Today, I had one of the absolute best days with Gwen! It started out pretty typical. It's so stinking hot that I don't bother bringing her tack out; I know I won't ride. So I went out to get Gwen, and as I was walking towards her, I thought about how I always approach her. I try to take my time, "meander" a little so she doesn't feel like I'm coming after her. I always approach, mindful of her reaction. If she gives me an eye and an ear (or both, or all four) I pause a little, smile, and say "Hi pretty girl!" If she keeps looking at me, or she drops her head to eat some more, I'll continue moving forward. If she gets tense, or starts to shift her weight like she wants to move away, I stop or back up, until she relaxes again. Once I'm near her, I'll rub on her for a few seconds until I feel like she's ready to come in. Today, I thought... "What if touching her is too much?" So today, I did everything I usually do except, when I was finally in her personal space, I didn't touch her. I just stood at her shoulder, facing the same way she was, and waited. She kept on munching, then picked her head up, sighed, and turned to look at me. I offered a horseman's handshake, and she responded in kind (which she usually doesn't do! Yay, progress!). And then a wonderful thing happened... I took a step back to find better footing (was standing in hay), and Gwen picked her head up and backed up with me. I thought it might just be a fluke, until I backed up again, and she followed me again. Then she turned, watched me, and followed me all the way back to the gate at liberty! She hasn't done that since last summer! It was a great sign that I am back on the right track with her.
Once we were in the arena, we did our usual thing of liberty grooming, and then a little play time at liberty, to see how she felt. All I really do is some friendly game, a little driving/porcupine, and some yo-yo. Usually it's at the yo-yo that Gwen decides she's free, and heads off for the gate. Today, however... I pointed as if to send her in a circle... and she actually went in a circle!! It was a really tight circle, but it was a circle! She was not stopping behind me, either, but continuing the shape until she was in front of me again. Whoo! I never thought we'd have liberty circles!
After a little more at liberty (including one really active "Yippee!" gallop-buck thing that had me in a fit of giggles... my little RBI being all extroverted!) we went on the 22' and played with circles and touch-it.
But by far, the best moment as at the end, when I crawled up bareback with just the lead (i.e. not tied as reins) and we went walking around the arena. Not that big a deal, until we stopped and I decided to try a back... and she did! I was getting a back up from her just by shifting my weight and lightly lifting the lead, no tension at all! I did it three times, just to make sure it wasn't a fluke, and then hopped off and called it a day. Whoohoo! I am so excited!
I can't wait until tomorrow :)
J
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