Slot car Casey

We got a ton of snow on Wednesday. Okay maybe not a ton but close to 2 feet for sure. Too deep for young master Casey. He now only travels around the paddock in Cici's tracks. And she has made quite the circuit around the paddock. He fits right into the track and away he goes - like a mini slot car! Here he is standing by the gate where I've shoveled some of the snow away. And he is standing on the packed snow and not sinking!

Today I dug out the back gate and a path up the hill to the indoor. I went down to the barn to check on things, chat with friends and pick up Cici halter. Figured I play with her in the indoor. Without her blanket, on ground that is not white and when she steps into it sinks up to her knees.

As I was walking up the hill to go through the indoor I had this thought - did I close the back gate after I dug it out? Was Casey running around loose somewhere? I looked over at their paddock and saw Cici eating her hay, but could not make out a little munchkin. I glanced at the paddock that is behind hers, on the other side of the path and noticed the two horses there were running around. When I got to the indoor Cici started to call to me - He's loose and up to no good!

I hurried through the ring and out the back. A large swatch had been plowed and my path led off of that. As I got outside there was the Casey trotting down the path. I hurried to block him and threw the lead over his head. He was the perfect slot car - he would not step off the shoveled path and he could not turn around. Stuck! Thankfully. I was able to put Cici halter on him and lead him back to the paddock. So much for his liberty adventure!

In love with Pedestal

Cici just can't get enough of the pedestal. She goes to it, puts her foot on it, lifts herself up and puts her other front foot on it. And then relaxes. Looks so happy up there. I can't believe it. Okay I can because I took a photo!!!!

Upcoming lesson

I've been feeling lost. I've been struggling. And I decided I needed to contact Avery and have her come. And I need to have a schedule with her to keep me on track. Of course I don't want to totally embarrass myself so I've been putting extra effort into my play sessions. Thinking about how to be more provocative. How to be more particular but not nit pick. How how how.

I've noticed that Cici uses sideways when she doesn't understand what I'm asking. I've noticed that she is offering to put her foot on things - like the cones when I'm asking her for figure 8s. How to encourage her and still have her listen to my requests is a question.

Yesterday I was asking for her to back with me in zone 3. She offered sideways instead. I used phase 3 on the rope to stop her. And then she floated back with me. Being more particular here made what I was asking for more apparent. Is this what Pat means?

We rode freestyle today in the indoor. This is the third day in a row and we are both feeling more comfortable. I was lighter in my touch on the reins. Cici was lighter in her response. There is hope after all.

New womanhandleable pedestal

I had ordered a shorter smaller one that looked like I would be able to womanhandle. It finally came yesterday via the postman's truck. A round pizza tray thing that had the other postal workers wagering what the hell it was. I rolled it down the driveway and into the house. Sat on the floor in the kitchen with tool bag and scissors. Cut off the plastic covering and saw circular wood pieces wired together. Was the wire for packing or was it an intragel part of the pedestal? Decided for packing so got out the wire cutters and snipped away.

Now I have four pieces of wood and 12 bolts and an allen wrench. No instructions. Can't be that difficult. Lets see top - check, bottom ring - check, two pieces that must be the base - check. As I turn the top over and around I notice a yellow dot. Ah ha!!!! Line that up with matching yellow dot on one of base pieces and away we go. Fully assembled! And I can indeed womanhandle it.

Can't wait to see Cici's thoughts of this new pedestal. So in the morning I load it into the trunk of my car and off to the barn. Even though its vacation week when I get there this morning it is quiet and peaceful. I load the pedestal and stuff into a wheelbarrel and roll it up to the indoor. I putter around, set up the ring with NEW pedestal, barrels, cones. And invite Cici to join me.

Of course first I have to remove the snow balls from her hooves. This is turning out to be a perfect reason for asking her to lift her feet. I've struggled with it and have had lots of excuses why not to bother. But now I have a reason to! And she is soft and understanding and willing. Amazing the effect attitude, my attitude, makes. Hmm how interesting!

Then "Look at what is in the middle of the ring!" and she walks to it. Looks at it, looks at me So? "Its a lower pedestal, that you can easily step up onto!" So? Hmm, of course I had been envisioning her seeing the new pedestal and putting all the pieces together and walking right up to it and stepping on it. She quickly paws at the top of the pedestal. She also steps right up to it and stands on the lower ring base. Since the footing is soft the pedestal shifts, rocks up. Guess if it was on hard ground this would not happen. But....She doesn't seem concerned and paws some more. I hold her leg still on the top and stroke it. She paws some more.

Right now she is not as fixated on this pedestal as she is on the big huge high step one in the corner. When play with circling she spies it and tries to make a beeline for it. Sigh. New exciting toy is new exciting toy for ME apparently. Not her. Well maybe not yet.

I take my time playing the games. We are working on 360 turns. Get 180s and building on those. More sideways. More backing with me being more particular. More particular at circling. Still thinking provocative. Or trying.

Today we are going to move onto freestyle. I saddle her up and two kids show up in the ring. Lesson kids. Oh No! Not again. Its been so quiet and I'm enjoying not feeling any pressure and doing what I do. So I tell them that the lesson is not on the board and I want the ring - alone - for another half hour. They say they won't be mounting for at least that time.

But when they get their horses they leave the one who hates to be left. He is left in a stall along the indoor's wall and now he is screaming, spinning and rearing. What happened to my quiet morning. Trainer finally shows up and puts him outside where he can run and rear and scream. She also tells the kids they are going to start their lesson in the outside ring. Thank the heavens.

I mount. Finally. I think its been 2 weeks since the last time in the saddle. And I just sit there, waiting for Cici to chew. And I sit there waiting for Cici to chew. And I sit there waiting for Cici to chew.She finally does. So we walk a couple of steps and she stops. Thanks can we walk on? Couple of steps and stops.

By now another rider is trotting around and cantering around on the track. So we are in the middle of the ring. Backing. Walk a couple of steps and stop. Sigh. Neither one of us is focused. I am just happy to feel comfortable on her. Then I notice snow sliding off the roof. Just little pieces. Just to be safe I dismount since the other day when I was playing on the ground and the snow slide off the roof Cici leapt in the air.

I land and then the entire roof full of snow showers down. And boom boom boom. Cici startles and runs forward but I'm holding onto the reins. Her nose is long and she is worried. I walk her around the ring for a bit. Show her the wall where the snow fell - high windows. And she lowers her head and licks and chews.

Remount and she is fine. I am fine. We walk in a large circle while other rider is still cantering around on the track. I notice more snow sliding past the windows and dismount again. Another large chunk of snow falls and this time Cici doesn't appear to be as concerned. I play a little stick to me and walk and trot the ring with Cici and know that more snow is coming down. So I call it a day for riding.

When I get her back in her paddock yet another chunk of snow dislodges and crashes to the ground. She just stands in her paddock and watches.

Lick and Chewing - mine

I've been thinking about Cici's fascination with the pedestal. Its a puzzle she just wants to solve. And I wonder at the difference in her attitude. She is more engaged. More there. Dare I say more present at the pedestal?

I am trying to tease the pieces out of this puzzle for myself (forgive the mixed metaphor). When we usually try something new she goes RBI. Ah a RBI learner. She gets hesitant, her nostrils crunch up, she moves slowly. She thinks so hard her head hurts.

At the pedestal she is definitely LB. The pedestal is like a door opening. for her? to her? She WANTS to go to it. She WANTS to explore it. With her nose, her lips, her teeth and even her feet.

She is carrying this exploration over to other objects. She bites the ground poles. She paws the mounting block when I play touch it. She noses, lips, teeth and feets the cones.

Am I right in making the leap to she is exploring her environment. That she is moving slowly to confidence toward exuberance?

Pedestal at Liberty

Today is day 5 with Cici and the pedestal. We played at liberty and as soon as she walked into the arena she walked to the pedestal. Nosed it. Dusted the top completely, and then started pawing at the top. She has to lift her foot way up, you can see how tall the pedestal is in relation to her knee. She'd get her foot on it and I tried to rub her leg to still it. No luck yet. I give her a treat after she stands still again.


I think she views the pedestal as a treat dispenser now. I could not get her to leave it. When I suggested she move she would paw it again. Notice she is either leg, doesn't seem to have a favorite. So I let her dwell.

She stood with her head over the top and licked and chewed. I just gave her more dwell time. She cocked a hind leg. Head still hanging over pedestal. Licked and chewed. And when I finally suggest we go something else she pawed the top one more time!


Played stick to me and wandered over to the two cones for figure 8s. Now she is very interested in putting her feet on things and the cones fell into that category. Figure 8 at liberty turned into nose the cone, lip the cone, tooth the cone, paw the cone and finally she knocked it over and then righted the cone. Looked very pleased with herself. I just love her involvement. Oh she did step on the base of the cone!

I sent her with a finger point to the other cone. And this time I got a very nice walking figure 8. Whew. I thought I was going to have cone fixation from now on.

On the way out, well the pedestal was on the way out. She zoned into it and walked directly to it once again. Nosed the top and then pawed it again. I keep wondering if it is too tall. Will give her more time to build her confidence about what I am asking.

Pedestal day 3

Today Cici quickly had her front foot up on the pedestal pawing it. Momentary panic for me when as she drew her foot back the tip of her toe would seem to get caught - she'd have to raise her leg a bit more to get it clear. But since she knows that she will get a treat for putting her foot up there - well LBI will work for food.

She seems very interested in doing this. When I ask her to back so we can go on to something else she will offer another try. Very engaged. This is awesome. Amazing how quickly she figured it out and what is most interesting to me is that here she is not hesitant, no nostril flare now, she is definitely in control. And she has offered both legs, one at a time.

We play at the pedestal and then I do ask her to go do something else. Sideways, squeeze, back to the pole and put one foot over. When we leave the pedestal she gets quiet and hesitant again. I hope to build on the confidence and interest and what Linda referred to in her recent blog on being provocative as "yes Ma'am!"

Stick to me

I'm trying, really trying to break my old same old same old patterns when playing with Cici. Today's plan was to play stick to me, with a bit of liberty mixed in. I kept her halter on and looped the 12" around her neck and off we went to explore the indoor.

She started off with a bit of flared nostril which means she is not sure and thinking hard. I'd say this is her RBI mode. So I took it slow. We walked along with me in zones 1 & 2. She is comfortable keeping me there. Backing I'd wind up in Zone 3 and had to use the carrot stick gently up and down for her to stick to my backwards steps. If I didn't think to use the carrot stick I could walk backwards all the way to zone 5 and then gently lift her tail to ask for backing. Sometimes it was successful and sometimes not. Not yet consistent. Oh boy, something else to work on!

What is interesting is that I find when she is not sure what I am asking she will now offer sideways! The first time I lifted the carrot stick up she floated off sideways. I exhaled to stop her and then positioned myself carefully and tried again.

I did ask for sideways along the wall and she was amazing. I started to walk sideways with her and that was all I was doing as she continued along the wall.

With two cones set up for figure 8 we walked to the cones and then I stood still and pointed which way she needed to go and off she went! Draw at the end. Whoohoo!! This was the first figure 8 at liberty.

After we had been playing for a while I then asked her to slow down and speed up - matching my steps and when she was in sync we trotted off together. And she stayed with me trotting for an entire loop around the indoor. Another first! She felt very happy and relaxed, with lots of licking and chewing going on.

Slowly, oh so slowly I feel I am getting to her mind through her feet. What a wonderful concept. As I get more interesting she is getting more interested...in me.

A different trail ride.

While yesterday Cici was flighty online she was great on the trails. Today the online pre ride check went quietly. She was responsive and listening. But on the trails...well this was the first time she's spooked with me in quite some time.

Went out with M and her Friesian bulldozer and her dog. Cici and this dog have an ongoing conversation. We've all been out together and everything went fine. Today the dog went running off and when M called him it took a while for him to come back. And when he did he crashed through the leaves behind us. Cici spooked but quickly stopped with one rein. But after that she didn't want the dog behind her. And the dog was leary of passing her! So we would stop and "pull over" for the dog to pass.

Okay that was one thing going on. Everything settled down as we continued along. Cici was swinging her hips as we walked and I had a casual rein. We walked through the leaves crunching under foot (or hoof). Then we turned up the trail where we planned on bushwhacking. M started off the trail but quickly stopped as the going didn't look so good. Cici walked off the trail and I asked her to wait. She did for a bit then decided this was taking too long and she started across a pile of branches.

I don't know what happened next except we were now canter up the slope on a very narrow trail, with a steep dropoff. I turned her up into the hill, one rein stop and turn. She was clearly on alert. So I dismounted - on the uphill side which meant a right side dismount.

By now M has come out of the woods and asks what set Cici off. I really don't know. There was background droning of a leaf blower, the wind was blowing, she got tired of waiting?

She just was not her normal calm collected self. Walked her to some stumps to remount and we headed back down the trail toward home. Walked through the puddles and mud again. Friesian decides to avoid the water and climbs up on the bank and then looses his footing and almost goes down. Cici decides that she too should avoid the water and tries the opposite bank.

M feels she needs to school her horse through the water. Cici is not standing quietly and then spooks again. Now we are talking maybe 3 strides before I lift one rein but she is not happy with contact. And I'm not happy with this. Emotional fitness is coming and going. Safety first. But I am thinking as I write this that I could have dismounted and played a while on the ground before getting back on.

We do some bushwhacking and Cici likes to choose her own way. I have shortened my reins. And she is listening when I ask her to go down a slope slowly, and up the opposite side also slowly. But she is not feeling relaxed. She is following the Friesian but her ears are saying she is leading. They are pointed to the front, with only an occasional flick back to me. I'm trying to keep my seat deep and swinging. I'm trying to maintain a feeling, and not hang on the reins. Emotional fitness. Hmmm.

Looking at the video I remember remarking how open the woods are now that the leaves are all gone. You can now see much farther into the woods, see the all the tree trunks. No leaves creating a tunnel and blocking the open view. Look at the sunlight and shadows! In the months with leaves the trail is completed in shade. Wonder if this change is what Cici is responding to. And listen to the sound of the leaves!



When we get back to the barn and I untack her she is wet. More than what I would expect from the ride. Wet from nervous energy. Wondering why I didn't see this in our pre flight check. What did I miss?

Very different from our usual trail rides. Hmmm how interesting. Wonder what I can do differently next time. I need to lick and chew on this for sure.

Casey Casey Casey

I feel I am competent with the rope. Can handle it with savvy. And then I bring Casey into the arena and in no time at all I am tied up, tripping over it and my savvy string and 22' line are knotted together! Oh and did I mention I look like I rolled in the ring, or maybe was dragged, from all the transfer of arena footing to me from the rope?!?!?

Ah Casey, he is such a challenge for me. LB big E. I am so comfortable with Cici, an introvert. I can bring my energy up when I need to with her, but I don't need to keep it up for very long. Casey is the total opposite. He is such an Extrovert (notice the big E for him and small i for Cici) that when I try and match his energy - well he just keeps it up there and totally wears me out! Must be his plan.

He flies out to the end of the 22' line, he gallops about, he bucks and kicks his back feet out, he turns in to me and charges with ears pinned back and as he passes he throws both back feet at me. Fortunately no contact. Oh and when he wants a chance to catch is breath he drops to the ground and rolls. And rolls and rolls. Totally covers himself in footing to the extent that he changes color.

I was reading an article by Linda about "oh you want to go fast? Great idea!" So I tried that with him. Galloping on the circle? Great lets keep going! Casey learned early on that if he turns in and faces I give him time to think. But oh...one of those blinding flashes of comprehension, a totally duh!?!??! moment. I've been rewarding him for the wrong thing. I asked him to stay on the circle and keep going. He is out of breath and turns in. I need to thank him for coming in but then immediately get him back out. I do this with Cici, how come I didn't make the connection with Casey???

Well this moment reminds me why blogging or journaling is so very important. Yes to document the journey but more importantly to process the journey. Now I can't wait to go play with Casey tomorrow.

I've been saying I know he will get better, just when? Now I realize its I'll get better! And hopefully sooner than later.

An interesting aside, I watched the Level 3 online DVD with Pat last night. After my Casey session. And used a lot of things I saw and heard Pat talk about while playing with Cici. Now while Casey has been flying around, Cici as been moving like molasses! Another duh!!! moment when I realized my send was broken. Fixed it and had a really nice circling game with Cici. Felt more connected with her. Alternating between her and the Case will help me grow, that is if I can survive his antics.

Playing in the big field

I took Cici across the street yesterday to play in a large grass field. A neighbor has this field fenced in and uses it as a jumping course for her daughter. Fortunately it was cleared of jumps. I gathered up my ropes and carrot stick and even dug out the 45' line. Finally I could use it!

Cici walked quietly next to me down the driveway, gently snorting. Hmmm, rereading that sentence I wish to clarify, she walked quietly, but she was certainly making noise! Nostrils get a little tight as she goes RBI. And the snorts - I use them as an indicator of how RB she is. When we are riding on a new trail she will snort. Turn onto one she has been before, snorts stop.

Walked down the driveway, across the street, down neighbor's driveway onto their lawn. Cici stops for a snack. Thinking about Linda's Zero brace whenever Cici drops her head to eat I wiggle the rope to ask her to raise her head and walk with me.

We enter the fenced field and I close the gate. Know there is a possibility of dropping the rope and want to set up this first experience for success. Not lose my horse.

Now we have ridden over here, but gone on the trails, not come into this field. Cici has her head up, well up when it is not down eating grass. She is thinking that this is a wonderful field to graze in. I switch the 12' lead to the 22' and walk her around. Since she has her life up I trot off and she is with me. As we walk and trot around it is head up aware to head down eat. Walk a couple of steps and drop head to eat. Trot together. Stop and head down to eat. I ask her for backing from zone 5 and she eats as she back up! Amazing!

When she is eating I try wiggling the rope to get her head up. Trying not to just pull on the rope. Ask for some back up - and then circling. I've played a couple of time recently in the indoor with transitions online and she decides to practice. So walk, transition to eat, trot, then downward transition to eat. Each time she is staying on the circle. Maintaining gait is not going well.

I am laughing and enjoying playing in the field and the sun and the wonderful Fall day. Appreciate her creativeness. How she takes a concept and makes it her own. LBI. I also know that the line between her LB and RB behavior is very fine. So when I ask for her to go forward on the circle I try and be soft. Work on my phases carefully. Perhaps I am too careful? too cautious?

She is trotting nicely, and stops to grab a bite of grass when she is behind me, then back to trot. I don't do anything but she spooks and does her quarter horse gather and push off and I just let the line go. Not going to hold her! She runs off a ways, the line behind her, she turns and the line now bounces and wraps around her front foot. I am standing still watching what is happening.

By the time the rope is wrapped around her front foot, she has turned and is facing me and stops and eats the grass. I walk toward her, taking off my jacket as the sun is getting warmer. Think about the fact that I am now flapping my jacket while walking towards her but she has the grass and just eats and stands still. I drop my jacket on my pile of ropes and finally walk up to her. She has lifted her head to touch my hand.

I loosen the loop around her leg and ask her to back and step out of the loop. Then we walk back to area where we were playing. Do some walking circles. Wow, great to have the space to do this as she is at the end of the 22'. Thinking it will be a while before I am comfortable enough to pull out the 45 and play with that. But that is a new goal.

As Cici goes around and stops to eat and I wiggle the rope through the phases to ask her to stay at gait she takes off again. This time she is staying on the circle! but slips on the grass. She skids and her back end slids out from under her and she sits down on her left hind. Then jumps back up and continues the circle.

It is clear to me that she is fine, but I am worried about the divots in the grass. This is the first time we are playing in the field and I don't know if the owner will be upset. And I want to come back! So I stomp the divots back and walk Cici around to make sure she is fine and gather up my bag and jacket. Walk back up the hill to home.

I can't wait to come back and play again here.

Bushwacking

Yesterday I only had a little time to be at the barn. Felt I needed to spend the time cleaning the paddock, so with fork and wheel barrel I entered. Cici and Casey came right over to me. Nuzzles and treat begging. I scratched favorite places and then went off to pick up poop. Well they followed me. Stopped and waited for me to finish one place before the three of us walked over to the next pile! Very calm and quiet. A bit difficult sometimes to handle the muck rake LOL. Both took turns at chewing on the handles of the wheelbarrel. And Cici stood right next to it and then lifted her front foot up and over the handle! And back. Felt like the wheelbarrel and I were amusement for the day.

Today played with transitions on the circle. She kept offering canter, even though I was not asking, so had a great reason to ask for trot. And then to ask for walk. Then back up to trot and walk and trot and canter. I had worried that I would not be able to keep her on the circle. But that wasn't a problem. And all the transitions caused her to focus more and more on me. Whoohooo!!!

After our play session went out for a trail ride with M. Wanted to check out some old trails we have not been able to access for a couple of years. Bushwacking! Amazing how quickly the woods fill in. We walked through dense underbrush, over downed trees (okay that is old hat), squeezed between trees, ducked under branches, clambered over rocks.

Cici was a champ (or to borrow from Kim - a rock star!!) through all of this. At one point we were waiting for M to clear some branches and Cici's left front foot slowly sank into the ground. She stood quietly as her foot sunk - it felt like a flat tire - and then quietly walked forward.

For me to be doing all this on a loose rein shows me how far we have come. Amazing. Awesome.