Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Dragon snorts

I have all these plans that go out the window as soon as I get to the barn. One thing or another seems to come up. Yesterday after a slow start - got talking with Mary and helping her with Blackjack - I finally got to Cici and Casey's paddock.

Cici had been watching me. And since I was taking so long she decided to wait on the back side of the paddock, where I usually come after getting everything set in the indoor. But since time was slipping by I just grabbed the 12' and carrot stick and headed directly to their paddock. When they realized I was coming in the front, both Cici and Casey trotted across the paddock to me. I almost cried!

I took Cici to the indoor and played a little, but since the day was so beautiful I decided to go play in the outside ring. I then decided to play a bit at liberty. We haven't done that for a while, so I unclipped her lead. She was faced with a choice, stay with me or eat grass at the edge of the ring. Guess what won out!?!?!?

I let her nibble a bit then approached her, planning on asking her to disengage and face me. But she would feel the pressure and trot down the fence line a little bit to keep eating. We did this just about all the way around the ring. Then Cici decided the pressure was too much and she took off down the long side, bucking, kicking up her heels. Last time I saw her to this was last year at Laura's! And she kept it up, flat out galloping down one side, slowing a bit in the corners and flat out the other. I was completely ignored.

I watched her gallop, high step trot and then gallop some more. Her tail was straight up in the air, both her nostrils were flared and she was snorting up a storm. When she trotted she had the most amazing suspension and high lifted hocks. Wow. This went on for what seemed like forever but was probably a couple of minutes. I was beginning to wonder if she would ever stop. Or how to ask her to stop, or what I should do. When Cici get to the ends of the ring she would momentarily stop and put her head over the top bar and lean into the fence and dragon snort and call.

I was standing in the middle of the ring. Had dropped the carrot stick. I rustled my pocket for treats and held my hand up in the air. Cici looked at me and turned off the rail and came floating trot right at me. Head high, tail up, nostrils (both) flared. She stopped and snorted and licked. Took the treats. I felt her say thank you thank you thank you.

A day later I can now say how cool was that?!?!?

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