Saturday evening I was exhausted after work but I find lately, no matter how tired I feel, as soon as B and I are together I find enough energy to play. I wonder how I do it sometimes lol. But I guess I just love being with her and being a Parelli student. There's always something to do. We had a great play focusing on 20+ laps in trot on the circle game. Fig 8 as usual along with rock slide etc in between. I tried a little stick to me and we carried on with the fig 8 together too. Then I thought I would give B some time offline and see how our liberty might look.
Liberty has been quite difficult for us given B's cusp horsenality. It gets better though. This time she didn't try to get away from me fast like she usually does. She did leave which gave me the chance to play catching game. We did get one little bit of stick to me then she headed off in front to the gate but when I drew her to me she came with such a sweet look I ended it there and we went back to the stable.
Which brings me to today, Sunday! And the title of this blog post. First we had a great bit of cuddle time with B resting her head between my knees. I was sitting on one of the pedestals outside her stable, and I scratched inside both ears very gently and rubbed her head around her eyes. She closed her eyes and really got into it. Marvelous! You can't beat that level of trust and bonding between horse and human can you. It made my day. When she had had enough we went and had a great play in an empty arena before it got too hot. It was really a pre-flight check, not a full session to focus on stuff. Today we got one walk to canter transition on the circle game! B gave me three calm controlled laps in canter too. Very nice. Well done B. She really is progressing well, isn't she. We got calm trot and B looked very relaxed. Everything was set up nicely for saddling so we went and did that and I got on.
One little threshold leaving the yard and when we got into the woods B went in the lead. We had a great relaxed ride in the dappled shade of the woods. We stayed out of the sunshine and let the horses eat. All was wonderful until we got near the bottom of the straight and B slipped, the ground was very greasy from all the rain we had, and pop went one of the cable ties I have had on my reins since Stoneleigh. B scared herself and needed to move so we trotted to catch up with Sandra and Bert. We let the horses graze for a while in one of their favourite places until two riders from the riding school came past. I know them and we have seen them and their uptight ponies quite often. One of them is the one who always calls me the mad rope woman, as her pony jogs sideways past us.
Today B was very upset by their approach so I took her to meet them, then turn and follow them the 50 meters or so back to Bertie and Sandra. Off popped the other cable tie on the reins as I had to bend her to a stop! B was still not happy so off we trotted and did a little circling and then lateral flexion while Sandra and Bert caught us up. B didn't settle so I spent the next bit of the ride helping B get calm while Bert calmly plodded on. I am so pleased that again I stayed calm and not at all scared or worried! B needed me to support her and keep her mind on the job. The job was a lot of zig zag, even in the lead. I stroked her and made sure I had zero brace and by the time we got to the top of the old woods she had lowered her head and her breathing had gone quiet, instead of the huff, huff, huff all the time.
We weaved the trees and I found I hardly used the reins so that's getting even better now too. It was lovely to plod along in the shade on a now relaxed and calm Breeze again. I am thrilled.
Back on the yard I unsaddled and hosed B off to cool her because it was about 28c by then. I left her in the cool of her stable eating haylage.
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