Well I'll be . . .

Usually on a weekend evening I take B for a walk/graze around the yard because she has been in her stable all afternoon. So we had our usual mooch about and she stuffed her face. I bleached the underside of her hooves as part of the ongoing treatment for thrush and skipped out her stable.

The yard was very quiet and the school empty so B and I went in there for a play. I didn't want to play for long, just see what horse had turned up lol. B didn't offer her usual sideways the minute we got in, or side passing anything. I played friendly game and we walked about a while as I asked her to 'put your nose on this'. Then I asked for yo yo, giving her a treat every time she came towrds me without resisting. She di blow up just a litle once and I turned the going backwards to going sideways one length of the school to the gate. Then I managed to be where I needed to be to ask her to yield her HQ and got to my left. Which neatly developed into the circle game!!! She asked to come in a couple of times and I have promised myself I will ALWAYS allow this and reward her with a scratch. The she just carried on circling! We had about six laps of circle in trot, then I asked her in, gave her a treat and a rest.

I carefully asked her to back up and wait, then I carefully asked her to circle the other way . . . and she did! No blowing up, no braciness, just happy circle game! Woohoo! We then had C.O.D. and B slowed to a nice walk, did a couple of laps and I asked her in for more treats and scratches.

Unfortunately a couple of riders came into the school just as we were playing Fig 8 and weave/side pass around some cones. So I ended the play with some side ways down the back side of the school, backed B out of the gate and we went back to her stable where she got a big handful of carrots. Definitely on the right track I think!

Sunday ride and B's unconfidence.

I

I wasn't expecting to ride today. Sandra says Bert's feet are too bad even in boots so she isn't riding. I had thought to saddle B up and play in the woods and see if I can get on. So we played around the yard and got ready with a some approach and retreat with the saddle and just as I was ready to head out I saw Jan already to go out on her cob Cochise (she has had him out on loan for a few years but he is back for the summer) so I asked if we could come too.

B was lovely and still while I got on. She led the way into the woods but we met some thresholds. I let her rest and wait which was ok and she could go on. A couple of times she abruptly tried to turn around so I asked her to carry on turning and keep going. I surprised myself by not getting scared and concentrated on reassuring B and stroking her neck but being persistent and focussed about where we were going.

She seemed quite tense but happy to lead all the way round the woods although she was looking very closely at bits of plastic and other random things. Her walk is pretty fast and Coche had trouble keeping up so we practiced stopping and did some circling. We did some walk/trot transitions because B couldn't trot slowly, she did her uncomfortable joggy trot and I had a feeling if we cantered she might be too explosive. I am lucky that my riding buddies understand this. It's not about how fast we go.

She was quite nasty to Coche, almost the same as riding Lizzie. Jan noticed too and we think it must be a mare thing. I do pick them!? Biting him whenever he got too close and I am wondering if it's unconfidence not dominance. I watched some more of the Parelli Horseman's Apprentice last night and it was mentioned in a coaching session. So instead of asking B to stop it, I just stroked her and she stopped doing it. Yay!

I had such fun asking B to weave the trees and do some fig 8's and circles. That way Coche didn't have to trot to keep up and it gave us something to do other than stop and wait. She did a massive spook near the pink house! One minute she was there, the next it felt like I looked down and she wasn't there under me! The next minute she was back again and we carried on like nothing had happened. I have often wondered what it feels like when I see other horses do that. Now I know lol.

We had a bit of a mooch around the yard when we got back. Sometimes B is very curious about things and it's great to go and satisfy her curiosity. From what I could see nothing is new or has changed on the yard car park but if it makes B happy thats OK with me.

There were a lot of horses tied up in the courtyard so I thought B had better be tied up too just to be safe. She did her usual standing in her stable looking out of the open door with the 22' line tied outside her stable while I filled her hay net. As I went to put it in her stable she tried to turn to reach the hay but got in a bit of a tight spot. The line had got caught on the bottom bolt keeper of the stable door and she panicked. She was scrabbling about pulling back on the line and almost bashing into the back of her stable. I dropped the hay net I was tying to the ring in her stable, grabbed the line and undid it. Poor B was terrified and pushed her face into my chest as I cradled her head and soothed her. The rope halter had slipped part of the way into her mouth but there wasn't any damage. She calmed down almost immediately with the help of my cuddles. Hmm. I am going to have to be more careful about this in future. I usually undo the rope when I enter her stable just in case, but didn't today. I guess I am only human but should know better. Sigh. Scary stuff!!!

Sweet B.

I am cautiously thinking I am doing the right thing by Breeze lol. Judging by this evenings events anyway. This circle game resistance has really made me rethink what we do. I can't deny I am disappointed, not in Breeze, but my own savvy. I was really enjoying all of our games and I feel a bit restricted and that something is lacking because we can't play with the circle game. I am sure it will pass but in the meantime I am trying to find ways of improving our relationship.

After her dinner B and I went for some UDT around the rough ground on the yard. I did nothing while she grazed except play go and eat here and here and here! Also, keep out of my space, which is timely because she did a huge spook and leapt in the air, pulling back on the 22' line. I was so surprised I forgot to let the rope slide through my hands at first and got a slight rope burn on the palm of my left hand. That reminded me to let the rope slide pretty quickly!

When Breeze had her fill of grass and weeds we went back to the courtyard playing driving game from zone 5. While I skipped out Breeze did something she hasn't done for a while . . . stand on the pedestal with all four feet! I have been telling people she only does this when I am not looking. That's why the photo is rubbish! I had to get my phone out of it's holster quickly before she got off lol.

The yard was pretty quiet and the sun shone as I sat on a log and B came and stood next to me, ground tied. To my great surprise she went to sleep, standing over me. We must have stayed like this for a good 15 minutes before more people arrived, made some noise and broke the spell. B woke up and wandered off to eat stuff off the floor so it was time to put her to bed and go home.

Saturday play.

The nice thing about having a Saturday off work is there is no pressure to be anywhere else but with Breeze. Time to play in the school and see what horse has turned up. Various riders came and went and we managed to stay out of everyone's way.

Again B was resistant to anything but what she wanted to offer, particularly circle game and now weave. She seems to be addicted to side passing everything lol. I was even less emotional about it today, as I am getting used to this new side of B's horsenality. Trying not to beat myself up about how much pressure I may have put on her while playing the 7 games and getting to know her. Things were going so well and B would play all the games quite happily. I don't know why she has changed her mind about this. I will never know. All I can do is listen to her and play with the concept of making my idea her idea but respecting her idea first.

We spent a lot of time on doing nothing in between the slightest ask for things. She only blew up once and went backwards but soon didn't want to do that any more lol. We played a lot of sideways, yield your HQ's and yo yo, with treats when she came towards me after wanting to pull back on the line. The pulling back is way less extreme for which I am very pleased and proud that I see a change so quickly. Eventually I could see she was in the right frame of mind to ask for circle game. She gave me a few laps of clockwise, c.o.d. and some more laps anti-clockwise in soft slow walk! Oooh it was SO tempting to see if we could get trot but I managed not to. We ended it there after at least an hour of playing, hanging out and friendly game.

Breeze doesn't seem to go as introverted as she used to. Her head goes down and she blinks a lot but wants me to stroke her head and then she is ready to carry on. I will win her around, I will, but only on her terms and at her pace.

We went back to the courtyard and her stable but B wanted to stick to me. She didn't even want to eat. Instead she hung out with me as I chatted to friends. She let me rest my hand on her wherever I liked. Usually she gets me with her tail if I go anywhere near her sensitive spots. Even leaning on her back with my arm is not allowed. Usually. She stepped on and off the pedestal and followed me to and from the shed. I swear she would kill for carrots!

Bertie is having problems transitioning to barefoot so Sandra isn't riding him for a week. This probably means I won't be riding so much too. Maybe I will go out alone tomorrow. I will see how B and I feel. I am not feeling very emotionally fit in my 'real life', miserable in fact, so now is the time to go easy on myself and Breeze.

Let me help you!

Sometimes things don't go to plan, do they. Particularly with horses lol.

I should really have bypassed the school this morning on the way to the field but because I haven't spent much time with Breeze this week I thought let's have a 'short play in the school'.

As soon as we got in there B offered me sideways but she noticed the herd in the field and wanted to be with them, so she wasn't really listening to me. She offered sideways over a jump and the cones but any suggestion of circle game and she got bracey and snotty! Here's how the conversation went . . . .

me: Ok B, turn and face me please. Back up and wait for the send please.

B: Err,I don't think so! I'm gonna put me head in the air, stare at you and pull on the line, then back up/drift sideways!

me: Oh B, do we have to argue about this? You want to go sideways? Ok, let's go sideways over here and then stop and rest.

B: NO! I want to go backwards!

me: Ok let's go back wards, but let me help you and see how far and fast you can go backwards!?

So we do a whole lap of the school going backwards but with B also trying to turn and run and then not wanting to yield her HQ when I block her turns. Until we get to the corner by the field gate where she gets really snotty and throws a tantrum. So I stop and ask her to rest after getting in the right position to ask for HQ yield.

We stop and rest and I look at the ground, trying to look at my watch to see how long it takes her to lick and chew. I stroke her lowered head and she blinks continually. Didn't get to time it but possibly 3 minutes go past. B lifts her head and blows out. I smile and we go for a walk side by side. She won't go past me but pulls on the line if I even look at zone 5. So we play with this for a while until she realises I am not going to pull her or release the line. I stay steady until she drops her head and walks towards me. I ask for this three or four times and she stops pulling and looks at me softly as she comes to me. We stop and rest again and wait for her to lick and chew. Not so long this time.

Walk together again and then play yield your HQ in either direction at close quarters then letting the line slide out until B is at least 12' away. We get some falling leaf until we reach the opposite corner to the field corner where something in the bushes spooks her. She leaps in the air but instead of towards me she respects my space and goes away from me. Cool. More walk then slip into circle game, one lap in walk and stop and rest.

I can't not ask because I want to see if it's fixed, so it's back up and wait for the send please B. B looks at me with both eyes, waits, then drops her head and we have a very soft full lap of circle game in walk anti clockwise. Hooray! I ask her in. Big piece of carrot and scratches and we leave. Phew!

P.S.

When I went to get B this eve she was up near the gate. As soon as she saw me her head went up and she immediately came towards me and when I opened the gate she walked through the gap and down the runway with me at liberty.

The whole time I was with her, feeding and picking out her feet she was polite and attentive. She allowed me to touch a lot of her really sensitive places that normally she would not be happy about. Wow! I wonder, did I make a good impression on her this morning despite the misgivings I had?

Thursday already. Again.

It's been a weird week for me. I let B stay out every night until last night when Sandra brought B in while I went off somewhere socialising. It rained a lot yesterday and there was thunder and lightening. B looked at me like she didn't remember me this morning for a while but after a lot of approach and retreat while I brushed all the mud off her, for the first time she walked with me at liberty around the yard to the field.

Tonight when I went to be caught, as soon as I got to the gate of the runway, her head was up and she walked towards me. Very sweet.

So why weird? I think I am totally institutionalised! I know that horses should really live out 24/7 but letting B stay out all night feels weird lol. I miss her terribly and then within a few days I get used to not being at the yard and wonder how it would be if I didn't have her. That thought snaps me back to reality and how much a horseless life would make me miserable. This probably has to do with previously owning an aged horse who didn't want to stay out. Interesting to find I was thinking that while B is out I don't 'have to' ride her. Blimey. My mind seems to work in strange ways. I put it down to lack of confidence on my part. How interesting!

I found out the other day from talking to the lovely girl who loaned B before me that she has had problems in the school. Makes sense given her reaction in the school with me. I did wonder why she was a little reluctant the first time and then completely RB the next with another horse being lunged. So I shall endeavour to go easy and slow and start all over again. More approach and retreat I think.

Oh yeahhhhhh!

I have just come back from one of the nicest rides. All our rides are usually good despite the odd mishap with trees and stuff but this one stands out because of our connection and me being able to tell when B was unconfident or confident. And more importantly, support and help her through the unconfidence.

We didn't play much beforehand. Yesterday and the day before we played in the school ever so gently with 5 minutes rest at one point, while I stroked B's head and let her think things over. We began the session with B doing as much side passing as she would offer, over a jump, turn and face, weave at the end of the 22' line and three laps of circle game in a soft slow calm walk at which point we left the school.

I found I was looking forward to our pre flight checks and getting on today! It feels like I am doing it all for Breeze and the asking permission really seals the deal lol. I have noticed that when I slow right down and am really quiet and gentle she really responds positively.

I noticed she was unconfident leaving the yard with lots of time to go over thresholds but once in the woods she walk off in front happily and with purpose. We led the way most of the time until we got rudely overtaken by some kids from our yard on their hyped up ponies. Unfortunately we met them hooning over a jump in the old woods and B got very RB and scared. When we asked them to remember some manners and stop and wait one of them got very insolent, which was a shame. I suspect they had very little control over what was happening and couldn't stop their ponies if they tried. Mostly I felt worried and concerned for B but it was a great test of my patience and savvy. I stayed relaxed and soothed her while she stepped backwards a bit, ready to run. She didn't run but listened to me and was WITH me. How marvelous. Sorry, I usually go off on how great I think it is to be 'in sync' with B about now, eh. I never stop feeling it's just magic to have that connection. There I go repeating myself again too lol.

How cool are these photos taken on the mile and 1/4 with us in the lead, relaxed and happy. I think they resemble the ones I have taken from Liz' back so much and that feels weird. It's also sad and bittersweet for me which is to be expected. I hope Lizzie is watching us and approves.

We practiced a lot of little things as we walked around the woods today like half halts and zig zags. I have always worried about B walking too close to the edge of the path where it drops into a ditch or worse, the river. Today I left her to go too near and she slipped. After that she stayed away from the edge, also when I asked her to move over so I wouldn't be bashed by low hanging trees she did.

Back at the yard - oh we passed the exit today without any mishaps, even stopping alone to let some kids pet B - B didn't want to leave my side so I left the rope on her withers and she mooched about with me as I did chores. I love my Breeze.