Another Day, Another Session

It was a very interesting day as far as weather went, for being the beginning of November it was warm, humid even, and it wasn’t long before I was loosing layers as Blue and I worked out way through the Seven Games. Soon I had the big yellow ball out again and was able to rub it all over Blue’s body, bounce it on the ground then off of him. I was bouncing it off his but, sides, neck and legs and he just stood there relaxed, leg cocked and licking and chewing. I then put it down on the ground and sent him too it and he would happily start playing with it with his front hooves. Pawing at it, even resting his hoof on the ball – it hasn’t burst yet so hopefully it will survive the tortures of Blue!!

Next I mounted from the barrel again, went much smoother then the first time I attempted this. We worked on the 9 Step Back Up, as well as yielding his hind quarters which he did beautifully – maybe he’ll be a reining horse someday;) We worked on some transissions; walk-trot, walk-whoa, whoa-walk, trot-walk, trot-whoa, and whoa-trot all by bringing up my energy and then just taking all the energy out of my body. He quickly caught on and was doing all transissions at the first phase. I even practiced riding with the carrot stick which wasn’t nearly as awkward as I figured it would be for the first time.

Blue and I then did some playing at Liberty. Off the halter came and onto the ground I went. First we attempted to do some of the Figure-8 Pattern and Liberty and he actually did it a few times around! I was so proud of him; he just knew what to do when I set the barrels up and I could draw and drive him easily. We also did a lot of the Touch It Pattern, I would send him to the ball, which he would promptly try to squish, or the pole he would roll around on the ground with his hooves, and the upright barrels which he tried to put his hoof up on the side of it as far as he could. We also did some yo-yo which he was really good with the drawn, but a bit sticky with the send.

I was quite happy with Blue’s effort he put in and was all out of treats so figured that was a good time to end the session. Once back in the field he stood at the gate and nickered to me, lifting one of his front legs and wiggling it in the air (his favorite thing to do when he wants something and gets impatient). He didn’t head back to Kallie and Lexi until I had gone in the house for a few minutes.

When I came out I collected up my halter and headed back out to the field, this time I went towards Kallie, she was in the far half field (the whole field probably totals ~6 acres and is split by a row of pine trees and a brook), she lifted her head and watched as I approached. I did a wide arch and started to make my way towards her. She got a bit worried and began to move her feet, so I drove her forward more, she trotted a few strides to the left, I blocked her path with my body and energy and directed her back to the right, then to the left once more and then she turned and faced, licked and chewed. I had the halter on her in less than 30 seconds from when she first started to move her feet. A huge improvement in the 30-60 minutes it would originally take. Kallie then got a handful of treats; a good rubbing and itching then I promptly took the halter off and walked back to the house. I’d look over my shoulder and she was still in the same position, licking and chewing my whole way back to the house, I think I blew the poor girls mind. I highly doubt she ever had a human do that to her before.