Rain, Rain, don't go away! Brolly Training.

Today raining like crazy thanks to the storm in the Gulf of Mexico...so I got my handy umbrella and went for some UMBRELLA DE-SPOOKING! Of course! What a blast!

Started out walking into the field with all 4 heads high, staring. Very still. I walked away gently flapping the umbrella. Stopped, waited. Three heads came down so I continued walking away. Had to go to the far side of the 10 acre field before Boss could lick. Walked back to them, gently flapping. Away flapping more vigorously. Rinse and repeat about 8 times.

Three horses came forward and two came TO ME to check out the umbrella. Exy, (LBI) the youngest (2)followed me closely as I walked away and I had to actually ask her to get out of my and the umbrella's space! Thrilling that she was totally unafraid after 5 minutes. O'Rion (3)and another LBI with some RBE tendencies was a tad more sceptical but he came all the way to the fence when I went out. Started to get worried, I walked away. Head back up. Waited, head came down, I was able to gently walk to him and rub him with closed umbrella.

Exy wanted to bite it (I let her) and actually it crossed my mind "she's going to jump on you" so I let myself out of the fence and conducted the rest of the session through the fence. BIG SUCCESS.

Boss never came to investigate per se, but he did join the herd in the middle of the field calmly grazing while I flapped the big scary umbrella before the two youngest checked me out, and this was really big for him. He's ALWAYS (20 yrs) been afraid of an umbrella no matter how I've presented it (must have pushed too much before although I THOUGHT I was being gentle). I was able to approach somewhat and he didn't freak as he has in the past. I'll get farther next time.

I had to stop myself from doing it again! We're tapping it in to them gently not hammering it, I told myself, echoing Pat Parelli at a Tour Stop. So I got myself to stop and flap all the way to the house as I retreated, and they ended the session calmly grazing.

MAJOR SUCCESS! YAY! And she jumps in a puddle in victory!

Travelling Circles

Fiona tried to make it seem she couldn't do travelling circles, so I just asked for circles, once she got that down I started walking slowly. when she'd stop I would SMACK the ground (not her) where she had just been standing (she got it, I was not out to get her). Lovely travelling circles! and at a lovely nice cadenced trot. Success!

Travelling Circles and a New Nephew!

Fiona tried to make it seem she couldn't do travelling circles, so I just asked for circles, once she got that down I started walking slowly. when she'd stop I would SMACK the ground (not her) where she had just been standing (she got it, I was not out to get her). Lovely travelling circles! and at a lovely nice cadenced trot. Success!


On another note: went to the hospital to see my nephew, Nicholi's baby. He hadn't been born yet, so I got to help deliver! Really nice! He's Maxwell Brenton New. 6 pounds, .128 ounces. 19 inches long. He and mother are home and doing fine. New Dad looked Shell-shocked!

Fiona changing even more

Nowadays I have noted that Fiona is becoming more and more LBI so I'm hanging out and offering comfort. But she can sometimes be dominant and try to bamboozle me into thinking she can't do anything so I have to watch that fine line between leadership and overdoing.

Yesterday we did all games with obstacles and she is STILL afraid of squeeze over anything more than tiny. So I just lead her to a log and let her look at it, did not force. Then backed over. (no problem backwards). Interesting.

Backing into a doorway, no biggie. coming out? scary. So I never asked her to come out. just let her come whenever she wanted to and that worked.

played games on the trailer (float) ramp and backed her on and off the trailer. No biggie. She grabbed some hay for good measure on the way out as I had left some in there for her.

Went very sleepy, not quite catatonic when I asked her to walk over a 3" log. So I just stood with her and didnt' ask anything at all. Let her come out of it, and backed up. Then advance and retreat. And slow. She offered to put her foot on, we called it a day.

Nice session but there are a LOT of thresholds and I'm not sure we'll ever get to a trail ride! Just going around the property is getting to take forever! I know eventually she'll trust me more but it's just that I used to Hunt and go all over, so this is a little boring at times not going anywhere, but the relationship part is fun, so I enjoy that. I'm very happy with what we've accomplished, just want it all (we've worked on this relationship for three years. One of them PNH and the other two I was not asking that much.). Sometimes I just feel I should be much farther along.

all for today. I'm off to do chores.

Starting Liberty

Hi!

Yesterday started really getting down to playing at Liberty with Fiona. I can do Friendly, lead with the leg both sides and out to the side at liberty, move zone 1 with fingertips or carrot stick, and yo yo. but when I go after moving the hind end...she drifts away. that is better than before when she'd RUN away. lol. We're making baby steps.

I'm reminded of Dan Thompson telling us "if you get 1% better for 100 days, you're 100% better!" so there we are, working on our 1 and 2 %. It's all good!

Gotta love those magnificent horses.

My girl's eye is clouding over. She has some scar tissue in the left eye from an old injury and it is getting worse. She seems confident to let me lead her and I hope this is as bad as it gets. She had a drain in it a while ago as she lacerated her eye before I got her. Just a note that she's ok with going wherever I point her.

Did I mention I love this girl? She teaches me a lot each time we get together. She just sniffs me all over and puts her head on my shoulder.

She has had a few Introverted moments lately. she's really emerging (her true self) and it's lovely to watch! Changing from RBE all the time to RBI and LBI sometimes. She thinks more and more and takes way less time to get back to her thinking self if something startles her. That head goes WAY up there not nearly as much as it used to!

I'm having a blast!

Watched the two youngest playing in the water trough and did some squirting with the water hose. They are funny...love to get wet. Well, it's 100 F here! Who wouldn't ?

Boss coming around?

Today i randomly wandered in the field and just HAPPENED to wander in front of Boss, whose been having pressure issues (I'm really working on NOT being direct line) and I stopped about 20 feet from him with my back turned. I waited.....and I heard licking and then HE CAME TO ME! this is great and I'm very happy as I wanted to cut some tail hair for a bracelet. Mitz on Savvy Club is making me one! So I got the hair, gave scratches, got him to poke his lip out quite comically and then left. He was giving me soft and happy looks. NICE!

did liberty with Exy driving game. She was Brilliant! Both ways were terrific. First real game at liberty all the way through. I'm pleased with all of our progress today, a great and lovely sunny (hot) day.

Hit the pool to cool off, and now off for a chinese take away and a movie.