well what dy'a know!!

Cam and I had another play yesterday, after work. I have just got the new levels pack - just LOVE them - been watching L1, and looked at a bit before going out to play. One thing that was very obvious though is the quality of the sub-titles - awful!! So many spelling mistakes, I think even wrong words compared with what Pat said etc. I know I could watch them without but 'seeing' the spoken word usually helps stuff go in. Anyway, they were great otherwise (but I still like the 'original' packs with the little booklets...)

I was going to play with Rafiki and the float so opened it up. But I put the 45ft on Miss Cam, asked her back over a pole to the very end of the rope as she was much more confident today (how interesting...) could ask her to sideways behind the pole from 45 ft away (wowee pleased with that - better than we did in March) and come over the pole with just one foot...

Anyway, we went sideways the otherway, still with her at the end of the rope, and I noticed she was drifting towards the float and forward. I was tempted to stop the forward, but just kept asking her sideways. Then we stopped for a minute while she licked and chewed (externally today...). she then turned her head, looked at me and walked straight to the float and got on, all the way, no hesitation!! I was still way back. I walked up to the float and in, and she was busy exploring. After a minute I asked her off, so it was my idea. She got to the ramp and put herself back on. So we yo-yoed around, doing friendly in the float etc. She seemed almost as relaxed as she can be - tail was quite soft, I even picked up her feet in there to see how she felt about that. FINE! She was happy for me to hold one up long as I wanted, examining it minutely! I asked her off again, and she was happy to do that, went to the bottom of the ramp and immediately put herself back on. I asked her off, stood in the way, relaxed and she politely walked around me and back on!! So funny. I took the rope off incase she panicked, left her in there and walked around, opened and shut the personal door etc, gave her a carrot etc. (think she deserved that!). She was busy exploring.
She must have put herself on about 15 times. My play time with Rafiki was disappearing but this was more important. Anyway, I asked her off using porky on the halter several times, then got the rope and asked her off using that and her tail. We walked back to the pen, I took her halter off, as usual with the gate open, she quietly left me, walked out and back onto the float!!

I had to go and retrieve her using a halter - thats a first, to need a halter to get her OFF the float, although I remember our first attempt at filming our audition she took me flying in there...

Rafiki had been tied all this time, getting a bit of practice in for that. I wonder if having her there made any difference?? I don't think so...we'll see.

Rafiki had no trouble and marched up the ramp. We had a short play with the divider, and she enjoyed seeing how far she could put her head out of the personal door!! I ended up feeding her on there and playing with the divider, lifting the ramp up and down etc. Love it when she stays LB. I also wandered around the float (while she was in there eating) seeing how many different noises I could make with the stick and string on it and the obstacles around. Made no difference to her....

A great session - think it is all about confidence and picking the right strategy - must've done something right for Cam the previous day...

I should say this focus on float loading with Rafiki is because I have a challenge for 23rd January - have been invited to take a horse (s) to a small 'field day' type event - think it is just what I need to get us out and about as I need to take her to lots of places beforehand, over the Christmas holiday...no worry about riding her at this stage...