Another great day!

Aspen was great again today!  We built on the wonderful session we had yesterday!  She was very light, responsive, and interested!!  I set up two different kinds of jumps, two barrels for the figure 8 pattern, and an L shaped set up of logs for her to back through or go sideways over.  She put a good feel in all the way down the rope while we were playing, offering to put the slack in it herself.  Lots of licking and chewing, and some really good deep breaths/blowing.  While I was setting up the obstacles for us she followed me around and sneakily destroyed everything I put up as soon as I walked away from it.  I'm going to have to build stronger obstacles/jumps or little miss curiosity is going to continue to knock them down/roll them out of place/pick them up when I'm not looking! :)


Until I can figure out how to embed videos again (temporary brain fart here!) check out my new YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/samanthamt7

The only videos I have up are from this afternoon, taken with my cell phone, in a lot of wind.  I'm still working on that new video camera and tripod idea! But for now you can take a quick peek at Aspen in motion! :)

Great Day!

Aspen was great today!  I really feel like we connected!!  Much more confident and trusting with the extreme friendly game, learning that every time I pick up the stick it does not mean lunge!!!!!

Played with the falling leaf pattern a little.  I must have had my energy up a little too much because at first she got really into it and then she just got going a little too much!  We lost the feel through the rope and got a little out of whack.  She had a great draw back to me and then we started over, I made a change mentally/emotionally to really try to be SOFTER and voila!  She was doing a beautiful falling leaf with a great feel back to me.

Also created a little jump to use for our squeeze and circle games.  She promptly went over to investigate the structural integrity of my jump and proceeded to show me just how flimsy it was by knocking it down!  It was really comical as I watched her (she was loose, I was about 20ft away) do this then immediately look up at me like "did I do that??" and come over!  Super cute!  She was great over it and was a lot more confident squeezing while presenting her right side to me.

No more grumpy ears when I jump up and down next to her side, but tried to mount bareback from the fence yesterday and she did not give me permission.  Kept moving away and getting an evil look on her face.  That's fine with me - I don't need to ride until I have her permission and confidence!  Once I do then the riding will be easy (and fun!).

I just feel really good about our time together today - she's such a special horse with so much to offer.