Whoops..catch up!

Yesterday was one of those hot sticky days when neither Bailarina or I felt much like doing anything, but we had a little play in the school, just because!

As usual she was nice and attentive in hand and I had some lovely work at liberty with her, where she walked, trotted and halted following me just from body language and voice commands....mind you when she'd had enough she stopped and looked at me..just saying "errrr it's too hot, ain't gonna" as I walked away to ask her to do another circuit....can't blame her - I'd had enough of running too!

She had a couple of mad moments on the lead rein prior to that too, feisty little missy!! Went to have a hoolie while I was still attached so I stopped dead and brought her round, walked forward again - ooh we had a bossy mare head shake and another attempt at boinging around. So I stopped and using fairly strong body language backed her up to remind her that on the lead she has manners! Our first real proper madam moment!!
I'm delighted to say she was a sweetheart after that and I knew she'd taken the lesson really well when she was happy to work at liberty with me :-) (Yes the fluffy bunny part of me wants a partnership and her to have a say in it, but I also need her to learn that sometimes we play and sometimes we work -if I'm on the end of a rope there are manners required and a body to be avoided!!)

Tonight was a fun night, with some really great lessons learnt, I was thrilled to see how pleased she was to be coming in to "do" stuff !

We came in and had a nice scratch and groom...after saying hello to the horsebox again with no pressure - she's happily walking right up and having a good sniff and snuffle up the ramp - tonight she was leaning right up it with her feet touching the bottom - I don't think it'll be too long before she takes a step - and it will be all her own idea - I'm just standing there clicking and giving her bits of apple when she's brave!

Popped her bridle and roller on - with no reaction whatsoever, I keep expecting her to at least go ooh whassat? but no, Little B takes it all in her stride :-)

We went out for a really nice walk down round the back of the hay field and the rape field, I just walked and jogged with her on a loose 10 ft of lead so she was just playing follow my leader, sometimes behind, sometimes to the side, but all just with a loose connection so that she's encouraged to move forwards freely herself in preparation for when we learn to long rein out and about
We had a bit of a whoohoo moment as we walked back past Sky and Alfie's field - they bombed across squealing and Bally did the eeek slam anchors on combined with a jump and a scoot...then lifted her tail and popped into the most amazing passage at my side - when I picked my jaw up off the floor I just walked with her as showed off in that spectacular Luso way - WOW!!

Back to the yard to untack and have a little handful of nuts, then as we were both quite warm I took her into the washbox to sponge her off and see if she would be willing to let me introduce the hose.
She was so good, enjoyed the sponging so as I'd had the hose in my hand all the time I was sponging her I just added a trickle of water from the hose over her legs too. She didn't seem at all bothered so I moved the hose up to her chest and ribs and again just keeping on with the sponging, but with trickle from the hose washed her down -she was a star.
I'll bring her in most sunny days for a nice cool down like that, so she appreciates it and it remains something nice to be enjoyed. I don't think it'll be long before she's accepting the hose all over, but I like to take these sort of things very slowly so she never associates it with being pressurised or scared...all good!

After all that excitement we just had a nice slow meander back to the field where I left her happily grazing - a really good day!!