I had another nice day today. It was a little rainy off and on but not cold and I spent a lot of time out in my paddock. I like to stand in my paddock. I can see the Flat Arena really well from there and it's fun to watch other horses while they're working. Sometimes I see my neighbors working out there. Spencer's mom rides him a lot in the Flat Arena and Raz's dad rides him there sometimes too. I think it's especially fun to watch horses I know. When Kia lived next to me, I watched her all the time. She was so pretty and she knew how to do lots of stuff so it was interesting. Someday I'm going to do stuff like that.
In the afternoon my mom came with Sparky's mom and she put me right out in the Round Pen for a turnout without even giving me a hay snack! That was kind of strange. Then I saw Sparky's mom get him and tie him in front of my stall and my mom brought the hay bag over and he got a hay snack! I didn't really think that was fair and I was a little mad about it. But it was nice to be turned out. I kind of like it when I go out and get to do whatever I want to do. I kind of wanted to eat a hay snack though.
Pretty soon my mom came to see me and she brought the lunge line and her whip. She put my halter on and clipped the lunge line to it and asked me to go around in circles. I could smell that she had cookies in her pocket so I tried acting all cute and nuzzling up to her but she just kept pushing me away and telling me to go around her so I finally did. I fussed a little about it but once I was going it was kind of fun. She had me go around the way I don't like first and then made me change direction and go the way I do like. I did some trotting and cantering along with walking and she seemed pretty happy with me. I don't really mind lungeing. Sometimes it's pretty fun.
When we were done, she dropped her whip and took off the lunge line and praised me. She gave me a cookie too. Then she stepped next to me and stretched out her arm like she does when she's asking me to pivot on my forehand. Usually though, I have a lead rope on and she holds onto it to keep my front feet still. I didn't even think about it though. I've been practicing my tricks so much, I know exactly what it means when she does that so I just pivoted right around without her having to touch me at all. She was really proud and gave me another cookie and lots of praise.
Then we did more tricks. She asked me to walk forward by just following her instead of her leading me and I did it. I even whoaed nicely when she stopped and said whoa. Then she turned to face me and said "back" while she walked toward my shoulder. Well, I know what "back" means. It means I'm supposed to back up and I just dropped my head and backed up nice and straight. As soon as she stopped walking, I figured I could stop too and that must have been the right thing to do because I got another cookie and more praise.
We played all my tricks like that, even the hard ones like sidepassing. For that one, she held my halter lightly at first while she put her hand by my side but as soon as I realized what she wanted and started going, she let go and I kept doing it. And I did a nice pivot on the hind with her just putting her hand up and walking toward my shoulder. She said it was just like a showmanship class. I don't know what that means but she sounded happy about it.
It's funny. I really love to do my tricks now. A long time ago, she used to ask me to do those things and I'd get mad and swish my tail and try to bite her. Now I love it when she asks me. I'm always ready to do my tricks. It's not just because I get cookies either because I don't always get cookies. Sometimes she just pets me and calls me a Good Girl and that's almost as nice. I just think it's fun. I guess it's because I understand what she wants now and before I didn't. I think it must be part of growing up.
I've seen some horses do tricks like mine when they're being ridden. That's pretty neat. I'd kind of like to learn how to do that. I think my mom will probably start riding me again soon. I feel all better and I think she does. I'm going to really try to behave and do what she asks me but it is hard sometimes. I do get excited easily.
So that was my day. It wasn't a hard day or anything but it was fun. And when we were done, she brought me back to my stall and gave me a nice hay snack so I did end up getting one. So that was good.
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