Super Cool Canter!

Cloud cantered down the trail today for the first time just like she had done it plenty of times in her life. I asked, she did!

Yesterday I rode her with Karmen and Shaea and she was really squirrelly. Andee came at 330 and she was pretty good touching up her feet, then we fitted her with boots, which she didn't mind at all, and then we had some patience practice, during which she wasn't patient at all. Meaning I left her tied in the shade and although this time she didn't dig a huge hole, she was trying to push the barn down. It is this funny thing she does thinking she can get away I guess. She doesn't pull back, she rubs up against the place she is tied, maybe thinking she will magically untie herself. Really funny thing is...today she was as quiet as a 20 year old. She didn't move at all while she was tied there before or after riding. Did she learn that quick or was she just in a mood yesterday. We will see.

Oh ...14.2 by the not so accurate tape measure. I forgot to use the fancy one the other day when I was at my friends house, hope I will be there again to use it!

Anyway, yesterday she was devilish, today she was angelic. Yesterday she basically argued with my every request, today I hardly had to ask, like she was reading my mind. Yesterday we rode with other horses, today she was alone...hummmm

When I say devilish, she really didn't do anything bad, just had a bunch of head shaking, she had a hard time standing still, she was head high and looking at everything. She did have one moment that she was going straight at along and had a quick turn to the right, could have sent one right off her shoulder if one wasn't ready. I stayed put and she stopped quick and we had some nice turns and back ups to make up for it. She stopped after that and stood and took a deep breath and actually did start paying more attention. Maybe she was liking her new boots so much she just wanted to be playful!

When I say angelic, I mean it. I played with her out front and she didn't even look once toward the herd. She was with me the whole time, paying attention and really soft on everything I asked. I introduced her to the dragging items and she really had no problem with either of them (one is a buoy from a boat on a long line, the other is a big plastic bag (2' x2') stuffed with other plastic bags and tied up with a rope.)

Like the last time I mounted up, had our pre flight checks (lateral flexion, back up, etc) then I said ok where do you want to go? This time she headed for the woods. we climbed down the little hill and followed our new trail that is getting made. She went there yesterday on line, and followed the EXACT way we went today...smart girl. Followed it right out to the street and on we went to the trail.

The dogs were with me and she was actually following them. At one point the trail opens up and you could take a right out into a big field (if we were allowed to ride there, which we aren't.) We saw a deer bounding across the field and into the woods ahead of us, which Cloud watched with interest, and so did the dogs. Woobie headed to the field and Ellie to the woods. Cloud wasn't sure which way to go, so I asked her to wait, and called Woobie back and headed him up the trail, and she followed! She still was a little unsure of this part of the trail, she hadn't been on this loop previously, so she was stopping some and looking back. I just stayed with her and kept my focus up the trail and soon she saw the dogs again and was reassured and on up the hill we went.

On this particular trail there are nice cantering spots. We found them all, and took advantage of them all and she was fantastic. She has a nice canter, like her trot! She didn't even really try to go too fast, which they often do the first time.  Even the first ask only took  three or four trot steps until she picked up the canter very easily. I wasn't sure she would, but her go button is getting so sensitive and light. And her stop too!

As most youngsters she wanted to fall right down the hills and trot. So to counter that I usually ask them to stop and back up. This I had to do three times, our magic three, and she already had the idea that she had to take her time and get her legs under her. Later in the ride I did need to remind her, but only once...

When I got home I played in the front a bit more, just so she didn't think home was only to get untacked right away. Actually I played with the drag (just the buoy) , she didn't even bat an eye at pulling it around, the rope bumping her legs, Woobie trying to get the buoy and everything. I ended by asking her to pull up to the trailer, just as we started for me to get off. Someone might need that one day...This girls needs a partner who is going to do things and really take advantage of a super cool smart horse.