As the Hay Bale Turns

Finally back in the saddle. After a week off with this and that and some seriously wigged out ground work, Megan was back in fine form. Today I could hardly get her to trot on the lunge she was so laid back, so up I went for the first time in a week. I was a woman with a plan. A simple plan, but a plan nonetheless. (My goal is to get as many sentence fragments as possible in a single post, let's all count along: 2 -- Somewhere a former journalism professor is spinning wildly in his grave. lol)

I just bought a wonderful book called 101 jumping exercises. No, the plan wasn't to jump, but it did include some ground poles. The book starts with the most basic of exercises using ground poles and advances. We need not worry with advancing for quite awhile but some of the ground pole exercises will definitely keep us busy. Today's was put two poles 10 feet apart parrallel (if you can spell it) to one another at X on the centerline in other words the poles create a chute of sorts at x facing B & E. (In the center of the rectangle, parrellel to the short ends if you don't know your dressage letters.) You are then to walk and trot 30 meter circles passing between the poles with a change of direction each time. Simple enough. (3) This proved to be just challenging enough to baby horse. The poles gave me somewhere to steer towards to keep us honest on our turns and also perceptibly straightened Megan's body as she moved between them. Miss Wiggly Worm would become straight for 2, 3, 4 strides before she started falling about again.

It was neat to feel her develop both bend and straightness using the exercise. We also worked on halting between the poles. Girlfriend has a whoa that won't quit. Actually it does quit, immediately, from behind and almost always square. Way cool. (4) If I stop my hips and pull my shoulder blades together - bam, she's still and under herself. We've got a 10 halt and not much else, but we are celebrating that halt.

Today's other positive development was spooks that did not result in bolts and bucks. Twice she spooked at activity outside the arena and both times it was a perfectly acceptable reaction not her normal over reaction. This I like very much. Maturity, could that be you?

Since we were on a roll, off we went on a trail "walk." I set off on foot to take her down the trail that leaves out of our barn and through the backside of the subdivision. There is constrution on two homes sort of flanking the entrance to the trail. Megan finds this very scary. She is sure that the USDA has missed the boat by not declaring Tyvek a horse eating substance. She's also sure that porta potties are the gateway to Hell. (She gets that from my side of the family.)

I wasn't sure I was going to get her past house #1. In true draft horse fashion, she planted her feet and stared... and stared... and stared some more. I finally tapped her hip with the whip and asked her to consider moving. Apparently her long look convinced her that although still dangerous, the Tyvek was sleeping and we could sneak past it. Next scary test was the dogs whose fence abuts the trail. This was cause for some whirling and snorting, but decorum was restored after another long look. Next a doll house and swimming pool to look at hard. (5, at least)

All in all she was actually very brave and on representation to all the scary things she could have cared less. What a good girl! (6) (I'm sure I can do better - another goal to shoot for.)