Motivation....

I found my motivation again today having lost it for a few weeks due to the job stuff going on. Can't do any more then I'm doing so leave it to 'them up there' (whoever they are) to sort it for me.
I thought the weather was going to get worse as the day progressed and having done virtually nothing on my last days off thought I'd better get out there fast. I don't normally 'do' rain as I 'horse' for pleasure and that doesn't include cold and wet. However, having given myself a metaphorical 'kick' and got my act together a little more with some help from Vicki (thanks so much Vicki..you know what for) I need to be doing stuff rain or shine to get where I am going to go.

My plan was OLP5 and FS2, but we ended up doing that and all sorts of other things. It started to drizzle then rain but Cam seemed 'infected' with my motivation and we kept going -normally she is a 'wuss' and runs to hide beneath a tree or at the minimum turns tail and sulks-even when in the paddock -the others ignore it..perhaps she has been influenced by me for too long..

I set up a bit of a test by leaving the others eating hay in the far paddock so they were out of sight- ages since we have done that. I was interested to see the response (how far we've come since I couldn't do anything with her even on the ground out of sight of another horse...) I put a little hay in the pen and leaving the gate open went off to get the brush. She was ok initially then wandered out after me towards 'spooky'corner (which is no longer so spooky)- fantastic - she could easily have gone 180 degrees the other way to where the others were...they were fine too -not a sound and didn't stop eating once. We played with OLP1and OLP5 (am gradually remembering the numbers -getting it now as I need to for when I when I do more with the twins.) and a bitof 'squeeze' near spooky corner. Interestingly the barrels were nearby,and after 'squeezing' a few times Cam sidled over to the barrels, lined herself up and jumped towards me!!! needless to say she got the expected carrot !! She is so smart and always has ideas to offer. We had a play with circling - not her favourite, got some nice even trot and I asked her up to canter. She struggles a bit with this so we did some half circles and I asked her to slow before she wanted to, then got a great half circle so we stopped.
It was raining pretty steadily by now though not windy, so I decided I'd just get wet and see how she felt bareback. I gave her a small pile of hay, hopped on and praciced my usual 'get flexible' excercises -my right hip is so much stiffer than my left for some reason. I normally play friendly game as this is her 'big' issue-if she stops eating I know quickly how she is feeling as well as feeling it through her back. I know now why we were encouraged to do all those 'silly' things as children like 'round the world'etc - seemed a bit pointless at the time. We did that both ways no probs apart from my stiffness, might try the kneeling next time -well done Cilla and Vicki for their progress! Played a bit with the carrot stick then as she was fine with stick and string going softly from side to side and backwards and forwards I did a helicopter!! There was a day not that long ago when I never dreamed I would be able to do that and have her stay relaxed. It wasn't a very 'whirry' one,but a helicopter with a wet sandy string none-the-less. We did a bit of a figure of eight but only at walk- I was impressed with the 'velcro effect' of wet pony -really felt like a trot but as it was getting pretty windy and my coat was flapping I thought that maybe asking too much. So I settled for a good figure of eight with little guidance and plenty of motivation then jumped off!!

I had a quick play with Rafiki in the afternoon, taking her out of view, leaving the twins on their own in the paddock and putting Cam in another paddock in their view. No-one cared at all or whinnied -great - must do more. Must be 6 months since they have been on their own. I played OLP1 and OLP2 with Rafiks and a lot of porky. She understood a lot better than last time,being less claustrophobic in lateral flexion and kept a nice attitude. She also gave me some lovely trot circles. Funny how horses can be so confident doing somethings and suddenly 'lose it' doing others.

Very pleased with everyone, including myself !!