I woke up this morning still happy about my short session with Rose yesterday. It was really just what I needed. I haven't had this kind of gratification in some time with her. It's usually satisfying, but not perfect like yesterday - and I know it may never be this perfect again, but for that one moment, all was beautiful......
I posted a video yesterday evening on Facebook (it is at the bottom of this page), but I wanted to explain a little more in depth about why I was so happy about this moment - the story of my journey this far with Rose, and how rewarding this moment was for me.
(Rose and I at our first ever training session together at Ed Huie's facility just over a month ago)
It has been eight months since Rose has been out at the farm, and just over a month since I had my few lessons on how to properly lunge a horse. Just over a month ago lunging was something that was foreign to Rose and something I had not ever attempted.
(Rose and I again at Ed Huie's, only this was our last session together there - notice my stiff composure in the pic above this one, and my composure here)
Yesterday while I was raking manure into a pile, Rose came to me as if she wanted to be asked to do something. I had not planned on lunging her, so I didn't have her lead or whip (which is used to pop the ground behind her feet - not to whip her). I have NEVER loose lunged her without the whip in my hand - mainly because of my fears about horses (that are slowly diminishing, but still an issue I continue to work through), I just feel better with that whip in hand in case I need to snap it to get her out of my space. I've never had to use it for that, but it has just been one of my fears.
I put the rake away and had my phone in my pocket, so I decided to record what I could for my trainers to see, so they could give me some feedback. It was so 'spur of the moment' and I had no time to envision what might go wrong (which I normally do because I have always been fearful of the power of these animals), and I JUST DID IT. I loose lunged her and it was perfect.
I only did it for a minute because I had plenty to do before the sun went down - waters to fill, manure to move, and hay to dole out, but Rose did it! I even switched directions and she didn't fuss! I was so happy about that one short minute and immediately sent it to my friend Holly (my horse guru) and told her how excited I was - and how part of me even felt silly for getting so excited because it's only 53 seconds of a horse running in circles around me, but for me personally, that tiny bit of time put me on top of the world for that minute!
Holly made me feel good by explaining that it was definitely something to be excited about because the fact that I don't have a round pen to run her around in, Rose and I both only have just over ONE MONTH of proper lunging training under our belts, and she didn't decide to dip out of the circle, run off, or hide in her shed, was excellent - that most people who have had horses for some time couldn't ask their horse to do what Rose did while not being confined to a round pen. So OK, my excitement was valid and here is the video:
....so there it is. The thing that may not mean anything to you, but that moment was everything to me. It was what I needed to see. Ed has told me many times that I over think things with Rose. This was the proof. It went perfect probably because I didn't have time to think about it....
We got dumped on last night so the ground will be too wet for me to work
with Rose the next few days, but I think Ed is coming out to check on
us both this weekend. Maybe things will go smoothly for my little
'progress checkup"!
Happy Wednesday, y'all! I am off to get ready for work - xoxo!
-s
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