November 27th playtime

November 27 2009

Today was miserable weather wise but we still had fun. It was raining when we left with the horses, snowing when we got there and then raining when we left.

After we unloaded the horses Prince and I walked into the arena. I took one look around and decided that there was nothing that I wanted to play with in there. So Prince and I walked out the gate and went and played out in the small field beside the round corral. We did some Circles first. Cantering, transitions, and change of directions. At first Prince was pulling a little bit on the rope but after the third lap he lightened up and put slack in the line. After that we did some Stick to me. We practiced our canter stick to me. Prince did really well with that. It was really cool because Prince was really in tune with me that as soon as I stopped cantering in my body Prince would stop canter, then when I slowed down Prince slowed down too. It was fun!!

Then I tied the 22ft line into two lines. It was a little short but that was okay. At first we just did Point to point then we walked over to the driveway and did some Weaving [with out cones], transitions, lots of trotting, and other stuff. Then we trotted all the way down the driveway and back to where my mom and Knightly were.

After that we did some Stick to me over to the arena gate. It was SO cool because all I had to do was think trot and Prince would start trotting then I would think walk and Prince would walk. It was fun!!!! Then we played with the single barrel that was there. I asked Prince to jump it while I was about 15ft away and he did!!! Normally I have to be pretty close to it when Prince jumps it. It was neat!! Then I asked Prince to go sideways over it. By this time the rope was pretty wet and heavy and I think that was why Prince wasn't quite sure what I wanted. He tried but had a hard time with it. We kept with it until he got it. Then he had a big lick and chew!!!

Then we went into the arena and switched to the 45ft line. I set two of the plastic barrels up on there end away from the fence. Then I sent Prince on the circle and put the barrels in his “way”. The first time he half jumped it but I didn't quite line it up right so he missed them. So we played around with it until Prince jumped the barrels. Prince got a long rest after that!!! After that I sent Prince out on the circle. He was about 35ft away from me and cantering around connected and all!!! It was amazing!!!  He gave me two circles at the canter on the 45ft line which was a first for us!!!! I was about to bring him in but then the rope got caught on some metal barrels that were standing up and Prince got scarred  and ran off plus our friend was coming down with her horse and an umbrella. I couldn't believe how scarred Prince was!!!! I have never seen him that scarred!! He did look really pretty though ;)

After I caught Prince again I put the 12ft line on him and then my friend handed me the umbrella. My mom was holding Prince for me because I had to go back to the truck to get something, on my way back I was watching Prince out of the coner of my eye to see what he was doing. I didn't walk straight to him but I walked all around. He really wanted to come to me so my mom let him go and also took the rope off. Prince got about 15ft from me then stopped so I turned and walked towards zone 5 and then every time he turned and looked at me I turned and walked the other way. Soon Prince was confident enough to walk up to me so I just stood there and let him sniff me and the umbrella out. It was really neat!!! I put my savvy string on Prince's halter so that he wouldn't be in the way of us filming. He stood quitely beside me and then he started licking and chewing, sighing, blowing, and yawning. He must have been on a lot of adrenaline. Then he started pawing the ground and I had a feeling it was going to roll... and he did. So now my horse was wet and muddy. He was cute though!! The cool thing was that Prince has NEVER rolled when I have had the halter on him!!! It was really cool!!! After we were finished taping what we needed to tape I walked over to the pedestal and climbed up on it. Prince was totally fine with the umbrella over him, opening and closing etc etc. He was way more confident!!! It was really interesting [and a lot of fun] for me to have to get Prince confident with an object when he was so worried about it!! I have played with an umbrella before with him but this one was a different colour and it was totally different circumstances!!!

It was then lunch time and so we went in. I was so glad to be out of the wet, cold, and all in all miserable weather ;)

~K