Yesterday's play sessions!

I didn't get a chance to post on here yesterday.. I was kind of busy. I did play with the girls though and had two excellent sessions!

I played with Belle for a few minutes in the morning, I did have a stick and she was in a very dominant mood so that was kind of a challenge. We had fun though. We played 7 games with an obstacle and played with sideways over obstacles.

Then I played with Miss Elizabeth.. She was very RBI at first. She wasn't super excited about being caught. She didn't run off, but she didn't look happy about it. We played catching game for a few minutes until she was getting curious and WANTED to come to me! So I gave her some sunflower seeds and that also brought up her curiosty.. she wanted to know what it took to get more treats.. The LBI was coming out!

We played the first 5 games and started playing with transitions and change of direction while circling a little. She is such a quick learner!

Then we played the sideways game... The hardest game for both of us. We got it PERFECTLY to the right (w/a fence) and HUGE improvements to the left! I was thrilled! :)

Once she was confident, happy, submissive, and curious I went ahead and got on her bareback.
She was, of course, great. We played with some of the things I saw at the tour stop, some more refinement. She seemed to be having alot of fun and was giving me SO much try! She has got to be the most willing horse EVER! She just pours all of her on the table and gives and gives and gives. She amazes me.

Then, like Pat says, I put her up like my best fishing rod ;) We spent some undemanding time and I gave her some treats and scratches in her favorite places.

Then I went to play with Belle again. She came to me, which in the past hasn't been unusual, but lately I've felt her not being so enthusiastic about meeting me at the gate... we've been spendin more undemanding time and I guess it's paying off now! :)

I had my carrot stick and savvy string this time, so I was better equiped for whatever she might do. We played the 7 games and I started trying to play the traveling circling game. At first she DID NOT get it, and was so LBI. She would just stand there and look at me like "uh uh, not gonna do it, nope, definitly not, it requires too much energy and I don't feel like it!".
Definitly tested my communication, and once she understood what we were doing she was having SOOO much fun! She was offerering to canter, going over jumps, doing great change of direction and transitions.. She was just amazing!!

Unfortunately I had to leave and didn't get to play for long, but she was excellent during the time I played with her.

Today I am going to just play on the ground with Lizzy, and ride and play with Belle. Later I will post how it goes! :)

-Carolyn and the girls