Intriguing Stuff-Boss, Fiona, and Exy

Today was lovely, I was very tired so slept til 4pm.  Had no expectations.

First fed everyone, had Boss (old guy QH ) in paddock so he'd get all his feed.  I'll start there I think.

So after he eats I do a lot of scratching and petting and such...LBI.  My goal today is to get him to pick up his back feet willingly and with a very soft touch....feather-like.  (this has been a challenge for us both).

first lots of friendly.   Then did some massage, as he has been quite stiff at times.  He loved it!  Put me where he wanted me which I love, so I worked on his haunches and really dug in there.  If he could have laughed he would have. 

Lots of friendly on back legs, 
Now hovered over the cap of hock.  Air, count to three, hair, count to three....waiting for the tiniest weight shift.
got to phase 4 and held it forever (hand cramping) I'm thinking PATient and passive persistence....I actually added a little friendly while holding phase 4 with right hand on cap, to his flank so he'd know I was ok, he was ok, but I wanted something and not to be afraid (he looked sort of going off into staring).  This friendly on the flank produced some of the BIGGEST yawns and licking.  I was on to something! 
Weight shift and it was over.

change sides, he did the left side to phase 3 with friendly on flank. 
I repeated sides three times to make sure he got it.  Second time on his right I had to phase 4 it again...more flank friendly and HUGE yawns. 

Third time on right it was phase 1 morphing into phase 2~  NICE!  I quit, then thought I'll do ET!  So I did saddle block, butt shots, and some of his shoulder and neck, and top of head.  (with breaks).  He loved it.
Lots more licking and chewing although instead of processing he was ready to leave the paddock, so I let him.  He seems to be moving much better.   Lovely expression upon the end of session and he comes to me which is huge for our relationship (or lach thereof for 15 years.  This relationship has TRANSFORMED).  amazing.

Second:  Exy eating...lots of friendly all zones, then scratch whithers (one of her spots) and then I went from sitting on fence to leg on her back.  No response, so I laid accross her back.  I was on there about 10 secnds, she took a few steps away and I just slid very softly off.  This girl is ready to move on (I'm mega slow and want someone to put some hours on her correctly so the framework will be there, but so far I've done it all.   I'm pretty proud of our relationship, too, as she'll leave the herd for me and stay glued to me if I let her! (sometimes I have to protect another herd of two and it breaks my heart to send her away as she truly wants to stay with me.)

Yoga in the herd next as I'm working on my mind to quiet it and connect with the energy of the herd.
My yoga is one or two poses, so don't get ahead of me here, I'm mostly working on the mind with a stretch thrown in.  ha ha.

Anyway, while I'm doing my thing Fiona comes up to me.  Sniff, sniff.
I quietly began breathing in concert with her and put my body in alignment with hers.

Then did some slow deep massage strokes down next to her spine and along her rump.  The reaction.   Amazing.

She looked at me with great surprise and then as I repeated the move she pushed against the move and slowly walked so that i was at her rump....leaning into the massage.  face of bliss...
I worked on her butt and did long deep strokes with my knuckles and palms and she just leaned into me and cocked her hind leg, head down, ears on me.  She lipped my neck and head.  LONG time since she's done that.  It brings me to tears the moment is so lovely. 

The herd at this point leaves but she sticks with me.  Lately I have felt our partnership is smoke, all on my part, and she's not into it at all.  right now I feel connected, it's lovely.   I've kicked around the thought of just taking on another levels partner (Exy or Boss)  but right now as we've come so far I hate to change although to be honest I have actually added them just not deleted her.  Fiona's spook used to be the whole field. (at my house)  She ran away with the "trainer" who rode her first.   Now it's about 10-20 feet.  I did that.  That's real progress and this was a run away with the previous rider.  I want to be what she needs.  Have also started trying to ask WAY less with her to get more.  She's SO sensitive I just forget sometimes that she's way ahead of me.  So let's persevere...

She begins to graze so I mirror her with one hand on her whithers and one hanging like I'm grazing.  I mimic her posture, breathe in concert, and we slowly walk and graze (me on her right side with my right hand plucking  the ground, mirroring her steps, left hand on her and my spine mirroring her spine.  She turnes to the right to look at me many times, (what are you doing?) so do I turn to right.  We lift our heads to scent the air and look.  We become one as we slowly move in concert.  A lovely synchronization.  she pics up a walk and I go with her.  We rejoin the herd. 

She watches me leave and the ears and face are soft, more with me than she's been in weeks. 

for the tail end of the day I've had a lovely evening and as I go to help my husband bring in the night I smile a secret smile.