2021 New Year’s Eve Neighborhood Trail Ride
Neighborhood Trail Ride on New Year’s Eve: Skateboard park with skaters, small waving gas line flag markers,, timber wilderness, new home construction with basement, gravel piles, dirt piles, and wide dirt tunnel. Emma, the German Shepherd dog, made her startle once. Emma usually travels a football field behind Fancy, but she got closer. (Fancy delights in treating Emma like a cow in a cutting class so Emma usually keeps a distance!)
We traveled at the flat foot walk most of the ride. We switched into fox trot for a half mile, tried and failed at canter going away from home and at the very end, did a slow walk home (Fancy was exhausted and calm!!)
Have I mentioned Fancy is a perfect horse for me? Oh, I have, several times you say…..
Neighborhood Trail Ride
Fancy is normally an arena horse, but kept me alive in the neighborhood!
Fancy Spins
It’s Liberty Day. I’m trying to prepare Ms. Fancy for a Parelli Level 4 Liberty Audition. We are playing in a 60 foot round pen and enjoying life…because I have treats for the sprightly mare when she succeeds in even slightly doing something I’m asking. I decided making a 360 turn would be a fine task for the Liberty audition. We work on it. I give her signal after signal, she has no idea what stupid thing I’m asking for and eventually, I get a ragged 360 degree turn. We do this at least three times, maybe four. The turns get done in slightly less time, but still very ragged.
I decide to be done with turns and proceed to a sidepass quest. I stand beside her and give the sidepass signal with my horsemanship stick. Poof, she does a snappy 360 turn while I look on in astonishment. What the heck! This must be an accident, I decide. I stand beside her again and give the same sidepass signal. She snaps around with a 360 turn. I’m even more astonished. What the heck? I ask her again and get the snap turn. Good Lordy! Fancy just gave me a big golden gift. I’m going to use this in the audition. No one, including me, will know what signal I’m using to get a snappy 360 degree turn. This goes along with one of the sayings I’m fond of…”If You Ain’t Cheating, You Ain’t Trying!”
Who taught Fancy to spin using that non verbal command? WHO?
Focus Fun Fail
Today was a “Liberty” day. I decided there was not enough afternoon time to do both liberty and ride. I do have the challenge of the Parelli audition for Level 4 Liberty. Time to get serious. Fancy is in a short time training period with the great Erin Patterson. There happens to be a wonderful round pen at the stable which is the perfect size for our Liberty required tasks. All four Level 4 Parelli auditions require flying lead changes. Fancy can do the liberty flying lead changes with her gorgeous eyes closed. We did get a few.
There was a lot going on at the Patterson property today, much for Fancy to look at. We have fence post installation and neighbor crop harvesting.
Fancy and I did some stuff and occasionally, I was ignored while Fancy tried to ascertain if anyone needed her help with installing fence poles or harvesting beans. Fancy had to play the circle game and her focus left me. Fancy’s head was turned to the outside of the arena instead of looking at me for direction. I’m supposed to fix her attention deficit before advancing to the required tasks. Did I?….Nope. It’s too exciting to think about Fancy doing the flying lead changes at liberty. The horse’s body has to be in a certain bend to get a lead change. A head fixated to the outside of the arena is not the proper body position for a flying change. This was proved to be over and over again and before we went into exhausted, out of breath, not going to stay at the caner when changing direction mode.
I was forced to put her halter back on and try for lead changes online. She can do them with the 12′ rope, but it was difficult today. I really needed the 22 foot or even more horrific, the 45 foot rope. I have neither with me. All the great tack was at my house, not the stable. “Be Prepared” is not my motto!
Fancy and I ended up doing half circles, changing directions while staying in the same gait, canter. We call this the Flying Leaf exercise. Fancy did it good enough and the clock ticked to a meaningful ending point. It was a good place to stop without Fancy realizing I had failed the liberty flying changes. Fancy did great during the the exercises, just ask her!
Once again, the self-named “Great Susan Horse Trainer’, was beaten by the self-named “Fancy, the Winner”. Occasionally Fancy takes pity on me and lets me win because she enjoys the athletic go moves. Her focus outside the arena instead of on me proved fatal to my flying change dream today! Horse life is like this quite often.
Trailer “Sweet Spot” Day
Trailer Goal: I point, Fancy loads and Fancy Stays in Trailer.
A human fiddles with trailer, walks into the barn, picks up halter/lead rope and waits for Fancy to come into the stall.
“Are you crazy, human?” Fiddling with trailer and picking up halter means a riding workout in Fancy’s language. Fancy exists the stall and waits to see if this is a feeding opportunity. “Nope, the human holds the halter.”
Human goes into stall and out into the pasture. Fancy walks away about 20 feet. Human sighs. Fancy turns around and starts walking toward human. Human backs up with happy nonverbal body language. Whoops, Fancy goes into stall, not directly to human. Human goes into stall and has a nonverbal language discussion to ask Fancy to face. Happy Human smiles, puts halter on and leads Fancy to trailer. Human points, Fancy loads and goes to feed bucket in trailer. Fancy eats for a few moments and unloads herself. Human catches the rope and asks Fancy to load. Fancy obeys. Fancy unloads. Human points. Repeat, repeat, repeat and the sweet spot happens. Fancy stays in trailer and eats.
Suddenly a load bang comes from the neighbor. The neighbors engage in heavy duty gun target practice. Fancy tenses and unloads. Human leads Fancy to barn and stall, hoping to be able to take off halter without being knocked over by nervous horse. Nope, it went fine. “Unhaltering” happened and human safely exits stall. Target practice stopped and restarted during the afternoon, in tune with occasional rain. In the late afternoon, horses were observed walking in pasture near to target practice. Fancy has been desensitized to gunfire…with the exception of while being contained inside a trailer!
Fancy Big Brag and “Uniqueness”
STRAIGHT LINE FLYING LEAD CHANGE!
Let’s go with the unique first: More than a few years ago Fancy and I were participating in a clinic with horses and a mammoth mule. Fancy wasn’t scared of the mule, but she was buzzed about something. We stood next to the mule awaiting our turn at a pattern. After an hour or so, I guessed she liked the mule and wanted to be close. I experimented and sure enough, her buzz subsided when we were close to the mule. I know Fancy’s history.I asked her breeder if Fancy had any encounter with a mule at her birth home. “No” was the answer. As far as I know, she has never known a mule.
Years later, Fancy share a boarding pasture with a mule. They loved one another. Today, that mule came walking down the driveway where Fancy and I were having a group lesson. Fancy recognized a mule from quite a distance. She “buzzed”. I had to go into control mode. Had I been riding without a bridle, I might have lost control of her. Wait I would have lost control! “Mulie” was saddled and came into the arena and then into the round pen. Fancy buzzed up, requiring me to do some sidepassing, backing moves to return her focus to me.
Our first pattern was a figure eight small circle at a flat foot walk, big circle at fox trot, do a figure eight and repeat. Next we were to try for a figure eight flying lead change canter. OMG! Fancy did it! Flying lead change both directions! Scream!
Our second pattern: Fox trot to a cone next to the round pen, canter to another cone change leads and go around the arena. Whoops! Canter threw a temper tantrum when asked to pass beyond the round pen. Her rider, group lesson people and our instructor had never experienced or seen Fancy do this. Her fit was ears pinned, shut down and bounce up and down on her front legs. We were all shocked. Her amazing rider was not scared. There was no “buck” in there, but the rider has to do some control moves to get Fancy’s attention.
We tried the pattern again and succeeded!
Fans: Straight Line Flying Changes! The most difficult of all maneuvers! Fancy and I did straight line flying changes! SCREAM
Used up all my M&Ms and became a Country Song
Per friend Apryl Ballard, “Every day you start out with a bag of M & M’s. When you run out of M & M’s, that is the end of your activity for the day. You gracefully withdraw from activity and rest up for the start of another M & M day.” I had a full M&M day just recently, plus I borrowed some. Thanks Apryl for the learning!
I’ve become the “poster child for Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrial_fibrillationA-fib.
I just got my new blood thinner for A-fib the day before this story.
Two months of horrid heat and humidity, the first day of Fall finally turned cool enough to ride Fancy
For some odd reason, she runs to pasture when it’s apparent I want to ride her. Haha. It’s wonderful I have all this horsemanship experience.
Tricked her into stall and took off for Erin’s old place.
M& M’s (Energy) used getting mounting block from truck to arena.
Saddled Fancy, using more M & M’s
Fancy and I walked around the arena both ways to check it out. We haven’t been here nearly all summer. The arena now have a flag system (for pretend cows)installed in the barn. I’ve not yet asked to use it.
Parelli L4 Liberty test calls for horse to walk with her head even with your body and switch sides. We practiced her staying with me stopping. I remember my body cues and exhale for stop. Make my body language core tighten up for the signal to walk forward with me.
I asked Fancy to circle at trot and then canter.
My heart started beating out of rhythm. I’m one day one of blood thinner. I now know I’m not going to die, thanks to home town Dr. Davis’ consulting. Fancy is ready to ride.
I bridled her sitting on the mounting block using her new bit and new bridle. Hmmmm. I put the new bit backwards on the new bridle. Fancy and I walk out to trailer to get old bridle (more M & M’s used). Oh heck, let’s go into outdoor arena to see if she is ridable. I might need to borrow some M & M’s!
Fancy and I returned to indoor arena to bridle. Again, I set on mounting block to bridle her. That is a fun exercise.
I’m up on the mounting block preparing to get on. I lifted myself up on one leg to mount. Whoops! Stirrup are set for longer legs than mine! Get Off. I got warm misty sweat doing fender adjustments. Drat! I dropped the fastener into the dirt. Next, the stirrup plunged into the dirt. Everything picked up, adjustment underway. I’ve forgotten where my stirrup length is set, so I guess.
Whew! I just wanna get on and rest the Heart. I’m in the saddle! Now my knees are level with my belly button. Clearly I forgot my fender settings. Saddle is ridable, but feels weird.
Now the heaven place and we ride. We practice transitions except for canter. Her fox trot is too fast. We ride smaller circles to try for slower. Minimally works. We leave indoor arena and ride up and down gravel driveway. That is enough. Reward Fancy, not torture her.
Back inside arena and I dismount. Sit on mounting block again to take off bridle. Success. I get up to look for halter and Fancy walks away. This is against the rules. Stay with the leader. Fancy’s rule is explore the arena to the far end.
We have a Liberty “come to Jesus” session. Her tail sticks out which is sign of “I’m upset now”. She tries to come to me and rears when I tell her to keep running. She is so fun. Gradually, her tail relaxes. I give her signal to come to me and she does. I put her halter on and we walk as one to the trailer.
Get the saddle off. I sit down inside the tack room and turn off my GPS tracker apps. We keep track of miles ridden or walked for the Virtual Tevis Race. Later, I learn Fancy and I have ridden 21 miles total.
On the way home, I look at gas gauge in the empty mark. Oh, we barely made it home from Ava the last time I was in the truck. Scream.
I know tricks to stop the A-fib. One of them is to make your body feel like it’s pooping. Put pressure in your chest, hold your breath, cough. I did all that while driving and suddenly got a dizzy spell. It felt like I would faint while driving. I recovered and just breathed in with my nose and out via mouth…another trick failed.
Of course now it was past 4:30 and that is our red letter time for the evening meal. I changed shirts at least.
The Wine Stop is on the other side of the tracks. Usually there is a slow very long freight train blocking the crossing. Turned the corner to the tracks and saw the RR gates closing. Hmmmm. No sound
As I was sneaking around the crossing gates, a huge toot from a train was about a half mile or block away and it was going really fast. OMG! It was an Amtrack. Nathan, your mother almost got run over by a damn ole train.
That ends the new hit Country song story!
Note: I just got done riding horse today. No A-fib today! Also I have cardiologist appt next Wednesday! Wowowo!
2021 Celebration September 2021
Saturday, 9/4/2021
Arrival at Ava, Missouri during thunderstorm travel. I hit a deceptive body of standing water and had to wrestle my truck to stay on the pavement. No rain when we arrived. Hot hot. Tried to clean out stall and had a “can’t get enough O2” breathing episode. Thankfully Apryl’s trailer was cool by then and I sat there until I could breathe again. Jenny took over getting Fancy in the stall. Mike, Apryl’s husband, unhooked trailer and got out the 3 bags of bedding. After a while I could breathe better.
Came outside and sat while everything done. Then the gang sat around and caught up on stories. Before the member supper, a huge storm came in. Thankfully it was over just in time for the supper. I had a wonderful steak at the MFTHBA membership dinner. Oh my!
Jenny took over all stall duties for Fancy so I wouldn’t go through more no-breathing episodes with pounding heartbeat again..
We got back. Jenny was going to ride Fancy, but storm was returning. Wet was the word for Saturday. It rained off and on all night. No rain expected from 6 AM Sunday.
Sunday Show Day 9/5/2021
Open Western Pleasure no canter and Amateur Western Pleasure classes. Jenny gave Fancy her bath and she had time to dry out. Jenny groomed her when dry and saddled her. Tony came, riding his horse, and lead Fancy to the showgrounds. This is called ponying. He ponied around the warm up and versatility arena to get her used to everything and calmed down. Jenny got on and rode her around. There were three classes before mine when I got to ride her around.
Stories, stories! Susan blunder. I entered a class after the gate closed. No placing. The person next to me was placed, but then they discovered she had not entered (signed up) for the class. It was an Open Walk / Trot class. I was waiting for an amateur Walk/Trot. Whoops! No such class exists. Amazingly, there is a rule about not being considered a participant if after the entry gate closes. I made the gate person open the gate and Fancy and I had a great great ride. I had fun!
Now it is time for Amateur Western Pleasure, will canter. JR and Fancy are stalled next to each other and they have taken trailer rides together in the past. They get along well. Too well now! Fancy now looks upon the confident experienced JR as her leader. JR is in this class. Fancy and I follow them into the arena. About once around, JR was too slow for Fancy’s gait. We pulled out to pass him. She would not pass him in the arena. We got along side of JR, doing our perfect gait, and suddenly she pinned her ears back and nearly came to a stop. This is not good during a judged class. I tried again with same horrible outcome. This is The World Show!
I yelled at Apryl to go faster. Sadly in a horse show, your best friend will not obey. I took Fancy deep around the corners while JR and Apryl went the shorter route. After a few moments, JR got further ahead and other horses passed me. Fancy lost track of JR and we resumed her “good gait. There were more than 10 riders in the class, so I assumed the judge had seen the slow down gaffs and we were out of the placing. Imagine my surprise when Fancy and I were announced to win a white ribbon for fifth place! Oh Boy! A high honor for the World Show! Fancy and I left the arena at a ribbon pumping canter!
Show Day One ended and I was still alive. Apryl rinsed both JR and Fancy. We fed the horses and I collapsed for a nice long nap and rest. After I recovered, Apryl and I went to the horse show and we got great horse show food. Apryl bought a beautiful new saddle pad to go with her purple boots, and clothes. Jenny cleaned Fancy’s stall and I went to bed. Still alive! First day done.
Prior and Proper Performance Prevents Piss Poor Performance
This is a Pat Parelli sentence. Understanding this very well, I prepared for Sweetie’s trailer loading to get to vet for her dentistry appt. Fancy and Sweetie will be riding together, but Fancy is in training with Erin. I took the first “prior and proper step. I haltered Sweetie and led her out of her pasture. Sweetie has one eye. She lost one eye to cancer and also had an operation on her rear end to remove cancer
Both were successful. I do nothing with Sweetie except feed her. I water her in freezing weather and when it’s very hot. Otherwise. the horses drink out of a lake.
I have not “handled” Sweetie for years. I remember she was easily led into the trailer many years ago when we went to vet for operations. Hmmm.
I haltered Sweetie two days ago. She is suspicious of a human in the stall with her. I’ve learned to put feed in the three stalls and then halter her. I have noticed this month that she is loosing weight. Usually when she eats, she doesn’t lift her head. She eats while her head is in the feed. hmmm. Now she eats and food falls out of her mouth. Teeth!
I “captured’ her and put the halter on. I led her out of the barn to the trailer parked close to the barn. I had a bucket of feed in the trailer. I led her to trailer and walked in. She followed me. I stood with her while she ate the feed. It was perfect. Yesterday was the day before the appt. Hmmm, How am I going to get two horses in the trailer. Should Sweetie go in first so she won’t be scared of Fancy…2nd in the herd command. Yes! I led Sweetie in with the food ready for her. Hmmm, the trailer metal ties are way too high for me to get the rope around them. Hmmm. I do have the escape trailer door with a clothe tie. I tied Sweetie to the tie and tried to shut her in with the two horse trailer divide. Well, that did not work. Sweetie tried to escape. Her head came around. Her body was not in position. I could not get her head back where it belongs in order to shut the divide bar. Also she was tied and I could not reach the place to untie her. I could net get her head back where I could easily untie the rope. And, if I did untie the rope, she could easily run over me to escape from the trailer.
Oh lord. I decided to get out of the trailer and go to the “escape door”. Thank goodness for the escape door. I thought she might panic when I left her tied in the trailer and she could break a leg, neck etc. Thank goodness, she did not panic that much. I made it to the escape door, opened it and untied her.
At this moment, she poked her head of of the escape door. I remember the new trailer instruction stating that a horse can exit thru the escape door. Her head was under the vertical tie. Her head was out of the trailer. There was no way I could get her head back into the trailer. Sweetie escaped through the door. Good Lord!
Thankfully, She had a 22′ rope on her. She sort of ran off, right to the trailer regular door where a horse is to go in and out. There is still feed in the bucket. The rope asked to her to load back into the trailer. 
She loaded, ate a few mouthfuls of feed, turned around and ran of the the correct exit trailer door. We did this until the feed was gone, one mouthful at a time. I tied her to the outside of the trailer and went to get another small amount of feed in the bucket. Repeat, repeat and repeat. I got a phone call, had to speak and put her back into her pasture.
Today, I traveled to get Fancy from her training home. OMG, the vet assistant called and said, come early, the appts are going fast. I said sure, but didn’t know how trailer loading will go. I decided to put Fancy in the trailer and close the trailer divider. I would go home and try to get Sweetie in the trailer, by directing her in from the entrance. I’m not going to lead her in. There is no way I can close the trailer door before she runs out.
I stood on the ground and directed her in. I had the trailer door where I could get it closed somewhat quickly.
Hells Bells. Sweetie went right in…there was a feed bucket. She went right in the first try and I got the door shut. Praise God. Praise the Horse World. Praise whoever taught this horse to load. She has been only a brood mare all her life. She has never had a human of her own. Before she and Delta came to my world, she never had a horse friend. Delta and Sweetie are close friends. Fancy has managed to be dominate over Sweetie, but there is no love, just herd behavior.
Sweetie went to her dental appt. Molars on both sides of her mouth were removed. It didn’t take long. They were ready to exit her mouth. She is now on antibiotics. She will still bleed for about 5 days, but she will be able to eat now. Her life will extend. She and Delta are both in their 20’s.
Give Me A Car that Starts!
I’ve not had a good time with vehicles lately. This time it’s the 2015 Town and Country Mini Van. It was the last year Chrysler made the minivan. Cry. I love(d)my minivan.
A life time warranty is a lie. 100,000 miles is the end of a lifetime warranty. Minivan made it to 103,000 miles before putting me in hell. It’s 90 something degrees is the Midwest. I have a wheelchair spouse in the car, sometimes, I have the spouse and a German Shepard in the car.
When starting the car, it clicked, clicked and wouldn’t start. This is similar to the noise a dying battery makes. About 3 months ago, it gave me the low battery remark. I immediately went to the local NAPA car parts store. My battery was checked and proclaimed fully charged and wonderful. Ok!
Months later I got a click when trying to start the car.
This happen a couple more times. It clicked, I tried again and again and, it started.The second or third time this happened, I took apart the key fob to find the key. I removed the “Press this button while your foot is on the brake” button. I put the key into the place where you start the car. That didn’t work. It doesn’t have a key slot. The fob is the key. The key is to unlock the door. I used the other remote and the car started. Spouse and I went to eat with Emma, the German Shepard. It was much too hot to turn off car with a dog inside. Car was left running. We came home and I pushed the fob spot with my finger not with the button, I couldn’t fit it back in its place to turn off the engine. Nope. The engine did not turn off. I could not turn off the car! My pushing the thing didn’t turn off the engine. Scream!
I immediately drove to the Chrysler dealer. The service guy turned off the car using the key fob. I was still stuck in the 19th century car world to use a key, a real key. The service department decided it must be the electronic ignition problem. I spent the day lounging at the dealer while the mini van got a $800 new electronic ignition. My remote start did not remote start. Now I put the key fob into the ignition and turn it…sort of like the cars of old, but with a key fob. I told my service guy I wanted to buy a new car. While my car was “getting fixed, I was set up with my new boyfriend, the most experienced car salesman. Me and my new boyfriend decided I needed a Pacifica. Sadly, in this pandemic. There are NO NEW CARS anywhere. This dealership has many dealership “cousins” in the area. There are no new cars. I had to order one. I bet young people reading this have never “ordered” a new car. I ordered a new car back in 1967ish as a college graduation gift! I got a 1968 Ford XL Convertible. (That car lasted through three husbands!) I will get the get the new car in October/November. It is currently mid August.
The service technician had me come to my car while he showed me how to start the car. I had no idea of starting the car with the key fob! I vaguely remember a rental car in California being a mystery, but that was 11 more or less years ago.
Oh! The key fob had to be inserted into the place where us old timers would put a key! When he tried start the car, it clicked again, but started the 2nd time he tried. He took the car back into the fix it service department to check the alternator. He decided the car hadn’t been used enough, sitting around and battery was getting low. Internally I scoffed. I drive 6 miles/day. Maybe that is not enough to keep the battery charged. Home I went and it started about 3 more days until the click happened again. Scream! This car is dangerous to old people..dangerous in 90 degree weather with a wheelchair dependent spouse and maybe a dog too. SCREAM!
Off I went to car dealer. I told the service person the clicking happened again and a couple of other things. Now it was afternoon and I was the fourth car in line. The service person told me chances of getting it looked at today was grim. They had no rental cars available. I made an appt for early the next day, for which there were no rental cars. No rental cars on that day, or the next day.
Note: 2021 pandemic Covid. Rental car people will not come and get you. Dealer will not take you to rental car. There is no way to get a rental car! I made an appt for 7:00 am the next day. I usually get out of bed at 11:00 am.this is going to be difficult. Bestie friend Hope was alerted to possibility of picking me up at dealer for our lunch and taking me home. I owe Hope a lot!
I got up at 6:00 f…. early the next morning, went to the town “everyone knows your name” restaurant and ordered Terry a blueberry pancake. He was to eat that for his 9:00 am breakfast. I figured out to leave the key fob in the ignition and it started. Yep, solved the problem.
The service dept people might have got to work at 7:00, but service dept. did not open till 7:30 am.Scream! However I was first in line. I was curled up in dealership lounge trying to sleep when my phone rang. I tried to answer, but the person hung up. It said this was the dealership calling me! Again it called and hung up. What! A young woman came into my area and asked me if I was Susan Engle. Yes! Turns out this is the rental car person! They have a rental car! Oh boy! I made it home before Terry got up! We went out to eat our breakfast lunch. We came home and I was taking a nap when I was called by the dealership. Good news and bad news. What is good news? They found rusty wires that could cause the problem. Bad news is “engine clicking”, which I had ignored, was a $1500 fix. What to do, I was asked. My car could last until I got my new car several long months from now, or it could explode. I exclaimed, “Are there any used cars I could buy? Service guy said he would contact my new sales boyfriend guy.
Hours later my new boyfriend called me. “No problem I have a used Dodge Journey that is big enough for the wheelchair that you can buy. When your new car comes, you can trade me for the new car.”
I know buying two cars will give tremendous profit for the dealership and sales guy. I know this. However, I have a wheelchair spouse. It’s 90 plus degrees out there. Spending at least $1500 to possibly fix car that may or may not strand me again in 90 something horrid heat means Terry and I might die or be stranded at home forever. I am “old” and Terry is 81 years old, tough guy, but numbers should be considered. Why would I want to pay money to fix a 103,000 mileage car, when I’m buying a new car.
I now own a 2019 Dodge Journey with “low mileage”. I think it is a 2019. Low mileage. It has 60,000 miles on it. That is low mileage?! It has racing stripes!
By the way, I had a lifetime warranty on my 2015 minivan. Lifetime warranties expire at 100,ooo miles.
My intention was to pay off the mini van and buy a newer used truck and again be in debt forever. Sadly, my 2001 truck will have to last 7-8 more years or until I give up my blessed horse life.
Fancy Ran Away from Me
Fancy had a group lesson yesterday in the low 80 degree heat. She had to rest and run for an hour. To get her to the group lesson, we have to travel about 40 minutes, including a dusty gravel road. After the lesson was over, we had a short argument about her loading in the trailer. One always wonders if they want to stay at the site or just what is going on in the horse brain.
So today, why did my left brain extrovert run away from the barn when she heard me opening and closing the trailer door? She ran into the far off part of the pasture. She left her herd. Does she not want to spend another hour of running and rest group lesson with me? Did she think she was going to get into the trailer and go for another group lesson.
The answer is I’ve lost the bond, temporarily. I have a plan for this evening. I will trick her with food to catch her. Then we will play online and at liberty in the round pen where she will be thanked and loved each time she does something I ask. My thanks and release will be real. My body will send nonverbal waves of love. I’ll put the saddle on her and probably won’t ride. I predict she will love me greatly by the time the sun goes down. Stay tuned!
Late afternoon. I tricked her and got her halter on and we went into the round pen.
Oh my! We had quite a liberty session. Ms. World Domination and me had quite a time. I did a lot of loving, sitting, letting her stand still and get her breath. We did a figure 8 online and then at liberty with her taking off at a canter during our attempts. In the beginning, she stuck out her tail which meant she was upset. She galloped around the round pen quite a while with a direction changes at my body language command. She galloped about a mile!
Everyone now and then I got her to come into me and stop. We rested. It was so exciting I didn’t even notice her flying lead changes when she changed directions.
I need to do this much more often. Why she was so upset, I don’t know. I’ll observe my body language next time instead of being in awe of how gorgeous she is at a full bore gallop and how to get the best change of direction. She had a workout in the round pen.
I did fool her and had put on her saddle. I needed her to wear my phone to track her distance for the Tevis Cup Virtual Ride.
The Parelli Level 4 Liberty audition contains a mandatory load into the trailer at liberty. I have long berated myself at not spending the time with her to find the trailer as a sweet spot instead of shutting her in with feed before she would unload herself. The unthinkable happened. As we were playing at liberty, her herd mates left the barn and went to the other side of the pasture. Perhaps this might have been why she was so upset during our liberty galloping. And now I expected her to load into a trailer and stay inside while her herd mates were in the other side of the pasture. This is unthinkable.
I sat in my chair and proceeded to send her into the trailer. She proceeded to immediately unload herself. She got the rope around her leg and I let go of the rope. I thought she might gallop out of the property trying to find her herd. I managed to prevent that horrid happening and instead, she went into the barn where I was able to reattach myself to her rope. Back to trailer loading. Then she got her foot wrapped again. I didn’t let go. She put so much pressure on the rope that I was unable to get out of my chair. At that time she was directly behind me, which kept me in the chair. I managed to get out of that situation and returned to trailer loading and unloading. I thought I had won and she found her sweet spot when she stayed still in the trailer for nearly a thirty seconds. Upon glancing into the trailer, I discovered a pile of manure. Whoops! This was not a sweet spot, but another kind of “unloading”.
With about 25 more trailer unloadings, she never stayed facing the front where I had her feed. But she turned around and did not unload herself. I managed to get out of the chair and lead her out of the trailer. I decided this was a good ending for the Queen of Drama. I let her get inside the pasture with her staying a distance behind me and not eating grass, which takes a goodly amount of natural horsemanship knowledge. It’s a good thing that I’m taking the time it takes and think we had an even draw maybe with me being on the 56% leader most of the time.
Good Lordy. I’m thankful to be trying to perform the Level 4 Liberty tasks! It’s forcing me to develop this wondrous mare into the best possible partner!
PS: I no longer thing Fancy ran away from me. She ran away from the herd leader, Delta.