I found her spot!!!!

I had a fabulous time with Cici today. More in a moment. I like to be orderly. Or maybe Cici is right. She told Margaret I am a perfectionist!

Yesterday I wound up spending about 3 hours with Cici and Casey in the paddock. Kendyl was coming for last round of spring shots and poop collection on Casey. She got delayed and I had lots of time to just hang out.

Cici did a lot of approach and retreat. Sometimes she just come back to me and sometimes I'd walk towards her and she would come. At one point she positioned herself so my belly button was facing away from her body but I could still scratch her neck. Hmmm how interesting. Got lots of licking and blinking.

I had my carrot stick to keep Casey out of my space. He is such a little creep - creeping, stretching his body, inching, moving to another position. Most creative little devil.

Toward the end I even asked her to leave her hay and come to me. And stay with me a bit longer than she thought, just with body language.

Today when I was walking towards their paddock Cici nickered to me and met me at the gate. And I found her spot! I found her Spot! Above her shoulder blade, below her withers. It is bright and shiny now, The Spot, as I've rubbed off all the old winter hair.

I rubbed, scratched, even did a little energy treatment. She licked, she did mutual grooming on an upside muck bucket, she mouthed the bucket and flipped it over, she mouthed the muck rack handle, she wiggled her nose on my hand, she licked my hand, and she YAWNED and YAWNED and YAWNED!!! Hallelujah I bored my horse enough for her to YAWN!!!!! I don't remember her ever being so mouthy.

She did not move for almost an hour. I didn't move for almost an hour. I was beginning to wonder if I would be able to leave. And I continued to work on The Spot.

She defended our herd of two and shooed Casey away. At one point when she had turned her head away from me, but not her feet I had scratched Casey and I heard "ME!!!!" So I went back to rubbing, scratching her.

I asked her if I could clean the paddock. She took a step aside and then followed me around the paddock. She got caught up nibbling some errant pieces of grass and I was dragging the muck bucket toward the gate when I heard galloping behind me. It was Cici catching up with me! This is the girl I've been waiting for for so long. Hope she is there tomorrow and the next day and the next day and forever.

I am beginning to hear her. She is most emphatic right now. I heard her tell Casey, "Mine!" as she shooed him away from me. I like being hers. ; -)