Ruffian: Spending time.

August 10 2010

After I played with Prince I played with Ruffian. We had fun. We started out with some Touch it, sideways, jumping, and some other small things and then we did Figure eights, which turned out to be high energy and really interesting. At first Ruffian just wanted to run around and not focus on anything so it took a while before he started taking up his responsibilities on the pattern. One thing that I have learned is that even though Ruffian has a lot of energy when we play I can't just let him "run it out" and get some of his energy out before we start. I have to channel that energy, even if it means taking more time on some patterns, and give him a focus. If I don't then he will be exercising yes but his mind won't be engaged.

Both of us were rather hot when we finished but it was worth it. Ruffian and I then went over to the pedestal and I sent him up there while I sat on a barrel. We didn't go straight to it though, we went sideways over to a tire, then backed up to another tire, then went sideways over that and over to the pedestal then I asked Ruffian to yield his forequarters over and climb up. It was fun and really made it more interesting then just the normal walking over to the pedestal and climb up.

Then after a little while I took the halter off and Ruffian and I just hung out together for a while. Ruffian didn't want to leave when I opened the gate so he stayed with mom and I. My two younger brothers came up to see the horses so I asked them if they wanted to brush Ruffy, who had rolled and was now really dirty ;) They both wanted too and I figured it would be a good way to get them even more comfortable being around the horses. Ruffian was a gem and stood totally still as they brushed him. I in the mean time played with and rode Knightly....

Naturally,
~Keri