that nonsense.

I have been worrying for a while that we had taken too many steps back while she has been recovering from that damn cut on her leg. It's still healing nicely but it's taking it's time and I constantly live in fear of her damaging it again or it getting re-infected. I am trying not to be direct line about our partnership while figuring out ways to help us both. It's always a work in progress, eh?

My 2%

I couldn't ride today, I didn't have time due to taking my son back to university. So B and I went into the arena. Yet again she couldn't do anything but stand with her head dropped. I hung around with her and chatted to Jan for a while. B then decided she didn't want to to stand around and do nothing. She stood near me and yawned her head off!

I have been thinking about this behaviour for a little while and also wondering why things seem to be going backwards. I know there is the injury issue and not being ridden for two weeks could make B feel unconfident in the woods but the issues we are having started before that. It seems like 6 months ago we started off well and I wonder if it's not unusual for things to get worse before they get better.

Today it felt like B wasn't being a partner, that she was being very LB and just plain not wanting to do anything. It seems pointless to ask why because I can never know and I try not to be anthropomorphic about it too. This Parelli-ism came to mind..'if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got' and lately I have been very careful with B not to push her in case she either exploded or went very deeply introverted.

I revisited the game of point to point with treats and that seemed to persuade B that she would like doing something. We had yo yo over a pole and some nice circle game, in trot too. We left the arena on a good note and made our way to the yard exit. I thought it would be good to play some approach and retreat with leaving the yard and see where B's thresholds were and see if I could build some confidence.

Well, no sign of lack of confidence but a complete horsenality change and I had Miss 'I don't want to and you can't make me' LBI show up! She just looked at me and stuck her head in the air refusing to move. What is it now? Oh yes 'the attitude is justice' and it was time to be assertive and see what happens. I held on to the line and refused to budge. She stopped bracing, didn't go introverted and walked over the road pretty sharpish with a little help from the c/s. I had asked once, then twice, then the phase 4 I used (which would have been a phase one with Lizzie) certainly helped B focus on me! Suddenly I had both eyes and although she was snotty she realised I was the leader today and she had better move her butt.

We went into the woods after some attitude in the car park from B because I was more assertive than I had been of late. We played approach and retreat away from the exit going left and right with grass to eat when we stopped. B was ok going down the mile and 1/4 but going past the other way, she threw little tantrums and stamped her feet and tossed her head. When she stopped she would crowd me so we had to up the phases again to get back up and stay there with a lot of licking and chewing from her. So we did this a few times until she could go past without showing signs of wanting to leave or even hesitate. She offered me sideways and backwards beautifully for which she got rest and a treat/grass. When we left the woods I asked her to stop and back up next to me a few times and saw that she was very soft and the respect was back.

I like that look on her face. Her eyes are soft and follow my every move and she wants to be with me. Plus she looks relaxed as if all is well in her world.

Looks like I got the balance back 49/51%. Now all I need to do is find this when I am riding, I wish I knew how.

Testing time.

Sandra and I decided to try and squeeze a ride in before Sarah came to trim our horses hooves. B had woken up on the RB side of the shavings so she seemed quite crabby. We played in the arena and although it was fun and she was happy to play when Sandra came to see if we were ready to tack up it was clear B wasn't ridable.

But we tacked up and I suggested I walk with B while Sandra rode Bertie as usual.

I tried to get on in the pub car park, but B would not stand still for me to get on. We tried again at the log trailer and yet again at the top of the old woods. B was having none of it and just jumped over and over the log while I stood on it. I suggested to Sandra that she and Bert go on instead without us. B and I walked back to the yard playing sideways, weave and travelling circle.

Back on the yard I decided to get on and have a mooch around the yard, playing some ppl and seeing if I could make my idea her idea but respect hers first. It worked! I watch her expression and feel what her body is doing. I can feel her stop and tense when I ask her to go where she doesn't want to but she is often surprised when I don't make her. Pretty soon she chooses to go where I want to go and gets a scratch and/or a treat.

Sarah showed up, I took B's saddle off while she was trimmed and put it back on after wards and we went for another 'ride' around the yard. We went round and round the yard in ever increasing circles and even into the arena...twice! We had some grazing time and must have spent half an hour just walking around the yard and hanging out. B tried some 'napping' so I asked her to see how far she could go backwards, which changed her mind about that. We get nearer and nearer to the gateway and I am enjoying the approach and retreat game and seeing where B's thresholds are.

This evening we went into the arena and Breeze kept stopping and almost going introverted. I really wanted her to have a good walk about but it was obvious she wasn't in the mood for games so I hit on the idea of playing point to point across the arena with jump sides. I left treats on each one and Breeze soon got the idea and was almost trotting across the arena to get to those jump sides! Seems to me right and left brained introverted horses can be very similar sometimes. I have only just realised this but why would I know anyway. I am used to a LBI not a RBI but it's great to be able to use my knowledge for Breeze's benefit.

Leap, fart, buck!!

Yesterday's two play sessions were interesting and fun. Breeze was full of enthusiasm and we had quite an energetic play. She was leaping in the air when we played falling leaf and she wanted to trot on circle game.

She went intro a few times but instead of staying like that, I asked her towards me and she immediately snapped out of it and happily walked to me. I gave her a treat every time she did this just to make it extra good.

I left her bandages off last night and this morning her wound had a nice healthy scab on it. So I made the executive decision to let her go out for the first time in weeks. I hoped and prayed she wouldn't go crazy and worried she might damage the wound.

She walked sedately down the run way and then broke into a trot at the gate, then with a leap in the air cantered over to Bertie and her little herd. Then she went bonkers for a few minutes, leaping and twisting, bucking and farting! She rolled twice, then got down to the task of eating grass. Phew. Not so worrying after all.

This evening she was plastered in mud but the mud socks had kept her legs dry and mud free. The scab was intact too. Looks like things are back to normal, once again.

Ride in the woods? I don't think so!

Here is one of the mud socks after our walk in the woods. They worked perfectly and kept the wound warm and dry over the bandage.

It was very cold and foggy today. I thought we would do our usual thing and walk to the top of the old woods and I would get on. Unfortunately B was very unconfident and we did a lot of this.....head down and staring....which is not surprising as we haven't been in the woods for 10 days and not alone to ride for what seems like a long time. I have to take the time it takes for B to be confident.

Then she was eating mud and it took a long time to get along the first part of the woods. Stop-start as I waited for B to be with me again or eat leaves and soil. I wonder if the course of anti-biotics have changed the flora in her gut and she needs something extra in the soil?

Breeze did a lot of this and this.

She was very tense and not really listening to me, square nosed and snorting. More focussed on everywhere else and looking for trouble. At the top of the old woods I decided maybe today wasn't the day for riding and we turned for home. B was very spooky and jumpy. I gave her lots to do like sideways and half circles against the fence. Weave around trees etc. She jumped in the air when the dog in the pink house' garden barked at her. She got very snotty about going sideways at first but in the end offered it. Falling leaf wasn't calm and she was throwing her head in the air on the turn and leaping around. But she was happy to walk with me by the time we got near the exit.

We did some approach and retreat around the exit and she was quite willing to go past a few times in either direction. Then it was back to the yard where I decided to get on. It's been a while since I rode B and my fears have surfaced again, as they always do after a break. Especially when she is too RB to ride in the woods.

It took her quite a while to stand for me to get on. Lots of slow, very calm, circle game in both directions while I stood on my steps. Eventually she was able to stand still and I got on. She stayed still for ages so I just sat and scratched her and gave her a treat or two.

When I asked her to move she did and we had a lovely calm mooch around the yard for 10 minutes or so. We found a carrot on the way! I have noticed B is quite reactionary to begin with when I direct her but I insist on being polite and particular and she settles quite quickly. I think she might have walked into the arena if I had let her but being on her and just mooching was enough for today. Better to accept very little and not over do her willingness. She didn't brace at all leaving the courtyard or going around the muck heap. What a sweetie. Best of all I preserved my confidence and her dignity. Baby steps.

Good news from the vet.

Although B's leg still looks gross it is getting there. I spoke to the vet today and she verified that all is going to plan. I am still amazed that a little cut can mean so much. I never stop learning when it comes to horse care. This is her second week of box rest but the good news is I can ride again. Only in walk, the vet said, but that's all we do at the moment anyway lol. She suggested I get some 'Mud socks' and I duly high tailed it to a tack shop after work and got some.

I am to leave the cut open to the air during the day with just the wound cream on it. When she does go out in the field I am to put Vaseline on it to keep the mud off but I think the socks will take care of that.

In the morning I will bandage the wound and use the socks and see if we can go for a walk in the woods and then ride back. We haven't done that in a while. Sadly, my stomach flipped when I thought about riding. Where has that come from again?

I love B's curiosity. While I went to my shed she got the bag of mud socks, picked it up to throw it around a bit and nearly got the socks out of the bag. She spent some time checking out the bag or freshly washed rugs and then later sniffed at the rug I left for her for a long time. I never get bored with her company, she is always interesting to be with and no two days are ever the same.

Breeze stands completely calmly and still for wound care now and I put this down to lots of approach and retreat and treats! I think I am going to regret using treats so much because B has become quite focussed on them. Not in the arena though which is good.

Speaking of which, we had a walk and play in the school and B went introverted a couple of times but it wasn't for long and she blew out each time, then lifted her head up and carried on. We didn't stay long because it was so cold and I was shivering while B ate some grass outside, before we headed back to her stable.

Sunday soaking.

Last week some film students came to film me in my studio on the subject of tattoo artists and their work and hobbies. Today two of them came to film Breeze and I doing what we do on a typical Sunday. Although this really wasn't a typical Sunday what with B being out of action for riding. I put some extra vet wrap on B's leg and then covered that in duct tape in the hope it would make it waterproof.

It rained and rained and rained but we had a ball. The two students had an umbrella! Breeze sniffed it and then ignored it. How un-RBI and how interesting. We went for a walk in the woods and B was wonderful. Very few thresholds and she stayed calm and eager to do whatever I asked. We didn't go too far and on the way back she stopped to sniff around in some dead leaves and then eat the soil she found underneath. It seemed very tasty lol.

Back at the yard we did a one to one interview with Breeze standing in her stable. I expected her to go and eat hay and ignore me. Instead she spent the whole time licking my hands and just standing next to me nuzzling me and not wanting to leave my side. She either likes me a lot these days or she is more of a camera hog than I am lol.

We had a great play in the rain soaked arena this evening on the 12' line and Breeze must be feeling better because she was pretty full of energy. She didn't brace or go intro again and circle game was great yet again too. Being confined to her stable all week doesn't seem to bother her which is just as well as she won't be going out to graze in the fields just yet.

Her wound is healing well but is still not flat and healed enough to risk it being torn open again. Plus I don't know if even duct tape is enough to protect her from the mud.

Breeze is a real sweetheart.

Another day, another photo of the healing wound. I am delighted to say how much B has accepted the twice daily routine of unwrapping, cleaning, drying, applying cream and then re-bandaging. She has gone from wanting to run away, to lifting her feet, to standing still and watching me. I even had to ask her to lift her leg this evening so that I could wrap the bandage around her hoof! I have let her smell everything and shown her what I was going to do.

Today, before and after work, B and I have been in the arena for her 15 minutes 'walk'. Instead we have played games and B has made me laugh out loud both times. This morning while weaving some cones she decided she wanted to trot! She isn't supposed to but we ended up racing together as she tossed her head on the turns and tried to beat me to the end of the row of cones. I was going straight and she was weaving but still she won (of course!). This evening she had such a sweet expression on her face as she gave me yo yo over poles and offered side ways at one point. I just had to laugh at the way she looked at me. She gave me lovely soft circle game on the 12' line with the rope slack with cod and her favourite reverse falling leaf.

These last couple of days she hasn't gone introverted and she hasn't braced either. I wonder if thats because our sessions have been short and quite focussed or that I haven't wanted to push her because of her injury. But I have been particular and had a clear picture in my mind of how what I wanted her to do looked. Perhaps we are just getting a little better at the 7 games.

And on the fifth day...

I think the wound is healing well. As skin heals from the inside it's obvious it's going to take a bit longer and I guess I must keep it wrapped for a while yet. No Bute today and another couple of days of anti-biotics to go.

It's probably debatable if B can go out on Monday at this rate. Unless I can find a way of wrapping her leg that doesn't come off in the mud and a way of believing the wound won't open up again if she has a bit of hooning about! I am thinking vet wrap and then Duct tape. Any ideas, please leave them in the comments below lol.

Breeze seems to have changed shape over the last few months and I am pleased to see she has muscled up and lost a bit of her big belly. No more comments about her being pregnant then, although she was giving Jewel the Arab stallion the glad eye today when we went for a mooch around the yard. Lots of posturing and squirting. Mares! What are they like!?

We had a lovely 15 minutes in the arena and Breeze was very sweet and adorable. We seem to be closer for this week of box rest and high maintenance care, so what was a nasty thing has turned into a gift. I had to ask B to walk and please no trotting but it was nice to see she wasn't lame on that leg. Falling leaf in reverse and we tried the it the other way but Breeze thought that was odd lol. Nice circle game both ways and fig 8 around some cones. Walk please, not trot! Backwards over a pole turned into please can I side pass it with B giving me her sweetest look so that I let her. We had the beginnings of real driving game from zone 5 at the end of the 22' line and I am managing to ask for turns etc. Progress! The one thing that has progressed the most tho is our relationship and there's nothing better than that, is there.

Well, that was better!

B and I went for the prescribed 15 minutes walk this morning before the great game of dressing her wound. It's a bit like trying to get a dinner jacket on an eel if last night is anything to go by.

Nasty photo of nasty wound...looking a lot better already. Happily Breeze will eat food laced with anti-biotics and 'Bute so getting drugs into her is really easy. Actually it went a lot better and I managed to do it on my own. The only time I got frustrated was when I was trying to wash her wound. Breeze does not like the smell of Hibiscrub so the bucket of wash is too scary for her. We played approach and retreat and eventually B stood still.

We are not yet at the stage where she will stand with her foot on the ground. I still find holding it up a better option but it's a vast improvement on last nights debacle.

I spent ages letting her sniff the bandages, giving her a bit of carrot each time she sniffed it. She even took a rolled up bit of it in her mouth! Cool! She let me smooth the cream into the wound and stood calmly while I wrestled with the Melonin and vet wrap. I am quite proud of my bandaging skills now. I saw Breeze sniffing it when I was doing chores. I wonder how much of it all she understands.

P.s. This evening we had a lovely 15 minutes in the arena. Breeze was very in tune with me and we did a lot of walking around, reverse falling leaf and circle game, all on the 12' line and without a c/s.

Again the washing of 'the leg' was fraught with fear for B. By the time we got to bandaging and putting her stable wraps on she stood with her feet on the ground, chilled and eating haylage. It feels like all of a sudden she trusts me! Fabulous. I have savvy!!!

Aaaarrrgghhhhhhh!!!

So. Friday evening Breeze had a scratch on her left foreleg between the hoof and pastern. Sandra had got her in for me as I was back very late from work. Bless her, she had washed the leg for me. I kept an eye on it all weekend and it looked like it was healing ok.

Monday evening and I got B in from the field and looked her over as usual, marveling at how much mud she manages to get smothered over her and in the most amazing places, despite her rug! I was horrified to find blood oozing from the graze...which was now a gaping wound through the whole thickness of skin. I could see right down to the bone underneath! I hosed it for 10 minutes, dried it and put some 'purple spray' on it and a bandage.

This morning things looked bad. Her leg had swollen to the knee and she looked very sorry for herself. Luckily, the vet was coming to give another horse his second flu jab. B was due for hers so I made a quick phone call and a new (to the practice) vet arrived and had a look at B's leg before giving her the vaccination.

I have to say, Juliette was lovely. Breeze was pretty chilled and although I saw the vet had no experience of Parelli I managed to keep my Parelli principles and not keep B on a 'tight rein' or 'hold her head'. I noticed with great pleasure that B thought about pulling back when under pressure, the vet was poking and prodding her sore leg, but she stopped and I could see she thought about it, lowered her head and relaxed. Good job!

Anyway, no puss BUT there is obviously an infection, B's temperature was up so we now have anti-biotics and wound cream. As I write this, I am conscious that perhaps I feel it's more important than I imagined, but this does feel like a bit of a watershed for me. Plus, infected cuts are not to be taken lightly, especially when involving feet and legs! Lol.

It feels like I am learning something very important. I am used to having a shire/cob cross. A 'native' who wasn't so delicate. I thought nothing of cuts and scrapes and even slight lameness. I think I am learning how 'delicate' TB's are and it's freaking me out! I worry that I am over reacting too lol. How can such a small thing be so important? Drugs, treatment, box rest. Have I been asleep for the last four years and not realised how, sometimes, horses need so much care!

When I went to the feed store today (to buy bandages etc as well as feed and shavings), Kim (who works there) and I laughed when buying leg bandages. She asked me if I didn't have them already. We both agreed, why would I have them with a 'native', lol. Strange.

Anyway. I think I am waffling. This eve we went for a 15 minute walk in the arena. How interesting to notice B's expression. Different from normal but she seemed to enjoy it. Breeze seems happy to have anything drug related in her food. She doesn't seem to care as long as she gets food! Part of me is happy she isn't ridable.....no pressure on me. There is ALWAYS pressure on me when we ride. Something I take as 'normal'. For me!

I am ashamed to write this...trying to get the bandage changed tonight was very frustrating for me! I was too direct line because I knew I 'had to get it done' and Breeze was not able to stand still. I got annoyed, frustrated and then angry with myself for not being able to do something I have no idea how to do and have never done before. Bah! Aren't you all glad you aren't me! Luckily, Sandra was on hand to take over and direct me and B and between us we got the job done! I am so lucky to have a good friend like Sandra! Jan had done all the bandaging this morning as I had lost the plot and my brain would not take in all the info, let alone allow me to act upon it!

It may not be true to Parelli principles, I don't know, but we found the only way we could get B to stand still was to lift her right front leg while we bandaged the left cut one and vice versa for the stable wraps. I tried to feel positive about all the other things that Breeze CAN do which made me feel I wasn't a total failure. Stand around untied while I groom her, even on her very ticklish belly for example and how calm she was for the vet. These things seem important to me when really I feel I haven't coped well in this situation.

When B is recovered from this minor injury, by Friday probably, all this will seem like a storm in a teacup. Perhaps I need to get a life!

How interesting # 356

The arena was really busy today so I decided it wouldn't be a good idea to try and play in there with all that going on. We had a mooch about and played circle game in walk in the car park instead.

Last night B and I went in the arena for a quick play. It was high energy with B and I running around together to keep warm by weaving cones in trot and B jumping. We had another try at reverse falling leaf. I can see in her expression she has learned this and she 'knows' the pattern already. That was evident again today as soon as I asked. Great stuff.

Saddling up was nice again and I decided to get on across the road. While Sandra and I were waiting to cross a car whizzed past too close and fast for the horses liking which scared them. That was a little unexpected and Breeze was no longer happy to let me get on to begin with. I kept calm and patient and made it a wait and see game, only giving B rest when she stood in the proper position.

Breeze was a little tense to begin with on our ride. She made to bite Bert on the butt again but he actually threatened to kick her, she didn't try again! I did make sure we kept our distance and Breeze is really understanding half halts now. I try to be very careful about that because I don't want her to think I am nagging and have her brace.

We did a bit of zig zag and half halts all along the mile and a 1/4. By this time B was relaxed enough to eat now and again until some riders came up behind us. We stopped and waited for them to pass and Breeze needed to move her feet so we circled once or twice. B continued to relax and blew out now and again.

We had nearly reached the turn to the Viaduct when Bert did a massive spook. There were horses in the adjacent field very close to the fence. Poor Bertie was really scared and Breeze took herself off to give him/it some distance. Again I stayed calm and actually deepened my seat and left the reins loose which helps B stand still. Sandra got off and walked Bert past. Her boots were too muddy for her to get on from the fence so she had a bit of a walk up and around the old woods. We followed behind, Breeze not confident to lead. A dog shot out of the bushes at the bottom of the straight and Breeze spooked. I immediately deepened my seat and did a one rein stop. I am so pleased that has become my default mode in an emergency. I makes me feel very safe and empowered! I let B rest until she was calm and we carried on.

Sandra got back on and we played around the trees as usual, Breeze was light and responsive and very relaxed as we went home. The leaves are falling off the trees like confetti and the colours are gorgeous.

Back on the yard I thought it would be an interesting idea to play with B's thresholds about leaving the yard. She didn't mind doing a circuit of the yard behind the courtyard and past the muck heap. But going towards the gate was definitely not something she could do. She tried to go backwards so I said 'ok, how far' which immediately stopped her lol. We circled a little (she couldn't go clockwise and got very bracy) so every time she didn't brace, or took a step to the right I released and then gave her a treat. Pretty soon we were walking around the whole car park. We turned to go back towards the courtyard and then I asked the big one...can you head towards the gate? Breeze stopped, looked towards the gate then took a step towards the gate, so I asked her to stop there. She dropped her head and licked and chewed! I gave her lots of scratches, a bit of carrot and I ended it there. Brilliant!

I even managed to get off without dragging my foot on her rump! That doesn't happen often enough! She followed me around as we unsaddled and chilled out. It's cold enough for a light rug on B today so I left her cozy and warm until later.

Demanding time!

Sometimes we do nothing in the evenings i.e. just hang out and groom instead of playing in the arena. It's supposed to be undemanding time . . . and used to be for the last six months or so. Now, it has turned into groom me time! Breeze demands, very gently and sweetly I might add, that I scratch her neck and throat and all the new itchy places she is revealing. Like inside her back legs or under her jaw.

Last night she groomed me back! On my head, very very gently, blowing warm hay scented breath in my ear. If I stopped she licked my hands , then put her head in the air, presenting me with her neck to be scratched again. Very very sweet and I feel she is really beginning to trust me.

This morning she stood ground tied in the courtyard for me to put her rain sheet on and tie all the straps up, around her back legs that she used to be very scared about and under her very ticklish belly. Last night taking her rain sheet off in her stable I forgot about the leg straps and pulled the sheet off her and it fell around her back legs...she didn't even notice! She waited patiently for me to undo them. Six moths ago she would have flung herself around the stable in a blind panic.

We trotted together down the runway at liberty and she stuck to me when I suddenly turned to go back and pick up the carrots I dropped! She hadn't seen them so I know she was really focussed on me. I think we are well and truly falling in love with each other lol.

Parelli lesson #2

Claire Burgess came to give us our second lesson today. The weather was pretty good and the time went by very quickly. I am feeling very pleased. Claire reckons we have made a lot of progress and even thinks Breeze is a different horse from the last time we met! It is so gratifying to have a PP see the difference. I spend most of my time with B without another student to share my journey with in person. The only feedback I get, apart from the most important from Breeze herself, is when people comment on my posts. To have someone there with me like Claire is worth every penny. Not forgetting Sandra of course but she isn't a Parelli student or has the same horsenality to deal with.

We focussed on circle game again today and Claire was very pleased to note how little B resists and pulls back now and how well I read her. Because we have worked through a lot of B's issues I can now start to let B 'hit' the rope instead of me feeding it out if she braces, then it can be her decision to stop. We noticed B did a lot of thinking and hardly went intro at all and not deeply either.

My draw has improved and we definitely saw a little spark of confidence building in B. She can be very unconfident in herself and in learning but has a lot of confidence in me which is really superb. I need to use even less pressure with B and really watch to see the slightest change in her confidence. This means helping her through thresholds and rewarding her on the slightest try at getting circle game in a relaxed and confident way. That way Breeze will choose the level of impulsion once she gets confident in walk and we can progress to trot and then canter.

We did some reverse falling leaf...very odd for me after all that time with Lizzie the extreme LBI with which this pattern was a definite 'no go' area lol. Claire asked me to really think about perfect s shapes from side to side and we got it going quite well pretty soon, using as much of the 22' line as possible, although I think possibly the 12' line might just have been better.

We played with going over a pole and Breeze and I are pretty good at being particular about which feet go over and when. It's obvious B loves this game and it's an opportunity to let her feel clever. More confidence building! While I asked B to come with me to get a pole from a jump set up Claire said her face lit up at the prospect of jumping as she gained momentum and almost jumped it lol. I know B loves jumping and has offered it lately, much to my joy.

And then the best bit of all........stick to me! Although I have dabbled in this a little Claire helped me realise I don't have a plan so we just meander about and we lose each other. It's all about the patterns! We did a 20m circle with smaller ones just because or if I felt I was losing B's focus. At first I was rubbish and didn't realise how much I was not moving my feet. When it all clicked I could really feel the difference.

It feels like Claire has put up new signposts for us to follow different paths in different directions now. I think I find the size of our arena too big and intimidating so I am now going to use markers to section off some of it and help with my focus. Claire suggested I stop worrying about B getting bored and just work those patterns until B shows signs of knowing them and therefore building that confidence even more. How conditioned I am for LBI's still lol.

By this time we had been playing for an hour and a half so it was time to end it and go back to B's stable. It was great to see Breeze offer a lot on the pedestals just to show Claire how clever she is. Of course, there are bits of carrot involved too!