Thursday, 27 January 2011

More play.

We have been having more success playing in the arena this week. Breeze is still very focussed on the area of sand by the gate, sniffing and pawing but she shows no sign of rolling lol. I tried mirroring her and then sitting down. When I sit down she just comes over and sniffs me lol.

Breeze is very itchy but she hasn't started shedding her winter coat in earnest yet. It won't be long despite it being freezing here again.

We had a bit of a play this morning although it was more of a leg stretch for B. I noticed she was stuck at the gate again. She has been doing this lately, sniffing the ground, going introverted but it doesn't feel like distress on her part. When I first saw her go introverted I could see it was from too much pressure. Now it seems she needs time to stand there and think, slowly breathing in the smells from the ground so near her nose.

This evening was a different matter. Breeze wanted to play. We warmed up with follow the rail and I got to be in z5 without any sign of claustrophobia from B. We had the most amazing calm 3+ laps in walk on the circle game each way and she maintained gait and direction. I found I was almost holding my breath wondering if she would lol. It feels so good to see her calm and trusting now. Very different from before when she just could not think and was so unconfident!

We went off and did a few other things before trying circle game in trot. Breeze didn't explode but wasn't confident enough to do a whole lap so we tried some c.o.d on half circles. B loved it! Her energy came up and she kept both eyes on me, tossing her head as she turned. I hardly had to do anything to ask her lol. She makes me laugh to see and enjoy such joy.

She maintained gait as I led her nearer a jump, then she went over, turned and back over four times, trotting to me after the last one. She got a big handful of carrot bits for that. From then on every time I asked her in from what ever she was doing she trotted to me. Success!

When we went to leave B hesitated by the gate for some time again. We went in and out twice and I waited for her to be ready to go back to her stable. I have done this a lot with B. Simply given her time, that's all, just time. Never mind that I am late leaving the yard or don't get to do all I had planned. All that is irrelevant. It seems vital that all I need to do is give her this gift of time.

Some nights when I have done all the chores and I am ready to leave B ignores me and gets on with eating. Others like tonight, she doesn't want me to go. She offers 'carrot stretches' and has stopped pestering me for more treats once that's done. She licks my hands and now nuzzles my hair if I sit down. Sometimes she wants strokes or scratches or just for me to hang out and be with her, like tonight. Precious time that's for sure.

1 comment:

  1. It's those moments when you can just 'be' together that make all the difference....

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