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?