Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring you, the Predator!

But first, some photos from last night's play. We did some yo yo in and out of the stable.

Sandra got us a Hoola Hoop! Breeze was pretty cool about it even tho it had beads inside it and made a hissing noise when moved. We played approach and retreat with it over her head until she was so relaxed she took no notice of it and scratched her side with it resting on her neck.

Standing in it, sniffing it, pushing it around with her nose was easy for her and then she needed time to rest and go a teeny bit introverted. She often does this when I introduce something new.

We had been playing quite an energetic game of 'hide the hiney' before Sandra brought our surprise. Let me get to the point. I have a cold. I feel crabby and ill, bad tempered and fragile. Breeze was in her stable all day because it poured with rain and no other horses were out in the fields for her to be with. I felt she needed to have a bit of exercise to at least stretch her legs. And of course she picked up on my mood and didn't want to do things, as if she couldn't remember some of the games. I in turn wanted her to move her feet! She insisted on side passing the cones on fig 8 and got a bit bracy on the circle game if I stood still so we did some travelling circles which she seems to enjoy. So I ditched the c/s and we did some stick to me, me running, Breeze trotting and we played weaving and hide your butt. Great fun and it cheered me up so I was less crabby.

This morning I felt worse which is a shame because the weather was gorgeous and we could have done lots on my day off. There will be other days off!. I got to the yard and gave B a bit of carrot like I always do. Seems it was her turn to be crabby and one bit of carrot was not enough. B also likes to play a game with taking her rug off sometimes or rather not letting me. She has issues about the front fastenings and we usually play approach and retreat until she is happy to stand still and let me undo them. This morning it became a game of who can out crab the other. She kept bonking me on the head with hers, turning away, pestering me to give more treats and not moving away from the back door so I could undo the rug! Grrrr! She bonked my head once too often and I snapped. Out came the predator in me and I bumped the lead rope in anger and frustration and she backed off out of my way instantly. Sometimes B is too pushy and I am too soft. A timely reminder for me to be more assertive and also not to beat myself up about showing some bad temper once in a while.

I rugged her up and we walked to the field together where she hung around with me for a while then walked away slowly to spend the day with the herd.