Sunny and cold

It was so cold last night - we still had ice on the wheelbarrow full of water at almost midday - then when I was down by the barn at about 3.30 the pile of ice was still there...!

For some reason I haven't been in the mood to play for the last month or so - maybe I just need a break. So I've been focussing on 'everything means something' just in our daily interactions and wow what a difference...Cam has stopped being so evil to the others - she was sharing a bucket with the twins today. I've been observing a lot - Mr Merlot has been trying to take a few steps up the dominance ladder...so I decide to see if I could keep his interest today - he was very introverted when we had a lesson with Russell - that was 18th May, the last time we actively played!! I did his feet and he was pretty chilled, as usual, so I decided to 'use' that and play with the bareback pad. Have played with it once before. Well, he didn't care at all - just kept eating. So I did the cinch up - not fastened, just took the slack out then let it go and played friendly - still 100% fine - he just looked around to see what I was doing. Then we went for a short walk around the arena playing put your nose on something and you might (or might not) get a carrot piece, treating him like an introvert. Shiraz and Cam came with us too - Rafiki was in a pen. All the time I was playing with the tension on the cinch - zero reaction - he was just focussing on putting his nose on things. SO pleased - he was a different horse - more like his normal slightly extroverted self. I allowed the pad to fall off down his side and over his tail - no reaction, even though it fell with a thump. Then we turned and did put your nose on that. I put it back on with cinch trailing, so it could fall off again but it didn't. We finished by backing into the pen - first time I'd done it with him - and he was perfect. Then he turned around and picked the bareback pad off with his teeth!! I put it back on and moved his feet so he didn't think he won that game, then I took it off before he could.

Had a bareback sit/walk on Rafiki and had a big BFO...she is very uncertain if not micromanaged, and what I thought was dominance I think was her offering her idea becasue I wasn't clear enough and I didn't maintain my focus. She tries her heart out and if she thinks she is getting it wrong she swishes her tail....I thought before that was dominance but now I'm sure it is unconfidence.....

Interesting...having barely played with her for months I am confident to get on (but very ready to get off!) without circling her and running her around....