March 30, 2005

Beautiful, sunny, warm day -- temps in the 60's. Went out in AM to clean barn. Walked out to pasture to be with horses. I was petting Felice and M laid down about 15 feet from where I was. I slowly walked over to her and she let me scratch her ears and pet her. She still has a bit of a problem with me touching her right ear. Kukie laid down while I was with M. I went over to him and he let me scratch his ears and pet him.
In the afternoon I walked Felice in the development. I just had a Strasser hoof professional out to do their feet 2 days ago and I'm suppose to walk Felice since she had a lot of heel taken off and needs to stretch her tendons. She only wanted to stop and eat grass so the going was very slow. When I got back I went to brush Kukie. He walked away from me and went out into the field. I followed him and tried to get him to let me lead him back by his chin but he wasn't having any of it. I finally had to go get the halter and lead and bring him back. He did come up to me when I went back out holding the halter and put his head in for me. I brushed him off and tried the baby oil in his sheath for the first time. It looks like it will work well. Then I did some driving with him using the halter, lead and carrot stick. He did great! Finished up with a little circle and sideways game. He did really well for not having been played with in a long time. I tried to lead him with chin -- he resists but will lead with just some mane. He then followed me around -- very connected. I tried to get him to go out into the pasture again but he wanted to stay with me. Next I called M to come but she ignored me so I walked out with the halter and lead. When I was about 15 feet away she came over to me!! I lead her back up to the barn and she stood really well while I brushed her. I put the saddle on her and asked her to do the falling leaf in both directions. I think it went pretty well. She tried to resist and go beyond me but I used that carrot stick to stop her and then she went OK. I then put the 22 ft lead on her and asked for some circles -- started at walk and then asked for trot and then into canter. She gets upset at canter but she did pretty good. We did both directions -- I think with doing it a few more times she will learn to relax. Afterward I to a pushing passenger lesson -- just at a walk. Also tried to throw in some lateral yields since she tends to brace. At the end I asked her to bend to the left using leg, belly button, lead and then to right with leg, belly button (lead was still on left). She did great!! I got off and told her I had the best pony in the whole world. Led her with her chin back to barn and gave her a treat.