Freestyle

Finally have the time and no one is around. Start with online. While yesterday she had to kick up her heels a bit today she was much with me. We have been working on the wait. How long after she does something that I have asked for and then friendly over her back for her to lick and chew. I've taken to counting songs on the radio! Oh she cocks a hind foot, she lowers her head, she blinks, half closes her eyes and I watch her lips and chin quiver.

I turn away, move away, lean on my carrot stick, cross a leg, even crouch down to remove any pressure she might be perceiving from me. And wait. And wait. And wait.

Today she licked quickly the first couple of times. Then we got into 1 and 2 song waits. But she seems to be softer today than yesterday. So run through sideways, figure 8s, circling and playing with laps, maintaining gait over a pole and softness. Did an extreme friendly and she came right in and licked immediately.

Tacked up and played some more. Noticing she is starting to avoid sideways along the wall. She will line herself up and then just walk parallel to the wall. This is now becoming a pattern. Hmm better do something about it.

Freestyle - yippee. Riding - staying at walk played with stick to rail and clover leaf. Stick to rail is slowly getting there. She consistently has a couple of places, different in each direction, where there are issues - issues like not staying on the track. When I try and mix things up she argues with me – "No, we are doing right hand turns!"

Working towards that place where she asks a question instead of tells me what we are doing. This is really very very provocative. And staying at the walk is also turning out to be very provocative. Hmm how interesting!

After riding for maybe 20 minutes I ask her to stop in the question box. Stand and wait. And wait. And wait. And then she starts licking and chewing. Then head shake. Then yawning. And yawing and yawing. She just can't seem to stop.