Liberty

Today I played with Cici in the outdoor ring. I got my ball and cones and hoola hoop. Still nursing my left arm, so we walked around the ring letting Cici check things out and snort at them. Walked patterns around two cones, stopping at each one for her to touch with her nose, kicked the ball then I dropped the lead. She stayed with me as I walked, changed direction, wove in and out of objects. Kicked the ball in front of her and walked to it, kicked it and walked to it. She lowered her head and smelled the ball and then gave it a little push with her nose. Yippee!

I did some disengagement of hind end on her left side. Went to see how the right side was and she blocked me with her head. So back to left and tried right side again. After a bit of persistence she finally allowed me on her right, but when I asked for disengagement quickly repositioned me on her left. Hmmm how interesting.

Walked over to the hoola hoop lying on the ground. She immediately sniffed it and touched it with her nose. I asked her to walk forward and she place both front feet right in the circle. And stood quietly. Walked around more, back to hoola hoop. In and back out.

I picked it up. Whoa! Head up and she took a step back - looking at it now standing on edge. I backed up and then turned away from her and began walking away with hoop's edge dragging on the ground. She started to follow me about 3 board lengths (30 feet) away. And I walked and serpentined and changed direction and slowly she closed the distance. After just a few minutes I found that she was walking on my left - placing her right side toward the hoop. Hmmm how interesting! LOL.

When we were done I needed to put her turnout back on. With her offering her right side for the hoola hoop I was wondering if I could put the blanket on from that side. But no, she is quiet, but I watch her raise her head, watch her nostrils and that weight shift back - away. Lots of walking away, approach and retreat. All this still at liberty. What is interesting is that when she finally is willing to stand for the blanket it doesn't matter how long it takes me to sort out the blanket on her back - she just stands and waits.