We practiced more stick to me today. It's like I have two left feet. I have lots of trouble getting into rhythm with Brandy's feet, especially when we are already walking so I worked on that some more.
Donna was playing with Zaina and we decided to let the mares touch noses. They touched noses slowly and carefully, then Brandy squealed and jumped back. After that they stood, lowered their heads, licked and chewed about it. I remembered that in an earlier play session Brandy allowed Zaina to touch her tail and was pretty calm.
We also played the circling game. Brandy has improved so much! She now is understanding the the idea more. Donna had the tarp set up and when she wasn't using it, we played the circling game while I was standing on it. We also played the yoyo game next to it.
Next I set up a figure 8. Brandy seems to enjoy it as much as I do. She did it with a nice big smile on the rope, was paying attention, and her
disengage was nice too.
Then we went back to the tarp. It was in the corner and I thought it looked like a nice squeeze. We played the circling game next to it. I made it more of an oval to provide release when she went through it. Then I started to make next to the tarp a good place to rest. She got to stop and rest by the tarp but when she left she was asked to trot away from it. Soon she began to get more comfortable with the tarp.
Donna also had a very low jump set up and Brandy touched it with her hoof and even offered to put one foot over it! But I had to take her away from it because they were Donna's homemade poles made from PVC pipes and colorful duct tape. They might break if Brandy got a little too comfortable with them and offered to step on them.
Then we went back to the tarp yet again.
This was the big moment... I was going to walk over the tarp with enough slack in the rope for Brandy to have a choice weather to walk over it or around it. She followed me right on it, then... she heard the noise her front feet made on the tarp and put her nose down in surprise to examine the cause of the unfamiliar noise. After letting her nose at the tarp I backed her off of it and let her think about it.
Then we both calmly walked over the tarp.
Donna then suggested that I try some liberty with Brandy as she was taking Zaina for some grass as a treat, leaving the arena empty. I took the line off and found out two truths. One, that she is connected to me enough to do stick to me through a wide squeeze and two, that Brandy left me, to go stomp on a small pile of grey grit left in the corner of the arena. She nosed at it for some time then stepped on it and licked and chewed. I wonder how long she wanted to explore it.
Then it was sadly time to put her back in her paddock with her buddy Doll and tidy up.
Donna was playing with Zaina and we decided to let the mares touch noses. They touched noses slowly and carefully, then Brandy squealed and jumped back. After that they stood, lowered their heads, licked and chewed about it. I remembered that in an earlier play session Brandy allowed Zaina to touch her tail and was pretty calm.
We also played the circling game. Brandy has improved so much! She now is understanding the the idea more. Donna had the tarp set up and when she wasn't using it, we played the circling game while I was standing on it. We also played the yoyo game next to it.
Next I set up a figure 8. Brandy seems to enjoy it as much as I do. She did it with a nice big smile on the rope, was paying attention, and her
disengage was nice too.
Then we went back to the tarp. It was in the corner and I thought it looked like a nice squeeze. We played the circling game next to it. I made it more of an oval to provide release when she went through it. Then I started to make next to the tarp a good place to rest. She got to stop and rest by the tarp but when she left she was asked to trot away from it. Soon she began to get more comfortable with the tarp.
Donna also had a very low jump set up and Brandy touched it with her hoof and even offered to put one foot over it! But I had to take her away from it because they were Donna's homemade poles made from PVC pipes and colorful duct tape. They might break if Brandy got a little too comfortable with them and offered to step on them.
Then we went back to the tarp yet again.
This was the big moment... I was going to walk over the tarp with enough slack in the rope for Brandy to have a choice weather to walk over it or around it. She followed me right on it, then... she heard the noise her front feet made on the tarp and put her nose down in surprise to examine the cause of the unfamiliar noise. After letting her nose at the tarp I backed her off of it and let her think about it.
Then we both calmly walked over the tarp.
Donna then suggested that I try some liberty with Brandy as she was taking Zaina for some grass as a treat, leaving the arena empty. I took the line off and found out two truths. One, that she is connected to me enough to do stick to me through a wide squeeze and two, that Brandy left me, to go stomp on a small pile of grey grit left in the corner of the arena. She nosed at it for some time then stepped on it and licked and chewed. I wonder how long she wanted to explore it.
Then it was sadly time to put her back in her paddock with her buddy Doll and tidy up.