Catching up on progress

Well Friday was hack out on the long lines day and B was great..still a bit nervy going down the road, but before that we were just going down the drive to get onto it when I heard the sound of something very large and agricultural approaching, we carried on and then suddenly I realised it was Chris in his huge crop spraying thing..and he was turning and coming up the drive! Hmm ok let B see what it was and then we nice and calmly walked up the drive with the Big Yellow chunterer behind us, stopped by the field gate and I turned her so she could see, well she didn't bat an eye, even when it rumbled past!!

So back off down the drive and onto the road and like I said she was a bit tense (had the horrors about some discarded flowers in a bush would you believe!!) but not too silly. No problems with two cars passing us from behind.

Once on the bridleway it was long lines time and B was just great, nicely forward, one teeny plant at passing the first footbridge, but no attempts to turn back and walked on past it nice and smartly when I asked her to. No issues at all about spooky corner..in fact she walked up to and around it like she'd never dreamed of having an issue with it!!

Saturday was box training time, and Bally stood totally calmly right next to the ramp as we dropped it, but was quite hesitant about going on, even with the clicker - I know that it's never going to be her favourite thing, but she wasn't impressed with the proceedings - maybe we need to push things on as she just isn't seeing the point of climbing onto the shaky box just to get off it again..hhhmmm..one to ponder!

Anyway once on and standing tied, it was gates shut and ramp up with no problems. I then asked Gi to walk round and open the grooms door and the walk through, all done with a small snort but no panic *phew* I then popped through into the little living bit and on and off the box a few times. B was just great - a bit nonplussed I think!
After ten minutes of hanging around it was everything undone and backing off, went for a little walk round and then asked her to pop back on. Again she didn't exactly throw herself up the ramp, but she was on in about five minutes of me just standing and rewarding forward movement from her. It's quite funny - once she touches the ramp with a back foot that's it she's straight on with no messing, but it takes her a while to think about getting that far lol!

Tied her up , got off and did the gates and left her to stand again. Little Princess was not overly amused by this and had a couple of scrapes at the floor to which she got a growl! She settled herself down and after another five minutes I led her off. Really pleased with her progress!

Well Bessie the Horsebus is in at the mechanics tomorrow for her MOT, service and a new battery so all being well (touch wood!) we'll be starting the starting so to speak...repeating all the work we've done so far but with the addition of the engine running...then it's trip time -eek!

I'm going to post about tonight's session tomorrow - I was stunned, absolutely astounded at the quality of the work she gave me in the school and I think that it deserves a post of it's own :-)

Till tomorrow then....